Kevin Nash facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Nash
Nash in 2022
Birth name	Kevin Scott Nash
Born	(1959-07-09) July 9, 1959 (age 65) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Tamara McMichael ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	1
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Chet Lemon Diesel Dr. X The Great Oz Kevin Nash The Master Blaster Master Blaster Steel Oz Vinnie Vegas
Billed height	6 ft 10 in (208 cm)
Billed weight	328 lb (149 kg)
Billed from	Detroit, Michigan "The Steel Mines" "Emerald City" North Scottsdale, Arizona
Trained by	Jody Hamilton WCW Power Plant
Debut	September 5, 1990
Retired	January 5, 2020
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1981–1983
Rank	Specialist
Unit	202nd Military Police Company
Signature

Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler and actor. He is famous for his time in WWE, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

Nash first became known in wrestling from 1990 to 1993 in WCW, using different ring names. Later, as "Diesel" in WWE, he became a top star. He won the WWF World Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and Tag Team Championships. His 358-day reign as WWF Champion was the longest in the 1990s. While in WWE, Nash was part of a powerful backstage group called The Kliq, which included Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman.

In 1996, Nash left WWE and went back to WCW. There, he used his real name and teamed up with Scott Hall as the Outsiders. They also helped create the New World Order (nWo) with Hulk Hogan. The nWo storyline was one of the biggest in wrestling history. Nash won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship five times and the WCW World Tag Team Championship nine times. After WCW closed, Nash returned to WWE in 2002. He briefly brought back the nWo and had a rivalry with Triple H. He then wrestled in TNA for seven years, winning the Legends and Tag Team championships. In 2011, Nash returned to WWE under a special "legends contract" and still makes appearances.

During his wrestling career, Kevin Nash won 20 major championships, including six world championships and twelve tag team championships. He is also in the WWE Hall of Fame twice! He was inducted by himself in 2015 and again in 2020 as a member of the nWo. He was a main event star in many big wrestling shows. At Starrcade in 1998, he famously ended Bill Goldberg's amazing 173-win undefeated streak.

Early Life and Sports

Kevin Nash was born on July 9, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in a Christian family. When he was young, he attended Aquinas High School.

He then went to the University of Tennessee. There, he studied psychology and educational philosophy. Nash was also a talented center for the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team from 1977 to 1980. During this time, his team made it to the "Sweet 16" in the NCAA basketball tournament.

After college, Nash moved to Europe and played professional basketball. His basketball career ended in 1981 in Germany when he injured his knee.

With his basketball career over, Nash joined the United States Army. He served for two years in Germany in the 202nd Military Police Company. He was promoted to the rank of specialist. After leaving the Army, he worked at Ford Motor Company before deciding to try professional wrestling.

Amazing Professional Wrestling Journey

Starting in WCW (1990–1993)

Kevin Nash began his wrestling career in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

The Master Blasters (1990–1991)

He first appeared as "Steel," part of a tag team called The Master Blasters. He teamed with Master Blaster Iron and later Master Blaster Blade. They had a strong start, winning many matches. They even challenged for the NWA United States Tag Team Championship. However, they were not able to win the titles. The team eventually broke up.

After the tag team, Nash wrestled by himself as "The Master Blaster."

Changing Characters and Leaving (1991–1993)

A week later, Nash changed his character to "Oz." This character was based on the Wizard of Oz from the famous children's book. He was managed by The Great Wizard. Oz was presented as a very strong wrestler at first. However, plans for the character changed, and he started losing more matches.

In 1992, Nash changed his character again to "Vinnie Vegas." He was a cool, wise-cracking character. Vegas joined a group called "The Diamond Mine," led by Diamond Dallas Page. Later, Page and Vegas teamed up as The Vegas Connection. Nash left WCW in June 1993 to join the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

Becoming a Star in WWF (1993–1996)

Kevin Nash joined the WWF at the request of Shawn Michaels.

