My Favorite Wrestlers unfortunately are in the Hall of Fame. And all of the current wrestlers I would argue for wouldn't make for that much of a challenge. I'm looking for something to really sink my teeth into.
Hmm.....
Ladies and Gentleman, The Hall of Fame Candidacy of Lex Luger
A former athlete of the gridiron, Larry Pfohl came into the wrestling business with a chiseled physique and a massive amount of training from Hiro Matsuda. One of the toughest trainers in the entire world, Hiro is credited with training such great names as Hulk Hogan, Paul Orndorff, and The Great Muta. He was given the ring name "Lex Luger", and from there, a career that would turn to become one of the most eventful in history had begun.
Luger started in humble beginnings, wrestling in the NWA's Florida territory. He quickly became a dominant force, wrestling the best the territory had to offer. Within a month of his debut in the territory, Luger had won the NWA Southern Heavyweight championship from the legendary Wahoo McDaniel. It was at this point that he had his first clash with another legend in the business, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. Their battle resulted in a sixty minute time limit draw, but Luger had earned the approval of the masses, and was set to begin a career of bigger and better achievements.
Luger quickly moved to Jim Crockett's World Championship Wrestling, which at the time was still under the NWA banner. He quickly became associated with the greatest stable in the history of professional wrestling, The Four Horseman. From here, he ignited a feud with one WCW's greatest stars, Nikita Koloff, over the NWA Unites States heavyweight title. He soon defeated Koloff for the U.S. title, and would go to become one of the most dominant title holders in the belt's history. He would finally lose the title at November's Starrcade, but it wasn't without controversy. J.J. Dillon, manager to the Four Horsemen, had thrown a chair into the ring, which backfired in a way that would cost Luger the match and the title. This planted the seeds for Lex's exodus from the Horsemen, and becoming one of the absolute biggest babyfaces the company had.
Slowly, WCW groomed Lex to be the one to dethrone Ric Flair as the NWA heavyweight champion. He and newly turned face Barry Windham defeated Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard for the NWA Tag Team Titles. Unfortunately, the joy was short lived. Barry turned on his new found partner, choosing instead to antagonize Lex with the help of the Horsemen. Even then, during the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup, Luger was soon teamed with a young upstart by the name of Sting. He and Lex were part of a tag team tournament for the now vacant tag team titles, ultimately defeating Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.
From here, he went on to challenge Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight title, finally getting his chance against Ric at the Clash of the Champions in Baltimore, Maryland. Though he was attacked by the Four Horsemen before the match, being left bloodied in the parking lot, Luger courageously fought Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight Title, in match that ended in controversial fashion. The match was stopped by the referee as Luger had Ric Flair in the torture rack, citing "Maryland State Athletic Commission" rules about a cut that had opened up on Luger's forehead, "bleeding excessively". Dejected, lex did not walk out of Baltimore the champion. He did, however, earn the respect of the fans, and was seen as a major player in the future of WCW.
Soon, he defeated Barry Windham again, and reclaimed his second NWA US Title. He then went on to feud with some of the greatest names in ever in pro wrestling, including WWE Hall of Famers Michael "P.S." Hayes and Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, as well as a blossoming name you might have heard of, Flyin' Brian Pillman. Along the way, he went on to win the US title again, this time winning it against Hayes. He held the title for a record breaking 523 days. For 523 days, Luger defended the title, going on to become the single greatest United States Champion in history. But that simply wasn't enough for Lex, as he decided to move on to bigger and better things.
Lex Luger quickly became the number one contender yet again, this time beating The Great Muta to earn a title shot with Ric Flair. The match was set to take place at the 1991 Great American Bash. The match was to take place in a steel cage, with the stipulation being that if Flair lost by disqualification, as had been the case most times with Luger, Luger would win the title. Unfortunately, Flair left the WCW for the WWF, and so the main event was almost discarded. Barry Windham stepped in for Flair, leading to Lex and Barry meeting again, this time for the WCW Title. During the match, Lex turned heel in a shocking manner, piledriving Barry Windham during the match, which was at the time an illegal move, and finally winning the WCW Heavyweight Title.
