10 Times Vince McMahon's WWE Pet Projects Failed Him

1. Lex Luger

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WWE.com

Just as The Ultimate Warrior had been geared for the same purpose, 'All American' Lex Luger was another response from McMahon to the success of Hulk Hogan. Portrayed much the same way 'Hulkamania' had been, Luger's patriotic pandering was arguably even more sickening. Despite the incredible hype, it didn't work out.

Initially, Lex wasn't even supposed to be an in-ring wrestler for McMahon. Signing as the face of the World Bodybuilding Federation, he stepped between the ropes once that experiment flopped. Following a short run as a heel, he was magically transformed into the WWF's next big babyface project.

At SummerSlam 1993, Luger failed to win the WWF Title from the massive Yokozuna. That's where the hype began to fade. Whilst Lex still stayed in the main event picture, he was never given a run with the top belt in the promotion.

Painting a brilliant picture, the louder cheers garnered by Bret Hart at the 1994 Royal Rumble showed that fans weren't fully invested in Luger. People wanted Hart to succeed much more, and McMahon was listening.

What other WWE pet projects can you think of that failed in the end? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section below!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.