10 Massive WWE Babyface Pushes That Were Doomed To Failure
7. Lex Luger
If Hulk Hogan was a 'Real American', surely Lex Luger was fit to be 'Made In The USA'? That was Vince McMahon's rationale anyway, as he decked the former 'Narcissist' out in as much Americana as he could find in an effort to airlift the muscular former WCW star in as 'The Hulkster's direct replacement ahead of SummerSlam 1993.
Having cooled on Bret Hart as his top guy (more on that later), McMahon instead went all in on Luger, sending him off on a 'Call To Action' bus tour in place of attempting to galvanise the support the old fashioned way on house shows and television tapings in front of his loyal but dwindling audience.
It worked to a point, with Lex at least generating a modicum of support with the audience in time for his blockbuster clash with Yokozuna, but a count-out victory quickly washed away the jingoistic sentiment. It mattered not that he was an American, only that he was a bit of a loser. Or at least somebody that couldn't really win.
The complete antithesis of the audience connection to Bret, Luger's support was weighted entirely on his grand effort to trounce Yoko. In missing the mark, the fans immediately returned to a star they could always trust to get the job done properly.