12 WWE Booking Mistakes Vince McMahon Made Personally
5. The Lex Express
The close of the WBF allowed the then WWF to absorb the contract of Lex Luger and bring him back into the world of pro wrestling. Of course, Luger's 1993 babyface turn came at the same time that Hulk Hogan was leaving the WWF as steroid allegations intensified against the company. Aping the America-loving aspect of Hogan's gimmick and giving it to Luger, the big idea surrounding making Luger a top guy involved him travelling across the country on a red, white and blue bus to drum up support as he chased heel "evil Japanese" champion Yokozuna. The payoff to the Lex Express being Luger getting a countout win versus Yokozuna at SummerSlam, and having that victory celebrated like a championship win. This ludicrous turn of events actually hurt Luger more than aided his cause. Sinking down the WWF card, it's no surprise that when his contract was up in 1995 that he defected back to WCW as well, Vince McMahon's "creative genius" had completely failed him.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.