Kevin Nash Speaks On Samoa Joe, Being Champion, NWO, Whether He Wants to Go Back to WWE, More
Posted by Ashish on 05.08.2008
Nash speaks out...
The Sun UK has a good interview up with Kevin Nash. Highlights are below.
On if Samoa Joe can carry the ball: Yeah. But the thing is, being in that position myself, it takes a while for the fans to build that love affair with you as champion. They're in love with you as the underdog, but once you take that next step and become the champion all of a sudden the perspective is different. A lot of times you'll get an initial pop but then there'll be a bit of a lull. But it just takes fans time to adjust. And as a company, if you make that decision you have to stick with it.
On if it is really much tougher to be the champion than just a top guy: Yes, because it doesn't matter who you're against, people are buying the tickets to see the champion. If you go out there and the house is half full, you feel responsible for that, you're like "I'm not drawing". You take that personally and it is a lot to drag with you from town to town, especially on that WWE schedule doing 300 days a year. If business is down and you're in that position you take it personally. It can wear on you. I've seen strong guys completely crack in six months - psychologically just break down from it. You know the saying: "Watch what you ask for, because you might get it." It's exactly like that.
On the early days of the NWO: At that time, those stars were so well-aligned. Scott and I were both on top in the WWE and then our contracts ended six days apart. Hogan was finishing a movie and was available. So the synergy that just put that thing together was just the perfect place and the perfect timing. And the thing is, people bought it as a shoot. It was like: "Wow, those two guys from New York have come down, they're taking over." "Oh my God. Another guy, Hogan. He's a New York guy, they're definitely taking over the company." And it was believable because WCW was perceived so far below the WWF, that three guys could basically beat up their company. If you really think about it, the psychology of it was for the first eight weeks it was just Scott and I. Scott and I would hold their whole company off and Eric would say: "This is great." I'd reply: "No, man, this is horrible. You've got two guys from the other promotion and these fans think these two guys can beat up your whole company. That's not good." But, you know, it worked. And it worked for a long time. I don't think there has ever been an angle that just went that long, it was like three years.
On why TNA won't end up like WCW with infighting: I have two bosses – Dixie Carter and Jeff Jarrett. Jeff creatively, Dixie more on the business side. With creative, in WWE, people would always go back and forth about something and finally someone would say: "You know what, let's just go talk to Vince. I'm tired of talking to a horse's ass. Vince what do you want?" Vince would make a decision and it would get done. And in TNA, it's like that with Jeff. Anytime there's infighting just grab Jeff and say: "What do you want? Tell these guys what you want." On the business side, you'd ask: "Dixie what do you want done here? You want that? Fine, that's done." The problem with WCW was you had Eric Bischoff running operations, but then you had Brad Siegel, Dr Schiller, all these guys. As soon as it got hot, everybody from TNT wanted to get their hands on it.
On if he is tempted to go back to WWE: I think it's more important for the industry for there to be a viable No2, for TNA to be as competitive as possible. And that's why I enjoy being here. We've already turned so many corners. We are definitely on the map now. We're getting a head of steam, Joe's going to hopefully take us to the next level and then we're going to have so many great guys behind him. Whether he stays face or turns heel, whatever he does, we've got enough seasoned guys to feed him for a year and have some really good main event matches. The girls have got their thing going right now and they are amazing too. Then I think we need to bring the X Division back up and make it more of a centrepiece. Maybe every three PPVs, the X Division should be the main event. We need to have more of those matches AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels do, because they match that in the WWE. They don't have the ability and they don't have the athletes. Then get the tag thing going. People love to watch tag matches. Get some really strong, solidified teams that fight back and forth, make that belt mean something. Old school. This thing is going to continue to grow, and continue to grow, and sooner or later we're going to move to Mondays and go head to head against the WWE.
Delusional optimism. Now in many new exciting flavors!
Posted By: Corkscrewjob (Registered) on May 08, 2008 at 06:42 PM
nash can always go back to the wwe. not just because he is a clique guy. vince
loves him. there is an open door fir him whenever he wants to come back.
Posted By: rey (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 06:44 PM
Nash actually does have the right idea - his heart's in the right place - but it
seems like TNA is doing almost exactly the opposite right now. They're
marginalizing the X-Division, making a convoluted farce of the tag division,
and treating Joe's title run like another day at the office. None of that
spells "Next level" for TNA.
