A WRESTLING legend has addressed the rumour that he had his planned run as WWE champion
Lex Luger, 65, was renowned for his incredible physique back in his wrestling heyday.
WWELex Luger received a huge push in WWE after turning babyface[/caption]
WWEHe was the co-winner of the 1994 Royal Rumble to secure a title shot[/caption]
He was one of the biggest names in the business during the 1990s and early 00s after making his breakthrough in WCW and becoming their heavyweight champion.
Luger then moved to rival company WWE in 1993 where Vince McMahon debuted the star as a huge heel nicknamed ‘The Narcissist’ that posed in front of a mirror.
However, he was then transformed into an All-American hero persona after Hulk Hogan’s exit from the company and looked set to land the WWE Title after he was a joint-winner of the 1994 Royal Rumble along with Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.
That landed him a shot at champ Yokozuna at that year’s WrestleMania, but the powerhouse failed to get the belt.
Rumours have circulated since that WWE changed their plans for him after Luger got drunk in a hotel bar and began bragging about his planned title run.
But the icon, who looks completely unrecognisable these days after a dramatic body transformation, has now insisted that is complete rubbish.
Luger said: “There was one crazy rumour that I’m asked all the time that I was drunk at a bar and told everybody that I was going to win the title and Vince was irate and changed his mind.
“I wasn’t anywhere near the hotel bar. I had my family which was in town visiting friends and I was at a hotel with my wife and kids at the time.
“I wasn’t at a hotel bar, as we’d say nowadays that was fake news. I get asked that all the time!”
After Hart won the title, Luger left WWE in 1995 after falling way down the pecking order and he went on to make a shock return to WCW Nitro to kickstart the Monday Night Wars.
His life took a turn for the worse following his retirement from full-time wrestling when in April 2003 he was charged with battery after a domestic dispute left his girlfriend Elizabeth Hulette with facial injuries.
He was arrested two days later for driving under the influence after police found him with slurred speech and bloodshot eyes while his licence was still suspended.
Then, a month later, there was further heartache when Hulette died in the house that she shared with the former Four Horseman Member.
The ex-bodybuilder was charged with drug possession when cops found illicit substances including steroids and pain meds at the house and he pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 while Hulette’s death was ruled accidental.
Then, in 2005, Luger was attempting a comeback and was travelling to Winnipeg, Canada when he, Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell were removed from the flight following an on-board disturbance.
The three wrestlers were all detained before Bagwell and Steiner were released, but Luger was not so lucky and he was later charged and jailed due to his past record.
Things continued to spiral for Luger both in his life and physically when his wrestling career ended in 2007.
He was left paralysed after suffering a nerve impingement in his neck but bravely regained mobility with the use of a walking cane.
Show any 90s wrestling fan an image of Luger from his heyday and they will instantly be able to recognise him.
But after admitting to popping plenty of pills and drugs throughout his years at the top, not many could point him out these days.
Speaking to ESPN in 2007, he said: “If you snort it, spray it, shoot it, inject it, I did it, buddy. Or I was around it. That was my life.
“Alcohol? I abused it all, buddy. I took a lot of pills. I was a pill popper.”
Now a born-again Christian, these days Luger speaks openly about his demons in order to help others and even returned to WWE to help with their wellness programme.
WWEThe star later spent time behind bars[/caption]
Hannibal TVThe icon looks unrecognisable these days[/caption]