Vince McMahon Wanted Former WCW World Champion To Debut Under A Different Name

In the early months of 1993, the wrestling landscape witnessed the debut of Lex Luger in WWE, surprisingly, despite Luger’s established identity, Vince McMahon, the man at the helm of WWE, initially resisted the idea of Luger continuing under his renowned moniker within the company.

A recent instalment of Lex Luger’s podcast, aptly titled Lex Expressed, unveiled the backstage dynamics that unfolded during Luger’s initial stint in WWE. Luger shed light on McMahon’s hesitations, revealing that the wrestling mogul preferred an alternative identity for the wrestler, resulting in Luger’s introduction as Narcissus, later rebranded as The Narcissist.

Luger attributed this creative divergence to his ownership of the trademarked name “Lex Luger” and McMahon’s inclination to distance him from his prior WCW legacy. This transition also meant parting ways with Luger’s well-known finishing move, the Torture Rack. Recalling this chapter in his career, Luger disclosed:

I trademarked ‘The Total Package’ Lex Luger with a really good attorney…He [McMahon] wanted to completely rename me. I get it.

Ultimately, a middle ground was reached, and the compromise saw Luger adopting the moniker “Lex the Narcissist” or “Lex Luger the Narcissist.” Yet, the divergence of opinions didn’t end there. McMahon, staunchly opposed to Luger’s iconic Torture Rack move from his WCW days, prompted a creative shift. Luger’s persistence in favouring the Torture Rack led to an innovative storyline, weaving a narrative around a steel plate in Luger’s arm.

How Did Vince McMahon React To The 1994 Royal Rumble Finish?

According to Lex Luger, Vince McMahon jumped out of his chair because the finish to the 1994 Rumble was perfectly timed. Luger stated that McMahon even watched the footage back in slow motion and that both he and Bret Hart hit the ground at the same time.

H/t to itrwrestling.com