Two Dudes with Attitudes (1993–1994)

He was given the new name "Big Daddy Cool Diesel," or just "Diesel." He had a confident, tough guy image from Detroit. Diesel started as the bodyguard and best friend of Shawn Michaels. They were known as "Two Dudes with Attitudes."

Diesel helped Michaels win the WWF Intercontinental Championship. He then won the Intercontinental Championship himself from Razor Ramon in April 1994. Diesel and Michaels also won the WWF Tag Team Championship. This made Nash a double champion!

Their friendship ended when Michaels accidentally kicked Diesel during a match. This made Diesel a fan favorite.

WWF Champion (1994–1995)

Nash (as Diesel) in 1994

On November 26, 1994, Diesel quickly defeated Bob Backlund to win the WWF Championship. He won the title in just eight seconds! Diesel then defended his title against Bret Hart at the Royal Rumble. The match ended in a draw. Shawn Michaels won the Royal Rumble match later that night, earning a title shot against Diesel at WrestleMania XI.

At WrestleMania XI, Nash, as Diesel, defeated Shawn Michaels to keep his title. Diesel successfully defended the WWF Championship against Sycho Sid and King Mabel.

In September 1995, Diesel and Michaels challenged for the WWF Tag Team Championship. They won, making them holders of all three major WWF championships for a short time. Diesel's WWF Championship reign lasted until November 1995, when he lost to Bret Hart at Survivor Series.

Last Matches and Leaving (1995–1996)

Diesel competed in the Royal Rumble in January 1996. He was the last person eliminated by Shawn Michaels. Diesel then had a steel cage match for the WWF Championship against Bret Hart, but he lost.

Around this time, WCW was offering large amounts of money to WWF wrestlers. Kevin Nash decided to sign with WCW. He had his last televised WWF match in April 1996 against Shawn Michaels. After the match, Diesel, Michaels, Razor Ramon, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley shared a famous hug in the ring. This moment is known as the "Curtain Call." Soon after, Nash left for WCW.

Returning to WCW (1996–2001)

New World Order (1996–1999)

Kevin Nash returned to WCW on June 10, 1996, with his friend Scott Hall. They were called The Outsiders. They pretended to be invaders from the WWF. At Bash at the Beach, Hulk Hogan joined them, and they formed the New World Order (nWo). Nash dyed his hair blonde.

Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman called themselves "The Wolfpac" and made hand gestures the crowd is seen giving Nash here.

Nash and Hall often teamed up as The Outsiders and won the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Nash became a leader in the nWo alongside Hogan. In 1997, Nash, Hall, and Sean Waltman formed a subgroup called the "Wolfpac."

Eventually, the nWo started fighting among themselves. Nash and Hogan battled for control. In April 1998, Nash helped Randy Savage against Hogan, leading to the nWo splitting into two groups: nWo Wolfpac (led by Nash) and nWo Hollywood (led by Hogan). Lex Luger and Sting joined Nash's Wolfpac. Nash and Sting even won the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

In November 1998, Nash won a big battle royal to earn a shot at the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. At Starrcade, Nash defeated Goldberg to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. This ended Goldberg's amazing undefeated streak of 173 wins!

In January 1999, Nash and Hogan reunited the nWo. However, this reunion did not last long. Nash also became a head booker (someone who helps plan storylines) for WCW.

WCW World Heavyweight Champion (1999–2001)

Nash in the ring with Sting, who he would later join forces with after the formation of the nWo Wolfpac

In May 1999, Nash won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship for the second time. He then had a rivalry with Randy Savage and Sid Vicious. Nash lost his championship to Savage in July 1999.

Later, Nash reunited with Scott Hall to form a new version of the nWo called 'nWo 2000'. This group also included Bret Hart and Jeff Jarrett. Nash spent most of 2000 in rivalries with wrestlers like Terry Funk and Booker T.

