Lex Luger's crowning achievement should have come at the 1993 SummerSlam, when he challenged Yokozuna for the WWE Championship. After weeks of hype and a cross-country bus tour that saw Luger positioned as the great American hero poised to unseat the evil foreign champion, Luger won by countout, the top prize in professional wrestling eluding him. He would spend months as the top contender, his popularity rivaled only by Bret "Hitman" Hart. At WrestleMania, both Luger and Hart would have the opportunity to challenge for the title, their status as co-winners of the 1994 Royal Rumble earning them that chance. Luger was up first and many wondered if he and Yokozuna could channel the same energy that led to their SummerSlam bout being as surprisingly good as it was into another quality bout. They got their answer quickly as the bout slogged along, a slow and painfully boring one jam packed with rest holds courtesy of an out-of-shape champion. Luger tried to bring energy to the contest, especially late in the match as he exploded with his babyface comeback. Unfortunately, the fans in New York had already pledged their allegiance to Hart and had been completely taken out of the festivities by the dreadfully dull match. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Cmr1WHxa4 The screwy finish, in which special referee Mr. Perfect disqualified Luger for accidentally touching him, only further dragged the match further into the depths of sucktitude. By the time the entire ordeal was over, Luger's run as main event attraction was over and Yokozuna's reign as champion was on borrowed time. Hart would capture the belt later on, leaving fans with the happy ending they so desperately wanted.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
