10 Worst WWE Booking Decisions Of The '90s (Year-By-Year)
7. 1993: Lex Luger Wins Via Count-Out
Would Lex Luger have been the next Hulk Hogan? No, probably not. As great as his physique was, he simply wasn’t the personality Hogan was. Still, given all the hype they made for Lex Luger after his abrupt face turn and the ensuing Lex Express tour, it was such a boneheaded move on WWE’s part to set him up to win the title from Yokozuna at SummerSlam, only via count-out.
What’s sad is that WWE were convinced they were doing the right thing and helping Luger get over. By not winning the title at SummerSlam, Luger would be on the chase for the title, win the Royal Rumble, and then finally defeat Yoko at WrestleMania X. However, with that countout victory, Luger’s momentum with the fans had evaporated completely. Ultimately, he just became another guy, and it wasn’t until he returned to WCW that he was able to get over once again.
Again, this is not to say Luger would have been the superstar that carried WWE through the '90s, but at least if he had won the title at SummerSlam, he could have been a credible main eventer who would have helped WWE draw during their more dire times.