Nash won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship again in August 2000. He also served as the WCW Commissioner for a time. Nash teamed up with Diamond Dallas Page as "The Insiders" and they won the WCW World Tag Team Championship twice. WCW was eventually sold to the World Wrestling Federation in 2001. Nash chose to wait for his contract to end before moving on.

Returning to WWE (2002–2003)

nWo Reunion (2002–2003)

After his contract ended, Nash, along with Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan, returned to the WWF in February 2002. They were called the "original nWo." They caused trouble and interfered in matches. At WrestleMania X8, Nash and Hall turned on Hogan. Nash suffered an injury that kept him out of action for several weeks. In July, the nWo group was officially ended by Vince McMahon.

Rivalry with Triple H (2003)

After a long injury, Nash returned to WWE in April 2003. He became a fan favorite. Nash had a big rivalry with Triple H. They faced each other in several matches, including a Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood. Nash lost that match.

In August 2003, Nash had a match against Chris Jericho where the loser had to cut their hair. Nash lost and had his hair cut. His last WWE match was at SummerSlam in an Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Nash then took a break from wrestling to have neck surgery.

Time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004–2011)

Kings of Wrestling (2004–2005)

Nash joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in November 2004 with Scott Hall. They helped Jeff Jarrett keep his NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The three called themselves the "Kings of Wrestling." They had rivalries with other wrestlers like Jeff Hardy and A.J. Styles.

Nash later wanted to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship himself. He challenged Jarrett for the title but lost.

Paparazzi Productions (2006–2007)

Nash returned to TNA in April 2006. He formed a group called Paparazzi Productions with Alex Shelley. Nash said he wanted to "destroy" the X Division, which was a group of smaller, faster wrestlers. He attacked several X Division wrestlers. Nash defeated Chris Sabin at Slammiversary.

Nash later became a manager for other wrestlers, like Jay Lethal. He also took on the role of "Dr. Nash," a psychiatrist for Kurt and Karen Angle. Nash even had a brief rivalry with Kurt Angle.

The Main Event Mafia (2008–2009)

Nash with The Main Event Mafia

In October 2008, Nash joined Sting, Booker T, Scott Steiner, and Kurt Angle to form a villainous group called The Main Event Mafia. Nash explained that he had a long-term plan to get back at Samoa Joe. He defeated Joe at Turning Point.

Nash won his first title in TNA, the Legends Championship, in July 2009. He lost it to Mick Foley but quickly won it back. He later lost the title to Eric Young.

The Band (2010–2011)

In January 2010, Hulk Hogan debuted in TNA. Scott Hall and Sean Waltman also returned. Nash, Hall, and Waltman quickly reformed their alliance, calling themselves The Band. Nash and Hall won the TNA World Tag Team Championship in May 2010. They later named Eric Young a third champion under the Freebird Rule. However, The Band was stripped of the titles due to Scott Hall's legal issues.

Nash then had a rivalry with Jeff Jarrett. He also teamed up with Sting and D'Angelo Dinero. Nash's contract with TNA ended in October 2010, and he announced his retirement from wrestling. He later signed a new contract but was released to return to WWE.

Other Wrestling Appearances (2011–2018)

Nash posing after a match in April 2012

Nash made appearances on the independent wrestling circuit. In September 2012, he wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He also briefly worked with Global Force Wrestling. In August 2018, Nash won the Big Time Wrestling Heavyweight Championship. This was his last match, as he officially retired from wrestling on January 5, 2020.

Second Return to WWE (2011–Present)

Occasional Appearances and Hall of Famer (2012–Present)

In late 2012, Nash started appearing on WWE's developmental show, NXT. He reunited with members of The Kliq and was made an honorary member of D-Generation-X.

Nash competed in the 2014 Royal Rumble match. He also inducted his friend Scott Hall into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. In August 2014, Nash reunited the nWo with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall for Hogan's birthday celebration.

