83 Weeks - Lex Luger 1998 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today Eric our topic is Lex Luger and his run in WCW from 1998 to 1999. Mind you - at the end of 1997 - and we have discussed this in the archives over at 83weeksonyoutube.com so be sure to check it out - I’d say Lex is solidly ranked as the #2 babyface in the company behind Sting. In August is when he trades the WCW title with Hogan but he’s putting Buff over at Starrcade to end the year. You’ve discussed in the past your hesitation to bring Lex into the company over his past issues. Was Lex a model employee up until that point?

Very early on in 1998 he’s still at the center of feuding with the nWo but the WCW roster is expanding with Thunder. So let’s look at the babyfaces:

Sting, Bret Hart, Lex Luger, the Giant, DDP, Roddy Piper, we have the rise of Goldberg coming soon as well, that’s pretty crowded up there is it not?

How hard is it to keep everyone over and happy when you have this type of talent base?

Lex works a lot with Randy Savage, Buff Bagwell, & Scott Norton - with Sting as “disputed” champion I guess you could call it - Lex is firmly placed in the midcard. Did he ever remind you or anyone in creative that - oh yeah by the way - I was super over just a few months ago and he should be in the main event?

At the first pay-per-view of 1998 - Souled Out - Lex and Savage are in the main event above Flair vs. Bret which many pointed to as the real main event. Do you remember the reasoning on putting Lex & Savage on last - because Meltzer would speculate it was because Hogan was going to get involved. Is that a fair assumption looking back?

It’s reported that Randy was upset having to follow Flair-Hart and that they ran long and their match had to be cut several minutes. Is this just the politics of the company pushing everyone over the edge at this point?

From the Observer

“9. Lex Luger beat Randy Savage in 7:07. Match had no heat at all. Liz' offense was actually better than that of half the guys in the promotion. Luger made a big comeback using a series of clotheslines that missed and the forearm. Hall and Hogan then came out and as Hall and Hogan argued, Savage crashed into Hall and was racked by Luger for the submission. After the match the entire NWO jumped Luger and Sting came from the ceiling to make the save. The show ended with Luger racking Nash and Sting having Hogan in the scorpion. 1/4*”

Feel good babyface moment but the match is terrible and seems like an awful way to finish a pay-per-view that had a great Flair - Hart match. Did Luger lose a lot of his momentum after flip flopping the title with Hulk?

The focus of TV really from this point forward is the Sting - Hogan story trying to get a new champion crowned and the implosion of the nWo. With that taking up a lot of TV everyone else just feels like a bit player running in circles. Luger is working with Scott Hall and they’re focused on the Larry Zybysko story - all the while Savage is attacking Luger to continue from the night before. There’s no real direction for Lex here - but it didn’t really make sense to put him with the nWo right?

“-Nitro 2/9/98:

Luger came out and challenged Savage, who jumped him from behind. Sting then came out and attacked Savage giving him the scorpion death drop. At this point the NWO came out, but a net dropped from the ceiling on Luger, Sting and Savage and the NWO destroyed them "injuring" Sting.”

Now the nWo is attacking Randy Savage making him a babyface as Luger slides down farther. Was the faith just not there in Luger to carry the promotion?

At SuperBrawl it’s Lex and Randy in a No DQ match.

From the Observer

8. Lex Luger beat Randy Savage at 7:26 in a No DQ match. Luger's ribs were all taped up selling the "injury" from being attacked on Thursday. To sell the deal, Luger went for a press slam early but the ribs gave out and he dropped Savage and began selling. Fans were totally for Savage and chanting "Luger sucks." Perhaps the biggest pop of the entire show came when Luger racked Savage, and Elizabeth did a run-in raking Luger's eyes. At this point the NWO "B" team (Bagwell, Vincent, Scott Norton and Brian Adams) did a run-in, but Luger and Savage teamed together to fight them off. The bell rang at this point, which made no sense since it was a no DQ match. Hogan then showed up and Luger racked Savage again. Hogan told the NWO group not to interfere and that he wanted to see Savage get beat, and Savage submitted and the bell rang a second time. There was never an explanation as to why the bell rang the first time. 3/4*

Was Lex stale all of a sudden with the crowd do you think?

