10 Next Big Things In Wrestling That Totally Flopped

1. Lex Luger

Vladimir Kozlov
WWE.com

Vince McMahon is as famous as he is for reverting to type as he is his puerile sense of humour - which explains why, in 2017, the vascular Jinder Mahal was your WWE Heavyweight champion, and why impromptu PPV matches are booked when babyfaces throw vegetables at singing heels.

This also explains the great Failed Lex Luger Experiment Of 1993.

With Hulk Hogan on the way out, and his smaller successors having failed to reach his industry-exploding heights, McMahon went all in on the Luger push. When he touched down on the deck of the USS Intrepid and laid out resident monster Yokozuna with a body slam, the invited comparison to WrestleMania III was both unimaginative and the very embodiment of a diminished return. The subsequent Lex Express tour was similarly desperate. He was drawn to the fans, not the other way 'round; a perfect illustration of his lack of Hogan-esque magnetism. The sight of a jubilant Luger celebrating a tainted count out win over Yoko at SummerSlam, with balloons raining down from overhead, was also neatly symbolic. It was an empty celebration for an empty victory following an empty push.

That trio of unforgettable images acts as the picture book on how to alienate fans with a cloying overzealousness.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!