On a recent edition of his “Lex Expressed” podcast, former WWE and WCW Superstar Lex Luger recalled his stint with WWE, Vince McMahon wanting to repackage him, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Vince McMahon wanting to repackage him: “I trademarked ‘The Total Package’ Lex Luger with a really good attorney. I wouldn’t have thought of it when I first started wrestling down in Florida. So they had to utilize that, borrow that from me while I was there, my trademark. He wanted to completely rename me. I get it. But we ended up coming to an agreement to use ‘Lex the Narcissist,’ or ‘Lex Luger the Narcissist.’”
On McMahon wanting to give him a new finisher: “As far as finisher, I think, once again, it crept in that the Torture Rack was my finisher as the WCW wrestler. So he didn’t really want me to use that finish. I wanted to use it, but he didn’t want to. So I think it morphed eventually, as a heel, as ‘The Narcissist,’ ‘Hey, let’s do a program, a storyline, with that steel plate…in your arm. And let’s use that as a heel.’”
On wanting to have a longer run as a heel: “I wish I had a way longer run as a heel before doing the Lex Express because we had some good stuff going with that I thought. I really enjoyed working as a heel, probably more than a babyface in my career, if you had to ask me the question. It’s much easier to get people to hate you emotionally than it is to earn their respect, their admiration, and their trust. Wrestling fans are really special that way. So I guess it was easier to be a heel, and can be a lot more fun sometimes in that regard.”
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Former WWE and WCW Superstar Lex Luger recently shared some interesting insights about his time with WWE and his interactions with Vince McMahon on his podcast, “Lex Expressed.” Luger discussed McMahon’s desire to repackage him and his thoughts on being a heel versus a babyface.
One of the first topics Luger touched on was McMahon’s intention to rename him. Luger revealed that he had trademarked “The Total Package” Lex Luger with the help of a good attorney. However, McMahon wanted to completely rename him. Eventually, they reached an agreement to use the name “Lex the Narcissist” or “Lex Luger the Narcissist.” This shows the behind-the-scenes negotiations that often take place in the wrestling industry when it comes to character names and trademarks.
Another aspect that McMahon wanted to change was Luger’s finisher move. Luger had used the Torture Rack as his finisher during his time in WCW, but McMahon didn’t want him to continue using it in WWE. Luger expressed his desire to keep using the Torture Rack, but McMahon had other plans. They eventually came up with the idea of incorporating a steel plate in Luger’s arm as a heel character, which added an interesting twist to his moveset.
Luger also shared his preference for working as a heel rather than a babyface. He admitted that he enjoyed being a heel more in his career and believed it was easier to get people to hate you emotionally than to earn their respect and admiration as a babyface. He acknowledged the unique nature of wrestling fans and how they respond differently to different characters. Luger expressed his wish for a longer run as a heel before transitioning into the popular Lex Express storyline, as he believed there was potential for more compelling storytelling as a villain.
Overall, Luger’s insights provide a glimpse into the creative process behind wrestling characters and the dynamics between wrestlers and promoters. It highlights the importance of trademarks, character development, and the constant evolution of a wrestler’s persona. Luger’s experiences shed light on the challenges and negotiations that occur behind the scenes in the wrestling industry.