Speaking of stale…Lex is programmed with a newly heel Scott Steiner and they face off at Uncensored.

From the Observer

“4. Lex Luger pinned Scott Steiner in 3:53. This made no sense. Steiner had just turned heel and threatened to get hot and had the ability to step up in rank, and instead they cut his legs off in his first major singles match. Actually come to think about it, it makes perfect sense. Just a nothing match. Scott grabbed a chair, but Rick Steiner came out. As they argued, Luger gave him the forearm from behind for the pin. Scott Norton jumped Rick Steiner while Scott jumped Luger after the match. It wound up with the faces reversing, Scott charging after Rick with a chair but Rick backdropping Scott out of the ring and both Scotts left. DUD”

I mean…this is criminal to turn Scott heel in a big angle, and in his first singles match on pay-per-view after the turn…and Lex pins him in just under 4 minutes. I mean Eric…how is that a good decision?

The story would continue at Spring Stampede where Lex & Rick team up to take on Scott & Buff. Lex & Rick get the win after Scott is chased to the back and Luger racks Buff - I mean this could’ve been Uncensored and made more sense for everyone involved right?

Now where things drop off - Luger moves down the card at Slamboree all the way to match 2 where he takes on Brian Adams and beats him in 5 minutes with the torture rack. Was Lex happy about his spot at the time because this seems like a demotion the old Lex would’ve had an issue with?

Finally Lex gets a shot in the arm by joining the nWo Wolfpac and saving Kevin Nash from the Giant, Vincent & Brian Adams of the original nWo. Who’s idea was it to put Lex in the Wolfpac?

Was it something Lex embraced?

The pop is gigantic and the announcers ask what will Sting think - why do you think it was important to keep the Sting - Lex connection going throughout their time in WCW? They’re like an old married couple - where one goes - the other is sure to follow.

Later that night Sting teams up with Lex in his tag match against Giant and nWo Sting. The babyfaces get the win when Sting pinned nWo Sting clean and the Wolfpac celebrates and hands Sting a shirt but the show goes off the air without a decision. For the first time in months - Lex seems cool now, doesn’t he?

On Thunder Luger cuts a promo and says he joined the Wolfpac because it “felt right to him” and that he didn’t turn his back on WCW and still respects them. This…I don’t know Eric. For as edgy and cool as Kevin Nash & Konnan were - this Lex doesn’t quite fit well does it?

It is said though in the Observer that this is the first time in a long time that Lex seems excited to be in this spot. Is that fair to say?

On Nitro it’s Lex & Nash taking on Hogan & Giant - the first big battle of the two nWos.

From the Observer

Lex Luger & Kevin Nash beat Hulk Hogan & Giant (w/Disciple, Bret Hart) via DQ when Hogan hit Nash with the WCW Hvt. Title belt. Luger wore black jeans in the ring, which actually made him appear to be less of a pretty boy and fit in more with the WolfPac. After Hogan hit Nash with the belt out of nowhere to end the match, Sting dropped from the ceiling into the ring. The arena went nuts. He took off his trench coat to reveal a black and white NWO shirt. Giant and Hogan celebrated. Hogan and Sting hugged. Hogan began walking away, at which point Sting short-arm clotheslined him. Sting bodyslammed the Giant for a huge pop, tried to rip off his black and white NWO shirt, but had trouble. Finally, he ripped it off from the bottom. The place went nuts as NWO WolfPac celebrated with Sting for about a minute before they went off the air.

It’s another electric moment as Sting joins the Wolfpac and the crowd goes bananas - but this is just another case of having Lex pushed farther down again in the babyface totem poll isn’t it?

