Vince McMahon's meeting with WWE legend helped him get a huge deal with rival promotion

WWE legend Lex Luger said that a chance meeting with Vince McMahon helped him secure a guaranteed contract when he was a part of Jim Crockett Promotions.

Luger worked with Jim Crockett Promotions (now WCW) from 1987 to 1992 before he switched to WWE in 1993. Luger made a name for himself in WCW, which earned him a move to Vince McMahon's promotion.

While speaking to Mark Henry and Bully Ray on Busted Open podcast, Luger said that he and a few other stars from Jim Crockett Promotions met Vince McMahon at a gym. Luger and McMahon had a short, private conversation during that meeting, which resulted in him getting a big contract at Jim Crockett Promotions.

"I bumped into Vince McMahon with all the boys when we were in Las Vegas at a gym, and Vince, I'd never met him before. We must have talked for like 10 minutes off to the side of the gym, I'd never met him before, he'd never met me. It's maybe five months into my WCW career, well, it wasn't WCW career, Crockett career. And man, you guys know the boys, they all ran back and told Dusty [Rhodes] and Crockett, 'He actually was talking to Vince McMahon at the gym,' this and that, and they did not have me under contract yet at Crockett," said Luger.

Luger continued and said that the meeting helped him get a leveraged contract from Jim Crockett Promotions.

"Crockett kind of, he said a little bit last night [in the documentary], but he almost kind of panicked and that looked to my advantage. I've leveraged a guaranteed contract - I'm sure he had no intention of giving me originally, for really good money." [From 11:01 to 11:47]

Luger stated that he and McMahon talked about working out and the gym, and not about him being signed by WWE.

---

Lex Luger eventually joined WWE

A few years after his meeting with Vince McMahon in Las Vegas, Luger signed with WWE in 1993. McMahon gave Luger a huge push, which included him winning the men's Royal Rumble match in 1994.

But he left the company without winning a title. He left after his contract expired in 1995 and made a shocking return to WCW just a day after wrestling in WWE.

---

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Busted Open and H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription.