Tag: Lex Luger

The best WarGames matches of all time, ranked from worst to best

WarGames matches are about as memorable as they come. We rank every one from WWE and WCW history.

“Mad Max” is among the most memorable action franchises in film history, but it is the third installment of the franchise, “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” that was particularly notable, as it starred the late great Tina Turner and featured a dome-like structure where two people entered and only one left after a fight to the death.

Although “Beyond Thunderdome” isn’t necessarily seen as the peak of the “Mad Max” franchise, its look at a gritty, post-apocalyptic dystopian future undoubtedly left an impression on its viewers. 

One of the viewers that were particularly inspired by what they saw was a man by the name of Virgil Runnels, better known to professional wrestling fans as the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

There have been a number of pieces written over the years about the verbal prowess of Rhodes. But as much as he was a force in front of the camera, Rhodes was arguably even more influential behind the scenes. 

He was the primary booker for multiple territories during his career and while he could map out a week-to-week story, Rhodes’ true creative genius shined when it came to creating spectacles.

When Rhodes laid eyes on the Thunderdome, he saw his next project.

Rhodes added a few wrinkles to make the concept pro wrestling-friendly, but the violence and excitement remained. The result is one of the most anticipated matches in professional wrestling, one that has provided countless fond memories during its near 40 years of existence. 

But which WarGames match is the best of all time? Conversely, which one is the worst? I am here to answer that question once and for all. Well, in my opinion, at least. 

Before we dig into the rankings, some ground rules: First, this ranking will only feature WarGames matches from the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling and NXT/WWE. Yes, I know, AEW has its own version of WarGames called Blood and Guts, but for the sake of this list, I’m only including matches that actually carries the match’s namesake.

Secondly, this list does not include WarGames matches that were not televised. Televised WarGames matches only!

Lastly, remember that this is merely my opinion, so don’t kill me too much if you disagree. Please feel free to disagree and give your thoughts. But again, these are just my thoughts after recently watching all of the matches that qualified for this list.

With that said, let the WarGames ranking begin!

Lex Luger blew off Sting the first time they met, is grateful the Icon gave him a 2nd chance

Lex Luger said he lived up to his eventual nickname of “The Narcissist” when he first met Sting.

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Pro wrestling history is full of memorable duos, but Lex Luger and Sting are right up there with any of them. It’s hard to imagine one without the other, even now with the former long retired and the latter headed that way soon, as their careers are so closely intertwined.

Their relationship extends beyond the ring as well, as the two men are close friends, united through decades of common experiences, and in more recent years, through their shared faith. Luger has expressed his gratitude that Sting has stuck with him through some of his darkest moments over the years.

Yet as he told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, their friendship almost never got off the ground thanks to Luger’s own cockiness during their first meeting.

“We’re best of friends to this day, he’s a special guy and a special friend, but we did not hit it off the first time we talked,” Luger said. “He was asking me about my nutrition on the road, and I blew him off. .. Because he came from a bodybuilding background. And I didn’t look up; it was after a match and I was unlacing my boots. I didn’t look at him, I thought I was a big deal with the Four Horsemen, and I said, ‘Stolis and peanut M&M’s.’ I eyeballed him and he walked away shaking his head.

“But we ended up seeing each other downstairs on the road at the hotels, like having breakfast and stuff, and we’d sit at separate tables. Finally we’d have breakfast together, finally we started going to the gym together, palling around. Over time, we just became best of friends, so thank goodness he gave me a second chance from our initial intro and conversation.”

Check out Luger’s full chat with Strum above to learn more about:

  • What it’s been like for Luger to start his new podcast, “Lex Expressed,” with Ad Free Shows
  • Why he enjoys interacting with wrestling fans so much these days after not understanding them during his in-ring career
  • How he maintains such a positive attitude, and why he feels like he’s been “streamlined and redefined” in life
  • What happened with Bruiser Brody in their infamous 1987 Steel Cage match
  • How Hiro Matsuda and Ric Flair were responsible for turning him into a wrestler, then a star
  • What it was like being part of the Four Horsemen — and why he didn’t know who any of them were at first besides Flair
  • And much more

Under the Ring drops new episodes every week, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, Impact Wrestling star and women’s wrestling all-time great Mickie James, and Wrestling Junkie managing editor Nick Tylwalk.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.