The story is that Lex was put in charge of recruiting for the Wolfpac and he’s the reason Sting joined and now his plan is to get DDP into the group. This kind of makes him seem like a manager doesn’t it?

Try to figure this out now Eric. Sting & Giant are tag team champions. Giant is in the nWo Hollywood, Sting has joined the Wolfpac, so they’re not really teaming together. So DDP & Lex Luger challenge Giant & Brian Adams for the WCW World Tag Team Titles on Thunder. Luger & DDP get the win - and the story is that Lex promised if they win the match and the tag titles - DDP would be presented with a Wolfpac shirt. So it seems they win the tag titles and JJ Dillon calls into the show and says that the titles were not on the line and Giant had no right to defend them so it’ll be a singles match at Great American Bash to determine the new tag team champions.

Eric - what? What is going on here?

DDP never joined the Wolfpac by the way so Lex was unable to get Dallas into the group.

Now Lex only does a run-in at the Great American Bash and isn’t on Nitro but he’s given a mic on Thunder and man does he go off.

From the Observer

Konnan and Lex Luger came out. Luger then cut a promo that was laced with real-life animosity toward Hollywood Hogan. He said there are wrestlers who weren’t on the show that week who think because they carry a cell phone and a pager, that they’re big stars. “That doesn’t cut it. If you love something, you let them know about it.” He told Hogan he is a star because “the fans decided you were a star.” He said a guy who doesn’t try to be a big star, but fans know is a star is Goldberg. “While you were off filming your last movie, guys got together and that doesn’t sit well with you. You’ll try to divide us, swerving behind closed doors with Eric Bischoff to try to shut down the red and black. Well, there’s a new powersource in town and the fans have decided we are it. You can have parties, basketball players, limos, you can try to embarrass us, but it won’t work. You once said all the little dogs wrestle while you’re off doing movies. Well, now we’ve grown up and we’re not just big dogs, we’re wolves.” Schiavone said that a lot of what Luger said rang true. Great interview…

Was this Lex’s real feelings bursting through on TV? Was himself - and be honest a lot of the locker room - at odds with Hollywood at this point in time?

On Thunder it’s announced that Kevin Nash wasn’t there and considering he’s now tag team champion with Sting and Sting has a title defense tonight, Lex Luger will now be his partner. The decision to make Sting & Nash tag champions has always confused me. You’re in the middle of the Wolfpac push - Nash was really the main member of the group - and Lex isn’t really doing much - why not Sting & Luger as tag champions?

Did you - or anyone in WCW - really give a shit about the tag team titles?

Sting & Luger team together for a few weeks, defeating Giant & Brian Adams, Jim Neidhart & British Bulldog, and it’s reported in the Observer that there was talk of having Sting & Luger actually defend the tag team titles on the show against Scott Hall & Disciple, even though they weren’t really the tag team champions - but that it was scrapped for Konnan vs. Disco Inferno. I don’t even know where to go with that sentence Eric.

Looking back - that is the only appearance on the whole Bash show for the Wolfpac. Odd to see that on the biggest summer show of the year for WCW is it not?

Goldberg obviously is World Champion at this point in time and just running through people still. With Goldberg as a babyface there was never going to be a program with Lex - but do you think that could’ve been something at a different time and place?

At Road Wild Luger competes in the battle royal featuring nWo members and Goldberg for some reason - and is one of the last 3 before being thrown over the top rope by the Giant after taking a spear. This was a mess was it not?

On Nitro after Road Wild Luger - who was attacked on Nitro the week before - claims that he saw Hall & Bret Hart attack him before he was knocked unconscious and challenges Bret to a singles match for the United States Title.

This is one year almost to the day of his WCW Title win over Hulk and here Lex is now claiming that the only thing he wants is the US Title off Bret Hart’s waist. Does that signify to you how much he had fallen in one year?

