Let’s do a bonus “Moves of Doom Mondays” and look at “The Total Package” Lex Luger. Flexy Lexy was your textbook powerhouse with a strong athletic background and a good superstar look. Hell, if you ever purchased a pack of generic wrestling action figures, at least one of them resembles Lex Luger.
Let’s look at his arsenal reoccurring moves.
Running Forearm Smash
For a period in WWE, this was Luger’s finishing move. Honestly, it depends on who take it but this move was never that impressive looking when he was blasting jobbers with it. The Flying Burrito this was not, folks. The bad thing is that there was a whole story around it as well as a segment explaining why it’s so effective.
However, it just looked like…a running forearm smash. It would go from finisher to signature move while still being one of Luger’s moves of doom. It’s where it should’ve always been.
DOOM Scale: 1.5 out of 5
Atomic Drop
Like many 80s and early 90s powerhouse heels, Lex Luger utilized the atomic drop. Sometimes it would be just done in the match but it was at its best when it was used to soften an opponent up for the Torture Rack. I’ve always had a soft spot for the atomic drop—more so for the Manhattan Drop.
Luger’s execution of it was passable. I mean, it’s the atomic drop. I’ve seen sloppy ones—also done by Luger—but he was usually on point with this move.
DOOM Scale: 2 out 5
Gorilla Press Slam
If you didn’t see the Atomic Drop or Running Forearm Smash leading into the Torture Rack, then it was often the Gorilla Press Slam. A stock move of larger powerhouses, this was one of two moves that actually looked flawless when Lex Luger did it.
Mind you, there was nothing special about this move outside of the strength required to lift someone over your head and display them while they’re helpless. It’s a very lift, hold, slam move but it does the job to set up for the Torture Rack.
DOOM Scale: 2 out 5
Torture Rack
Alright, this was the sauce for Luger. This was the Lex Luger move. One of my favorite submission holds, the Torture Rack is the move that identify with Lex Luger.
The execution is simple: pick the opponent up, lay them across your shoulders, and bend them to break up their back and spine. Strength is required to keep the opponent up there long enough to get a submission and it has resulted in some impressive feats of strength by The Total Package.
I’d say that this is his most destructive move for a reason. It’s also a move that I’d like to make a comeback. The right hoss could really make this move work.
DOOM Scale: 3.25 out 5
CHECK IT OUT: To get The Overtimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
