Lex Luger, an American former professional wrestler, is a two-time winner of the ‘WCW World Heavyweight Championship’ and has been honored in multiple wrestling “halls of fame.” Known for his impressive 523-day reign as the ‘NWA Heavyweight United States Champion,’ Luger holds the record for the longest reign in wrestling history. Despite initially pursuing a career in football with the ‘Green Bay Packers’ in the ‘National Football League’ (NFL), Luger turned to wrestling after his football dreams didn’t materialize. Introduced to the world of wrestling by Bob Roop, he was later trained by professional wrestlers and trainers Hiro Matsuda and Barry Windham, with whom he had a complex relationship.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Lawrence Wendell Pfohl
- Age: 65 Years, 65 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Peggy Fulbright (m. 1981–2003)
- Children: Brian Pfohl, Lauren Ashley Pfohl
- Born Country: United States
- American Men
- University Of Miami
- Height: 6’4″ (193 cm), 6’4″ Males
- Ancestry: German American
- City: Buffalo, New York
- U.S. State: New Yorkers
- More Facts
- Education: Pennsylvania State University, University Of Miami
Childhood, Early Life & Football Career
Lex Luger, whose birth name is Lawrence Wendell Pfohl, was born on June 2, 1958, in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. He attended a school in Orchard Park, Erie County, New York, where he showed promise as a football player. Luger received a football scholarship to Pennsylvania State University but later transferred to the University of Miami. Unfortunately, his time at these universities was not very successful. Luger went on to play professional football for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League and later signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers. However, injuries and other reasons prevented him from playing, leading him to end his football career after playing for the Tampa Bay Bandits, the Memphis Showboats, and the Jacksonville Bulls in the 1984 United States Football League.
Wrestling Career
In 1985, Luger was trained by Hiro Matsuda and adopted the ring name “Lex Luger,” inspired by the DC villain Lex Luthor. He made his wrestling debut in the Championship Wrestling from Florida territory of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as a heel. Luger won his first wrestling match on October 31, 1985, and went on to earn the title of the Southern Heavyweight Champion in November 1985. He had a notable match against Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Champion title at the Battle of the Belts III but ultimately tied, allowing Flair to retain the title.
Luger joined Jim Crockett Promotions and became a full-time member of Ric Flair’s stable, the Four Horsemen. He had a major feud with Nikita Koloff and won the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship title by defeating him in a steel cage. Luger eventually left the Horsemen and formed a tag team called The Twin Towers with Barry Windham. They won the NWA World Tag Team Championship but lost it shortly after due to Windham’s betrayal. Luger then partnered with Sting and won the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament.
During his wrestling career, Luger had feuds with various wrestlers, including Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and Stan Hansen. He won and lost multiple titles, including the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. Luger also had a brief stint in the World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) and later joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He had feuds with Mr. Perfect and Yokozuna and won the WWF World Tag Team Championship with Davey Boy Smith as The Allied Powers.
Luger continued to wrestle in various promotions, including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now Impact Wrestling), until his final match on August 26, 2006. He was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007 and the TNA Hall of Fame in 2012. Luger currently works with WWE on their Wellness Policy.
Family & Personal Life
Luger was married to Peggy Fulbright from 1979 to 2003, and they have a son named Brian (born in 1986) and a daughter named Lauren Ashley (born in 1990).