Lex gets the win over Bret in just over 16 minutes to win the US title with the rack becoming the second man to win the title for a 5th time - with Ric Flair. Is this a moment to you or did the US title not mean anything?

Speaking of the US title not meaning anything…on the next Thunder Bret defeats Lex by submission to win the title back. I mean…this helps no one right?

On Nitro Sting & Luger team up in the main event to take on Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart. This - this is a dream match main event for many years. Could this had headlined a pay-per-view do you think?

I ask that because this is the highest Nitro rating ever - a 6.0 rating - and let’s put into context how big this match is and how big this rating is. The night before was SummerSlam headlined by Steve Austin and the Undertaker. Every show during the Monday Night War always had a bump coming off a pay-per-view. Well it was bad timing for the WWF as Raw was pre-empted - so Nitro runs unopposed. This was - at the time - the most watched pro-wrestling show in the history of Cable TV, with a 9.27 share, watched in 4,485,333 homes and 6,723,000 viewers.

Eric - that is just a crazy number isn’t it?

From the Observer

“Sting & Lex Luger beat Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart via countout at 11:18. Bret and Hogan chatted before the match and didn’t look confident, but the announcers speculated it was just head games on the part of Bret and Hogan. At 2:25 Sting tagged in to face Bret, but Bret immediately tagged in Hogan. Hogan wasn’t pleased that Bret refused to fight Sting. At 9:55 Luger hot-tagged Sting against Hogan. Disciple interfered to give Hogan the advantage. Hogan began whipping Sting with a belt and Bret stepped in and yanked the belt away from Bret. Bret then stormed out of the ring and walked to the back. Hogan yelled in Bret’s face, “What is up with that?” As they argued, the ref counted them out. Bret told Hogan, “You gave me your word,” insinuating Hogan promised to fight fair against Sting. As the Disciple separated Hogan and Bret as they shoved each other in the ring, fog began to fill the ring. When the fog disappeared, Warrior was in the middle of the ring and Hogan, Adams, Disciple, Norton, and Vincent were knocked out in the ring. Warrior said they can smell Hogan’s fear. Hogan ran…”

And that’s the main event on the biggest Nitro rating ever…looking back - would you change anything?

The focus of the promotion quickly shifts to Warrior - Hulk and everyone falls down the card including Lex. He’s teaming with Sting, and then all of a sudden on Thunder Bret Hart teams up with Lex to take on Bulldog & Jim Neidhart. There really was no creative plan for Bret at all was there?

At Fall Brawl Team WCW of DDP, Roddy Piper & Warrior defeat nWo Hollywood and nWo Wolfpac in War Games. This is quite the lackluster War Games is it not?

The next night on Nitro Lex is taking on Scott Hall but this is the night that we make Hall into a drunk on camera. He tries to flick his toothpick at Luger and misses. You come out and try to get Hall to go to the back. Nash & Konnan come out, everyone’s trying to talk to Scott and Scott takes a swig from a cup and throws up on you…just not WCW’s finest moment is it?

Lex treads water for a few weeks and isn’t even on Halloween Havoc but it’s reported in the Torch at the time that Luger & Elizabeth have developed a close friendship outside of the ring. What do you remember of Liz & Lex getting together and what did you think of it?

Did you care or think it was a bad idea or was it just two grown adults?

At World War 3 Lex is in the battle royal and he’s in the final seven along with Nash, Konnan, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Scott Hall & the Giant. He gets down to the final 3 with Nash & Hall before he goes to dump Hall and Nash sends them both over with a knee from behind for the win and the shot at Goldberg at Starrcade. It’s been a while since Lex was in a meaningful program - is that just the array of talent the company had or was it just where you thought Lex was at the time?

The nWo Hollywood faction is attempting to recruit Lex to their side but he blows it off and at Starrcade Lex isn’t on the show wrestling and it’s reported in the Observer that the plans were for Lex to take on Scott Steiner and Lex nixed it. Were you starting to deal with the old Lex again during this time frame?