Lex Luger was one of the biggest names in the wrestling business in the 1980s and 1990s. In a recent interview, Ernest Miller recalled how The Total Package did not want to work with him in WCW.
Miller, also known as The Cat, appeared in WCW between 1997 and 2001 before a two-year stint in WWE. Although he wrestled more than 300 matches throughout his career, the 60-year-old is also remembered for being a commentator and on-screen authority figure.
On the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, Miller said Luger refused to face him when former WCW President Eric Bischoff suggested the idea:
"All these young guys needed to do is to work with these millionaires, these older guys, and get put over. Get seen a little bit more. I was right in the middle there. The guy that Eric Bischoff wanted me to work a program with [Lex Luger], that's working all the way up to the pay-per-view, was a top-name guy. Millionaire. He said, 'No, I'm not working with him.'" [42:16 - 42:45]
Asked to confirm if he was referring to Luger, Miller replied, "Yes."
Luger won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice, the World Television Championship twice, and the United States Heavyweight Championship five times. He was also the co-winner of the 1994 WWE Royal Rumble alongside Bret Hart.
Why Lex Luger allegedly didn't want to work with Ernest Miller
At the time, Lex Luger was among the highest-paid wrestlers in the world. He was only required to work a specific number of dates, meaning WCW had to pay him more money to appear on additional shows.
Ernest Miller believes Luger and other WCW main eventers refused to work with him due to their contract situation:
"They [top WCW stars] were pretty good, man, but then all of a sudden they did not wanna work with us anymore. Some of those guys did not wanna work because they had big contracts. Their contract paid them, let's say, five million dollars for 20 shows, and then once they reached their 20 shows, now you had to pay them just to do an extra Monday night or Thursday night, an extra $150,000 from then on." [41:43 – 42:12]
Despite his success, Luger has not yet been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2023, the 65-year-old gave his thoughts on potentially joining the illustrious group one day.
Would you like to see Lex Luger in the WWE Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
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