Lex Luger as WWF Champion in non-televised segment

[Zen411]

I dont get it. What were the fans supposed to think? There was no match, they just sent him out with the belt and no explanation? It broke all sorts of kayfabe also when they filmed a Hogan match as rip for no holds barred at an arena show.

[Squirrel Master]

I'd buy Lex as WWF Champion. He looked the part. But this crowd knew it was bullshit because there was no live promo, so how could the company be invested in him?

[chronocross]

If they had gone through with the title change, I could see them using this as a cold open to Superstars with piped in cheers and editing out the podium segment. I remember on the Superstars after Wrestlemania 6, they had Warrior introduced as the WWF Champ, he ran to the ring, posed for a few seconds and ran to the back.

[cjh]

Feb 23, 2020 15:34:01 GMT -5 chronocross said:

If they had gone through with the title change, I could see them using this as a cold open to Superstars with piped in cheers and editing out the podium segment. I remember on the Superstars after Wrestlemania 6, they had Warrior introduced as the WWF Champ, he ran to the ring, posed for a few seconds and ran to the back.

I always thought that segment with Warrior was odd, even as a kid.  At least with that one, though, it was taped after Mania and Warrior really was the new champion.

[jason1980s]

Unfortunately the only time for him to win the title would have been at Summerslam. After that his popularity just kept going down. Bret Hart had the bigger storyline at Survivor Series, won the superstar of the year which could have been a legit fan vote or a company decision and his Royal Rumble storyline was much easier to get behind than Luger getting beaten by guys the fans were unfamiliar with.

[Citizen Snips]

Feb 23, 2020 15:43:42 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

Unfortunately the only time for him to win the title would have been at Summerslam. After that his popularity just kept going down. Bret Hart had the bigger storyline at Survivor Series, won the superstar of the year which could have been a legit fan vote or a company decision and his Royal Rumble storyline was much easier to get behind than Luger getting beaten by guys the fans were unfamiliar with.

Yeah, when the choice at the Rumble was:

1. This guy got beat up in the locker room earlier in the night by a couple old guys, but he seems ok now
2. This guy gets seriously injured, his own BROTHER betrays him and still limps out here to fight for the title shot

They obviously had to know all the sympathy/cheers were going to Bret.

[flakeymcgill]

I'm coming around to the idea he should have won at Mania. I don't think the Bret vs Owen feud needed the title and in fact looking back I think maybe its involvement detracted from it as there must have been a relatively high degree of confidence that Owen didn't fit the bill of someone Vince would ever put the world title on, especially at that time. So really the title was secondary to the actual story behind the feud and everyone knew it was very unlikely to ever change hands.

I'm not a huge Luger fan but even though the momentum had slowed I think the title would have done more for Luger than it did being on Bret at the time.

[cjh]

Feb 23, 2020 13:51:18 GMT -5 Zen411 said:

I dont get it. What were the fans supposed to think? There was no match, they just sent him out with the belt and no explanation? It broke all sorts of kayfabe also when they filmed a Hogan match as rip for no holds barred at an arena show.

In the full version of the segment on WWE Network, Luger interrupts a Cornette promo and grabs the belt.  Vince then straps the belt around Luger's waist and instructs the ring announcer to do an introduction to show everybody what Luger as champion would look like.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Feb 23, 2020 16:41:15 GMT -5 flakeymcgill said:

I'm coming around to the idea he should have won at Mania. I don't think the Bret vs Owen feud needed the title and in fact looking back I think maybe its involvement detracted from it as there must have been a relatively high degree of confidence that Owen didn't fit the bill of someone Vince would ever put the world title on, especially at that time. So really the title was secondary to the actual story behind the feud and everyone knew it was very unlikely to ever change hands.

I'm not a huge Luger fan but even though the momentum had slowed I think the title would have done more for Luger than it did being on Bret at the time.

Nope. Needed the belt. Mania 10 opened with Owen beating Bret clean, outsmarting him using wrestling. Mania 10 ends with Bret as World Champion anyway and all the faces with Bret on their shoulders. Owen bear his brother and he’s still in the shadow.

It doesn’t work if Bret just loses and then that’s that.

[Ozman]

I always thought that they knew that they were going with Bret after he got a better reaction than Luger at the Royal Rumble. I assume this was just to mess with the dirt sheets.

[Deleted]

Feb 23, 2020 13:51:18 GMT -5 Zen411 said:

I dont get it. What were the fans supposed to think? There was no match, they just sent him out with the belt and no explanation? It broke all sorts of kayfabe also when they filmed a Hogan match as rip for no holds barred at an arena show.

Wait I want to see this...Has footage of this been released?

[cjh]

Feb 24, 2020 10:33:22 GMT -5 slickrickstyles said:

Feb 23, 2020 13:51:18 GMT -5 Zen411 said:

I dont get it. What were the fans supposed to think? There was no match, they just sent him out with the belt and no explanation? It broke all sorts of kayfabe also when they filmed a Hogan match as rip for no holds barred at an arena show.

Wait I want to see this...Has footage of this been released?

The Hogan match?  It's the opening scene in No Holds Barred.  He wrestles Jake Bullet (Ax from Demolition) at a WWF TV taping.

[johnnyk9]

He should’ve just won the title at Summerslam 1993