[WWW] Mike Mooneyham 110.9.03 Luger returning to ring Wednesday

http://www.charleston.net/stories/110903/moo_09wrestle.shtml

Sunday, November 9, 2003 
 
Luger returning to ring Wednesday 

BY MIKE MOONEYHAM 
Of The Post and Courier Staff 

Lex Luger, who hasn't appeared on a wrestling show since the death of
longtime girlfriend Liz Hulette on May 1, will return to the ring
Wednesday night on NWA-TNA's weekly pay-per-view in Nashville.

Luger's return was set up by a Sting-Jeff Jarrett match last week.
After Jarrett was disqualified for using a chair, Sting announced that
he would team with A.J. Styles against Jarrett and a partner of his
choosing the following week. Jarrett then made the surprise
declaration that "The Total Package" was coming in to team with him as
Sting, a former business partner and road buddy of Luger, feigned
disbelief.

The last headlines Luger made were surrounding the death of Hulette
and his subsequent drug-related arrest. The 42-year-old Hulette, whose
death was attributed to an accidental overdose of pills and alcohol,
shared a Marietta, Ga., townhouse with Luger (Larry Pfohl) at the time
of her death.

During the investigation police found a controlled substance in their
home and arrested Luger. The substance was later identified as "large
quantities of anabolic steroids." Police also found such drugs as
Xanex, testosterone and hydrocodone. Luger, 45, was charged with 13
counts of felony purchase, possession of a controlled substance, one
misdemeanor count of possession, sale and distribution of a drug
called Saizen, a synthetic growth hormone. Luger, who posted a $25,000
bond and was released by police, was not charged in connection with
Hulette's death.

Luger and Sting's presence in NWA-TNA obviously is designed to make up
for Hulk Hogan's postponement of his planned appearance on the
company's first major pay-per-view Nov. 30. The company had to scrap
plans for the show, which was to have featured a Hogan-Jarrett title
match, when the Hulkster informed NWA-TNA officials that he would be
undergoing surgery on his right knee. Hogan reportedly aggravated the
knee in his match against Masahiro Chono at a New Japan show Oct. 13.

NWA-TNA still hopes to work with Hogan, but long-term plans now hinge
on whether the Hulkster comes to terms with WWE on an appearance at
Wrestlemania XX next March, and a proposed deal involving a new
boxing-wrestling television series that would feature Hogan as its top
star.

A number of insiders have cast doubts concerning Hogan's involvement
in NWA-TNA and the timing of his surgery, believing it was a masterful
move by Hogan to back Vince McMahon into a corner and give him a more
prominent role in WWE.

The pressure is now on McMahon to somehow deliver the names at
Wrestlemania XX that were an integral part of the first event. At the
top of that list is Hogan, along with Roddy Piper, Randy Savage and
Bret Hart.

As for Luger's involvement with NWA-TNA, it appears to be no more than
a short-term gimmick that the company hopes will create a buzz and
have some mainstream appeal. That goal certainly wasn't achieved when
the company recently used Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Rick Steiner as
"mystery" opponents for Jarrett.

-- The Undertaker (Mark Calloway) has again deflected rumors that he
will return to his former gothic version at Wrestlemania XX. Claiming
his tattoo-covered, biker look is an extension of his real-life
persona, he recently told The Ottawa Sun that he has no intention of
returning to the "Dead Man" character that he portrayed throughout the
'90s.

"I'm not really interested in moving backwards," he said. "A lot of
this has to do with the Buried Alive match. It conjures up images of
where The Undertaker used to be ... A lot of people would probably
like to see me in the long dark coat and big-brimmed hat again. And
I'm very grateful for that. But I'm really at peace right now."

It has been speculated that Stephanie McMahon, recently banished from
her role as Smackdown general manager, will return at Survivor Series
to help father Vince defeat Taker in their heavily hyped Buried Alive
match. She is scheduled to return this week in her behind-the-scenes
role as the head of the company's creative department.

-- Among those who took the recent passing of "Road Warrior Hawk" Mike
Hegstrand particularly hard was Superstar Billy Graham (Wayne
Coleman).

"I won't dare ask the question why to anyone, for there is no pastor,
priest, rabbi or holy man walking he face of this earth that can
answer that question," Graham wrote on the Athletes International Web
site. "So I bitterly accept the fact that my dear friend is gone from
my life. There is no way that I can relate to you what Hawk has meant
to me, all I know is that he is irreplaceable."