For the very first episode of Monday Nitro, WCW needed something big. Looking to create a shocking moment, the company signed Lex Luger from the WWF, right under the nose of Vince McMahon. Luger had appeared just days earlier for McMahon, but he strolled out on Nitro, fresh off signing a contract with the competition. Going face-to-face with Hulk Hogan, Luger had a serious stare down with the WCW World Champion. The fan response was excellent, and the program went off the air without a hitch. Everybody was delighted with how the broadcast had turned out, everyone that is aside from Hogan. Irate with Luger behind the curtain, Hulk was frustrated that Lex had visibly smirked on camera. According to Luger, he thought the show had gone off the air by the time he smiled. In Hogan's mind, this ruined the confrontation, one which was built around the idea that Lex was coming to supplant Hulk as the top babyface in the company. It's unlikely many fans read into things the same way as Hulk, but there was an argument behind the scenes over what had happened.