Posted By: BJC (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 06:54 PM
What is with the "lack of athletic talent in the WWE??" I'm so tired
of hearing that. By comparison, WWE has a talent that can go toe to toe w/ any
X Division guy. TNA has a 50 or so person roster w/ MAYBE 12 awesomely gifted
atheletes. WWE probably has 130+ across all 3 rosters and I'm pretty sure
there's more than 12 guys who can do what AJ Styles & CDaniels can do. Big
fish small pond Kevin Nash. For every AJ, you have a Brother Ray Dudley. For
every Christopher Daniels, you have BG James.
Posted By: JP (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Not that I'd argue about a business I've never been in with somebody who has
spent the bulk of their life in it, but I've never ever bought the reasoning
that it's the champion who sells tickets. I've been a life-long wrestling fan
and it's been the entire card or roster that determines whether I plunk down
cash for a ticket or a PPV order, not who's wearing the belt.
Posted By: Michael O (Registered) on May 08, 2008 at 07:24 PM
I'd take that challenge JP the X division guys do some incredible things and I
can't see too many wwe guys doing it. Nice job by the way naming two primarily
tag team wrestlers to talk about individual problems. WWE has more dead wood
heck look at their main eventers.
Posted By: LMAO at JP (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 07:55 PM
I agree that Nash could go to Stamford at any point in time and get a contract.
When he left in 03, he was on good terms w/ everybody from what I've read. I
think he even watched Mania this year in a box w/ the McMahons.
Posted By: Bobby (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 08:13 PM
Kevin Nash is to TNA what Terry Funk was to ECW. The older star that lends true
legitimacy. Im not a huge fan of TNA but I LIKE that there is REAL competiton
for Vince. Not just another set of letters he bought.
Posted By: CM Wolf (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 08:14 PM
you are honestly going to say that Shelton Benjamin can't go move for move
against Styles?
Posted By: JP (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 08:36 PM
CM Wolf you just compared Kevin Nash to Terry Funk? That was so offensive and
wrong I dont even know where to being
Posted By: natedoggcata (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Not without slipping everywhere.
At best, WWE has London, Kendrick, Shelton, Jeff Hardy a fit Rey Mysterio and
perhaps Shannon Moore and/or Jimmy Yang. Most of whom are buried.
TNA, however, has Styles, Daniels, Shelley, Sabin, Kazarian, Lethal, Dutt,
Devine, Homicide, Skipper and Petey. Plus anyone they bring in when talent
exchanging with NJPW.
Posted By: Luke S (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 09:14 PM
like i've been saying, at this time wwe is better than tna when it comes to
things like booking, ratings and what have you. When it comes to OVERALL
wrestling, wwe is not in tna's league, wwe has great wrestlers but from bottom
card to top, tna is better. U guys never mentioned the tna knockouts vs the wwe
divas. Their tag teams are also better. I'm not saying that wwe doesn't have
talent but OVERALL, tna is better
Posted By: the real cj (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 09:56 PM
SO what? who care about all those losers? WWE has HORNSWOGGLE!!
Posted By: Guest#4452 (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 10:03 PM
TNA needs to showcasing what makes them different instead of trying to compete
with the WWE. If they don't they will end up being what ECW is today.
And they really need a TV title. There are wrestlers that could use a push that
either a.) aren't believable as a World championship contender and b.) don't fit
in the X division.
Posted By: Karatgold24 (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 10:26 PM
For a guy who has gotten a lot of flack in the past, it's nice to see Kevin Nash
at least try and put TNA over. Obviously he's got his heart set on TNA.
Posted By: MIB (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 10:37 PM
i agree with micheal o. i've been to several wwf/e shows in my lifetime. i never
attended them based on who was the world champ.(hogan, flair, rock and rvd) i
watch raw, ecw, sd and impact regardless of who are the world champs. wrestlers
themselves may think that way. i doubt fan do as well.
Posted By: reh629 (Registered) on May 08, 2008 at 11:01 PM
wwe has london, kendrick, shelton, cm punk, shannon moore, jimmy wang yang,
johnny nitro, hardy, rey, chavo, jamie noble, kofi kingston, even shawn
michaels, jericho, carlito, charlie haas... prolly some i'm forgetting. all
could work a better x match than more than half of the real x division
Posted By: THE Zachariah Zantabulator (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Vince would take Nash back in a second. It's nice to see Nash really trying to
help out in TNA.
Posted By: JM (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 11:30 PM
You fail for putting Kofi and Carlito in the list...
Posted By: KX (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 01:28 AM
I love all these clowns that know everyhting nash can do this, nash thinks this,
waht a bunch of fucking idiots!
Posted By: Dr Bob Onit (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 01:42 AM
"Not without slipping everywhere.