Nash (left) at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, alongside Hulk Hogan (middle) and Scott Hall, as the nWo

On January 19, 2015, Nash appeared with X-Pac and Scott Hall to reunite the nWo again. In March 2015, it was announced that Nash would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by himself. His long-time friend Shawn Michaels inducted him. At WrestleMania 31, Nash appeared with Hogan and Hall to support Sting in his match against Triple H.

Nash returned to WWE for the Raw Reunion show in July 2019. In December 2019, it was announced that Nash would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for a second time as a member of the nWo, along with Hogan, Hall, and Sean Waltman.

Personal Life

Kevin Nash and his wife Tamara married in 1988. They separated for a time in 2000 but later got back together. They have one son, Tristen.

In 2016, Nash announced that he plans to donate his brain to the CTE Center at Boston University after his death. This is to help research brain injuries.

Nash supports the Democratic Party and considers himself a moderate Democrat. He has also spoken out in support of gay wrestlers.

Impact on Wrestling

During his time as WWF Champion, some people questioned how many fans he attracted. However, Nash has said that wrestling was going through a tough time in the mid-1990s.

When Nash and Scott Hall left WWE for WCW in 1996, it was a big deal. This move is often seen as a main reason why Vince McMahon, the head of WWE, started offering guaranteed contracts to his wrestlers. This helped change how wrestlers were paid and increased salaries across the wrestling industry. McMahon himself said that letting them leave made him start offering guaranteed contracts.

Other Media Appearances

In 1991, Kevin Nash acted in the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. He played the powerful villain, Super Shredder. He also had a small role in the 1998 movie Family Plan.

In 1999, Nash created and helped write a comic book called Nash. It was set in a future world.

He was the first choice for the role of Sabretooth in the X-Men movie, but the role went to Tyler Mane. Nash appeared as The Russian in the 2004 film The Punisher.

Nash has also made guest appearances on several TV shows. He was on The Love Boat: The Next Wave, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Nikki. In 2009, he appeared on the show Brothers. In 2017, he played "Big Hank Cramblin" on Detroiters.

In 2022, Nash started a weekly podcast called Kliq This.

Filmography

Video Games

Championships and Awards

Nash (standing) is a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion – with both reigns being alongside Shawn Michaels (front)

Nash (left) is a nine-time WCW World Tag Team Champion – with two of those reigns alongside Diamond Dallas Page (right).

Nash is a two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee – in 2015 for his individual career and in 2020 as a member of the nWo.

• Big Time Wrestling
  • BTW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Covey Promotions
  • CP World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Match of the Year (1995) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XI
  • Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1994)
  • Tag Team of the Year (1997) with Scott Hall
  • Wrestler of the Year (1995)
  • Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1995
  • Ranked No. 59 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
  • TNA Legends Championship (2 times)
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Eric Young and Scott Hall
  • Feast or Fired (2009 – TNA World Tag Team Championship contract)
• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship (9 times) – with Scott Hall (6), Sting (1) and Diamond Dallas Page (2)
  • World War 3 (1998)
  • Cannonball Champion of Spring Break (1998)
• World Wrestling Federation/WWE
  • WWF World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
  • WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Shawn Michaels
  • WWE Hall of Fame (2 times)
    • Class of 2015 – individually
    • Class of 2020 – as a member of the New World Order
  • Slammy Award (4 times)
    • MVP (1994)
    • Best Tag Team (1994) – with Shawn Michaels
    • Worst Tag Team (1994) – with Shawn Michaels
    • Most Predictable Outcome of the Year (2011) – Performing a powerbomb on Santino Marella
  • Third Triple Crown Champion
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Gimmick (1996) as a member of New World Order
  • Most Improved (1994)
  • Most Overrated (1999, 2000)
  • Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (2000)
  • Worst Feud of the Year (2011) vs. Triple H
  • Worst Gimmick (1991) as Oz
  • Worst Wrestler (1999, 2000)

Luchas de Apuestas Record

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Nash para niños