“The Total Package” Lex Luger is one of the most recognizable names in pro wrestling history. His rise, fall and redemption will be covered in the latest installment of Biography: WWE Legends, which debuts Sunday on A&E, revisiting a career certainly worth a closer inspection.
Luger had an early run in WCW, including a stint with the title, before a career-altering break in the World Wrestling Federation. After an initial stretch as the villainous “Narcissist,” Luger had the chance to fill Hulk Hogan’s shoes and replace Hulkamania. Yet his red-white-and-blue Lex Express ran out of gas before ever reaching top gear, and Luger ultimately faded to the middle of the card—until shocking the wrestling world with a surprise appearance to close out WCW’s first episode of Nitro. A week later, Luger wrestled Hogan to a DQ finish on Nitro, and he became an integral part of WCW during the famed “Monday Night Wars.”
Now 64, Luger—who is Larry Pfohl—looks far different than the muscled specimen he was during his career. (He suffered a spinal stroke 15 years ago, which has limited his mobility.) His story will be covered on A&E, 13 months after his Icons special was set to stream on Peacock (no official explanation from WWE has been provided for its indefinite delay), but hopefully Biography will offer the same precision and attention to detail that was present in Icons.
