Luckiest/Unluckiest Wrestlers Ever

[JaymeFuture]

So, for this week's podcast, we're looking to discuss various wrestlers that you think may have been the luckiest or unluckiest in wrestling history, and would like your nominations for these distinctions and why you feel they're good candidates. Obviously it's a career focused discussion (so not wanting to incorporate deaths into this), so whether it's people who you think got a bum deal by bad circumstances repeatedly, or somebody in the right place and time and had a far better career than their skills deserved, we'd like to hear your suggestions on both.

 

As always, the best suggestions will be read on the show and you'll be credited accordingly, so what do you think?

[Champagne]

Lex Luger.

1988: Luger feuds with Ric Flair throughout the second half of the year. His coming out on the losing end is the result of Flair's backstage power struggle with Dusty, as the Nature Boy refuses to put over Lex.

1989: Lex turns on Ricky Steamboat, but the feud is almost immediately aborted when WCW doesn't resign the Dragon.

1990: Luger is a late replacement for the injured Sting as Flair's opponent at WrestleWar. Luger fails to win the belt here and in a series of rematches after Flair again declines to drop the title to Lex, saying he had promised the belt to Sting instead. In the end, Luger again looks like a failure due to backstage politics.

1991: Flair has regained the belt following Sting's failed run on top, and is scheduled to finally put over Luger for the title at Great American Bash. Behind the scenes, Flair squabbles with WCW executive Jim Herd and their animosity escalates until he is fired without dropping the title. Luger ends up pinning Barry Windham to win the vacant championship, but his first World Title reign is permanently tarnished.

1993: Luger debuts in WWF as a heel, but is turned only a few months later and re-packaged as an all-american hero in the mode of Hulk Hogan to face the villainous Yokozuna. He spends weeks touring the country in the Lex Express petitioning for a title match at SummerSlam. The eventual clash ends with Luger winning by countout and looking like a buffoon by celebrating victory in the ring with the promotion's baby faces surrounded by balloons, streamers. This is all because Vince decided Lex not winning the belt here would build anticipation for a rematch in the future.