Lex Luger Credits WWE HOFer For Carrying Him Through Hour-Long Match As A Rookie

When Lex Luger broke into the wrestling business in the mid-1980s, some of his first matches were against Ric Flair during their time in Championship Wrestling From Florida and the National Wrestling Alliance. Over the years, Flair and Luger had multiple Steel Cage and championship matches, but one of their first encounters was a non-televised "Broadway" match (a 60-minute time-limit draw). At this point, Flair was a seasoned veteran, but Luger was still an inexperienced rookie, and during a recent interview with "Going Ringside," the WWE Hall Of Famer reflected on "The Nature Boy" guiding him through their hour-long bout together.

"I'd only been wrestling for a few months and they told me I had to wrestle for an hour. I go, 'How am I going to do that?' Ric called a Sunset Flip, is a very basic move in wrestling during the match. I said, 'What's that?' Rick went, 'Oh my gosh.' But he got me through an hour. But yeah, an hour Broadway, that's a lot of wrestling," he explained. "For a guy who didn't know how to wrestle yet. That was a lot. Only Flair could have gotten a guy like me through an hour match like that. Crazy. That's how good he is in the ring."

Years later, Flair and Luger would produce several instant classics together, including their iconic battle at NWA Starrcade 1988 for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and again at NWA WrestleWar 1990 for the same title. Additionally, the "Broadway" wasn't their only time-limit match, with their legendary clash at NWA Battle of the Belts in September 1986 being Luger's first televised World Heavyweight Title opportunity. The match would end in a time-limit draw after 30 minutes of action.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Going Ringside" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.