Kevin Nash

Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan) is a professional wrestler who has performed in both World Wrestling Entertainment and the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Pre-Wrestling Career

Nash's primary sport while growing up was basketball. He was the second-most-recruited player in Michigan in his senior year of high school, behind future basketball legend Magic Johnson. Nash was a center for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1979 – 1980, but was never a major star and quickly became disillusioned. A year later he began playing professional basketball in Europe and ended up seriously injuring his knee. Nash was unsure of what to do with his career then, and enlisted in the United States Army, serving in Germany for two years. He went on to become a bouncer, and was eventually scouted by WCW's Dusty Rhodes, joining the organization.

Profile

• Height: 6'10" (208.3 cm)
• Weight: 337lbs (152.9 kg)
• Birthday: July 9, 1959
• Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
• Professional Debut: 1990
• Previous Identities: Diesel, Dr. X , Master Blaster Steel, Oz, Vinnie Vegas
• Previous Manager(s): Diamond Dallas Page, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Pamela Anderson, Shawn Michaels, Merlin The Wizard, Ted DiBiase, Torrie Wilson
• Quotes: "I've got the WWF running on Diesel Power." (as Diesel)
• Finishing/Signature Move(s): Jackknife Powerbomb, Sidewalk Slam

Career

Nash first worked as part of a tag-team known as the "Master Blasters", wrestling under the name "Steel", with his partner "Iron", or Al Greene. Later, he wrestled under the name of Oz with Merlin the Wizard as his manager, and still later as Vinnie Vegas. As Vegas, he formed a short-lived team with Diamond Dallas Page called the "Vegas Connection".

In 1993, he left WCW and signed with the then-WWF, adopting the gimmick of "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel, originally a "bodyguard" for real-life friend Shawn Michaels. Nash still holds unprecedented credentials; he defeated Bob Backlund in November 1994 for the WWF heavyweight championship in nine seconds, a WWF record, and was the only wrestler to acquire the WWF Tag-Team title, Intercontinental title, and Heavyweight title (all of the Federation's titles at that time) within a calendar year. Nash's WWF Championship run lasted for an impressive 358 days, a rarity in the Federation. After several successful years in the WWF, he left to rejoin WCW, and teamed up (as "The Outsiders") with another real-life friend, Scott Hall, to form the nWo (New World Order). After the nWo was split into two factions, Nash joined the "Wolfpac" faction. In World Championship Wrestling, Nash held all of the major championships as well as being a four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and also wrote some of the later storylines for WCW before it was bought by WWF (now WWE).

After leaving WCW, Nash again joined WWE and briefly re-formed the nWo, but it was disbanded after a quadriceps injury put him out of action. He came back from that, but his professional wrestling career apparently ended after a previously existing shoulder injury recurred in 2003, forcing him to undergo reconstructive surgery. He had announced the end of his in-ring career, although he had said he wanted to stay in the wrestling business. However, he later returned to wrestling, appearing in a Total Nonstop Action (TNA) ring with Scott Hall.

Nash and Hall initially formed a stable with Jeff Jarrett known as The Kings of Wrestling. However, the fragile alliance fell apart when Nash's title aspirations became clear. On February 13, 2005 at the TNA pay per view "Against All Odds" Nash received a NWA World Heavyweight Championship title shot, but was defeated by Jarrett.

Film

Kevin Nash had notable roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Secret of the Ooze as "Super Shredder", and, more recently, in the 2004 movie The Punisher as "The Russian" and in The Longest Yard as "Guard Englehart".

Championships/Accomplishments

World Championship Wrestling

• 5-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
• 7-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (2-time with Diamond Dallas Page, 4-time with Scott Hall, 1-time with Sting)

World Wrestling Entertainment

• 1-time WWE Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time WWE Intercontinental Champion
• 2-time WWE World Tag Team Champion (with Shawn Michaels)

• Winner of 1998 WCW World War 3 Battle Royal

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 59 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also ranked twice in the best tag teams of the "PWI Years". He was ranked # 40 with Scott Hall and # 55 with Shawn Michaels.

• Nash won several PWI Awards over his career. He won Most Improved Wrestler in 1994, Wrestler of the Year in 1995 and Tag Team of the Year in 1997 with Scott Hall. He was also part of the Match of the Year in 1995 (vs. Shawn Michaels).

External link

• Official Website of Kevin "Big Sexy" Nash