Lex Luger Recalls Jumping to WCW in 1995, Says Linda McMahon Was Angrier at Him Than Vince

– During a recent interview with Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE and WCW star Lex Luger discussed his career, including his historic move back to WCW from WWE in 1995 when he was no longer under contract. According to Luger, Linda McMahon was angrier about the move than Vince McMahon was. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Lex Luger on getting a last-minute offer to join WCW in 1995: “If I stayed there, and Vince [McMahon] and I were trying to work it out. When I went to Nitro, that was a last minute thing between Sting and Eric Bischoff. A random phone call with Sting because of our friendship. I wasn’t under contract anymore and we were trying to work it out on a handshake. I was going to stay at WWE. I had no plan on leaving.”

On his WCW return at the first Monday Nitro: “We had no idea. They kept it a big secret, but we had no idea Nitro and the Monday Night Wars were going to get so big. When Sting told me they were doing a Monday night show, I was like, ‘Good luck with that. Up against Raw.’ That was my input. WCW was always a distant second. ‘We try hard, but we’re number two.’ We had no idea it was going to overtake them. I had no idea that moment when I walked out there, they had to actually pull me off the taped shows we had already done for WWE.”

On Linda McMahon being very angry over his move to WCW: “I was very uncomfortable because of my good relationship with Vince. I couldn’t tell him I was going to do that. That was Eric’s one stipulation. I went home to my wife. ‘Peg, he wants me to leave and Eric wants me to give him no notice and show up on Nitro.’ I heard rumors Vince was watching with his wife. Linda turned to him and never said anything but [had a look of] ‘if you ever bring that guy back.’ Vince would always forgive and bring guys back, but people thought it was impossible. I’m not sure that’s true, but I heard that rumor that Linda was angrier with me because Vince and I had such a good relationship and I gave no notice.”

On what happened when he saw Vince McMahon again after that: “Yeah, we saw each other at the airport a year later. He shook my hand, smiled, and we were cool. It’s business.”