At best, WWE has London, Kendrick, Shelton, Jeff Hardy a fit Rey Mysterio and
perhaps Shannon Moore and/or Jimmy Yang. Most of whom are buried.
TNA, however, has Styles, Daniels, Shelley, Sabin, Kazarian, Lethal, Dutt,
Devine, Homicide, Skipper and Petey. Plus anyone they bring in when talent
exchanging with NJPW."
NJPW hardly counts as it aint TNA contracted people.
Skipper is good, but nearly kills talent.
Apart from that, your also missing WWE talent like Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy,
John Morrison, CM Punk, Chavo, Helms, and most like Kofi in the future.
By the way, most of the guys you mentioned may be buried, but the whole
X-division is buried too. Doesn't change the fact the matches are great.
Posted By: Banz (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 05:06 AM
"Nash actually does have the right idea - his heart's in the right place -
but it
seems like TNA is doing almost exactly the opposite right now. They're
marginalizing the X-Division, making a convoluted farce of the tag division,
and treating Joe's title run like another day at the office. None of that
spells "Next level" for TNA."
Yeah, YOU know about TNA more when Kevin Nash, who work in TNA right now :)
About WWE and TNA using their athletic talents... WWE like to brag about how
athletic was Shelton, or Kofi, but they never give them ball. They call Shelton
best athlet in WWE, and he is a jobber. They never call Triple H athlet, and he
is top guy in WWE. WWE just don't use their athlets right way, don't allow them
outshine top guys. TNA have some problems with X-Division, but they always give
them matches what they want. Even Shark Boy, jobber, get pushed. Any X-Division
wrestler get awarded for his work sooner or later.
Posted By: L'Mago (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 06:12 AM
TNA IS WAY TOO BETTER THAN WWE! Just admit it.
Posted By: Justin Credible (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 07:30 AM
Nash's Goals of TNA (summing things up)
1. Get Samoa JOE over as the top guy and flagbearer of the company, from here
on out.
2. Continue to further push the Knockouts division, as it picks up steam and
redefines women's wrestling in the U.S.
3. Return the X-division to the prominence that it had, when it was headlined
by stars like Styles/Daniels/JOE.
4. The rebirth of a feature tag team division in the U.S. wrestling scene.
not bad
Posted By: scipio2009 (Registered) on May 09, 2008 at 07:32 AM
But Why? Why go head-to-head with WWE on Mondays? Is there a point in
splitting the audience? Let wrestling fans watch your show on Thursday and let
the fans watch WWE show on Monday. Theres no point in making people choose.
And besides the last time a wrestling company went head-to-head with WWE they
were out of business 6 years later.
Posted By: Dummy Nash (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 09:38 AM
But Why? Why go head-to-head with WWE on Mondays? Is there a point in
splitting the audience? Let wrestling fans watch your show on Thursday and let
the fans watch WWE show on Monday. Theres no point in making people choose.
And besides the last time a wrestling company went head-to-head with WWE they
were out of business 6 years later.
Posted By: Dummy Nash (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 09:53 AM
"wwe has london, kendrick, shelton, cm punk, shannon moore, jimmy wang
yang,
johnny nitro, hardy, rey, chavo, jamie noble, kofi kingston, even shawn
michaels, jericho, carlito, charlie haas... prolly some i'm forgetting. all
could work a better x match than more than half of the real x division"
Chavo? Carlito? ughh give me a break them guys are awful
Posted By: Kevin (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 11:02 AM
"Then get the tag thing going. People love to watch tag matches. Get some
really strong, solidified teams that fight back and forth, make that belt mean
something. Old school."
If you think about it, TNA has proven to be an alternative by making all of
their belts mean something.
Face it, when's the last time the WWE had any kind of tournament for the tag
team titles, on a PPV no less? As convoluted as some of their matches are
(makeover battle royal, terrordome, etc.) I will admit that I enjoy how they
all have some significance towards building to either a title shot or a
championship themselves.
I get what Nash is saying, but what TNA needs more than anything is to make
themselves known more to the mainstream public.
The WWE does have great athletes, but most of their matches are curtailed to
prevent injuries. Anyone who has seen a Shelton Benjamin match in the past
knows about that, and I'm a huge fan.
Whether the WWE fanboys like it or not it's best that TNA become the No.2
promotion as Nash said. It will make for better wrestling and the fans come out
as winners.
Posted By: Orlando (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Wait please please tell me you did not say that sheldon benjiman is a match
talent wise for aj styles in what way maybe if aj got hit in car accident and
coudlnt wrestle anymore then sheldon could catch up
Posted By: Rob (Guest) on May 09, 2008 at 01:33 PM