Lex got over quickly as a top heel, defeating many an opponent that stepped up to challenge him. He stayed champion for 230 days, defeating any challenger that came his way, until he clashed with his one time friend, Sting, at Superbrawl. The two put on a classic battle, that will live as one of the best of the promotion WCW. Eventually, Sting defeated Luger, as Luger turned in a great performance in the loss. After having conflicts with those booking WCW, Lex left the WCW, and decided to take his tools to the World Wrestling Federation.
It was here that was shown again as a man with a massive physique, taking part in Vince McMahon's World Body Building Federation. a man of massive size and "the look", as well as the pedigree of being a former world champion, Vince would find a way to mold his new gem.
Unfortunately, Luger would soon be involved in a motorcycle accident, an accident that almost cost him his career. Lex would rehab, and against doctor's orders, he made an attempt to return to the ring, with a steel plate in his forearm. This dreaded steel forearm would become a new weapon for Lex to use in the ring, and added another dimension to his attack. This weapon became very useful to Luger, aiding him to several a win, including one against a WWE Legend, The Late Great "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig.
By the time Lex had returned, The WWE was in dire need of a hero. Yokozuna had begun a rampage, attacking all of the WWF's top faces, and again leaving a trail of broken bodies in his pathway. On July Fourth, on the S.S. Intrepid, Yokozuna and his manager, Mr. Fuji, offered an open invitation to anyone that felt they could slam the nearly six hundred pound monster. Many athletes from the NFL and WWF all tried, but all failed to live up to the task of slamming the behemoth. That is, except for one man, flown in by helicopter to redeem America's dignity. That man was Lex Luger.
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Shortly after this, Lex began a campaign to gain a title shot against Yokozuna, and at Summerslam, Lex was granted this oppurtunity. He was granted the chance to wrestle Yokozuna for the WWF Title, with the only stipulation being that this would be Lex's only chance at the belt. Unfortunately, Lex won by count out, after hitting Yokozuna with his steel plate in his forearm, and knocking Yokozuna out on the ringside floor. Lex had won the match and had won over the crowd, but lost his only chance at the title.
Or did he? Soon, Lex entered the 1994 Royal Rumble, and even though Lex was attacked by some of Mr. Fuji's henchmen backstage before the Rumble, Lex went on to become a co-winner of the Royal Rumble, along with the great Bret Hart. He was pushed as the top face, and had he not gotten drunk and blabbed that he was going to win the WWF title to a reporter, who knows how Wrestlemania X would have gone down? Unfortunately, Lex made on of the biggest mistakes of his career, and Bret Hart went on to win the WWF Title.
Lex would then make a bold decision in his career, and jumped back to WCW, immediately feuding with Hulk Hogan and playing the role of a tweener. He went on to win the Tag Titles again and win the TV title. As the nWo invasion began, Luger stood as a stalwart for WCW. He stayed loyal, battling off the threat of the New World Order, and remaining one of WCW's top faces. He challenged the leaders of the nWo, Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash, often times getting the upper hand. Luger's use of strength left him as one of WCW's last hopes to stop the nWo. At one point, Lex Luger even torture racked the five hundred pound Giant, showing just how strong he truly was. He soon earned a shot at Hollywood Hulk Hogan, though it was much believed that the nWo's interference would lead to an unsuccesful attempt. Then, on August 4th, 1997, Lex Luger indeed shocked the world. In what will go down as one of WCW's greatest moments, and certainly one of their biggest pops, Lex had done the unthinkable. When all had fallen to the power of the New World Order, Lex proved he was unstoppable, and proceeded to do something that no one in WCW had until this point.
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Lex Luger defeated Hulk Hogan for the WCW Heavyweight Title, and proved that WCW could survive against the nWo. He struck the first major blow into the nWo, and started the WCW charge against the rougue stable.
Was Lex the greatest of wrestlers? Absolutely not. But he was one of the most over faces (and heels) when the time called for him to step. A former heavyweight champion, and one of the most unrecognizable faces in pro wrestling.
Lex Luger for the Hall of Fame.
