10 Biggest WWE Summerslam Controversies

5. Luger Robbed Of The Title At The Last Moment

With Hulk Hogan set to leave the WWF in 1993 to pursue a career in Hollywood, Vince McMahon needed a replacement. He chose another tall, musclebound, blonde haired flag-waver by the name of Lex Luger.

Luger debuted at the Royal Rumble '93 as a villain, but when Hogan left in May, he was pushed as a mega-face. On July 4th, in a special broadcast filmed on the deck of the USS Intrepid, Luger did what many other superstars had failed to do and body-slammed thenear 600-pound WWF Champion, Yokozuna. Following that, he embarked on a 'Lex Express' bus tour around the country campaigning like a politician for a WWF title shot. He was granted one and was all set to win it from the 'Japanese' champ at SummerSlam '93, a mere 8 months after debuting.

Luger did win his match with Yokozuna, but by count-out, so the title did not change hands. Despite this, Luger celebrated like he'd won it. He was hoisted on the Steiner Brother's shoulders and waved the American flag as balloons and confetti rained from the ceiling. He hadn't won the title. Everyone knew that he didn't, yet confetti and balloons. Baffling.

Rumour has it that Luger was stripped of the title win because of backstage politics.

The locker room was apparently in an uproar over this 'body-builder' getting a rocket push, and according to shoot interview with Luger and ClubWW1, top superstars threatened to walk out of the company if he was given the belt.

Sadly for Luger, the whole thing would happen again less than a year later at WrestleMania 10 when an original plan for him to be WWE champion was again scrapped due to backstage discontent at the idea.