The WORST Moment From EVERY WWE SummerSlam
33. Lex Luger Wins Big…Sort Of! (1993)
Wannabe Hulk Hogan and new top babyface Lex Luger did beat Yokozuna in the main event of 1993's show, but only via countout. Thus, he didn’t take home the WWF Title, and that only made his over the top post-match celebration fall flat with fans who'd been coaxed into taking him seriously as the next coming of Hulkamania.
Well, perhaps that's not strictly true. Some were willing to go along for the ride, but many cast a doubtful glance at what Vince and his cronies were trying to push here. Lex looked like a million dollars physically, and his lengthy bus tour around the country had rallied a bit of support, but he generally didn't carry the same babyface star power as Hulk.
Pretending otherwise, even if you've always been critical of Hogan's work, would be daft.
Hulk understood how to get people in his corner, and his selling was actually a way bigger part of his better matches than he'll ever be given credit for. Conversely, Luger struggled to get live crowds behind him when bumping around for the gargantuan Yoko. He was trying, to be fair, but something wasn't clicking.
Also, Lex looked like a bit of a moron for vowing to take the belt from such a monstrous heel, failing to do so then celebrating like he'd won the Super Bowl anyway. McMahon got cold feet on thoughts of Luger as champ, clearly. Plus, his own audience ultimately rebelled by backing more dynamic workers like Bret Hart as a "Hogan replacement".
No amount of pyro, confetti or flag-waving was going to change that.