Jim Ross On Kevin Nash’s Relationship With The Kliq, Nash Having Heat For 1994 World Title Win

On a recent episode of Grilling JR, Jim Ross talked about Kevin Nash’s career in wrestling. Ross talked about the relationship and benefits Nash had becoming friends with fellow wrestlers Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman, and Nash having heat for winning the WWF World Title in 1994. Some highlights are below.

On knowing that Diesel & Shawn Michaels would eventually fight when Diesel debuted: “It’s inevitable. That’s how the formula works. You build a personal relationship on-screen and then you take it on a little journey. Kevin was helped by his relationship with Shawn, because Shawn was very street-smart. He’s a territory guy. I remember when Shawn came in as a rookie thanks to his trainer Jose Lothario down there in San Antonio, a great legend and a good man. So, Shawn had a good, solid fundamental background. So, he had knowledge and he was willing to share that knowledge and that street smart ability that Shawn had with Kevin. So, Kevin for a break there I think because they travel together, they conversed they communicated well and so it was a marriage that seemingly had a chance to make good money. The business cycle was not good at that point in time. I know I read where well Kevin Nash was he drew less money than any WWF Champion. I don’t know that to be true be honest wit you. If it were it wasn’t his fault. He can’t take the blame for the downward cycle in pro wrestling at that point in time. But, he got put with the right guy and that was good vision.”

On first seeing The Kliq form backstage: “Factions are one of my favorite things to follow and talk about see evolve and stuff. All those guys were hungry. They’re all talented. They all have product knowledge, which I thought was very, very important. They had chemistry. They all got along. They all traveled together and they share information. It was just a perfect marriage with those dudes and Scott Hall was one of the great minds in pro wrestling some people may not be aware of, but Scott was brilliant and he helped Kevin. So, now you got a tutor in Shawn Michaels you got another tutor in Scott Hall and they’re both street wise. They both have product knowledge and they all were hungry. They all wanted to make more money and they knew to do that they had to get over and that’s what these guys did. They were all unselfish with each other, which I thought was kind of cool.”

On Kevin Nash winning the world title in 1994: “That got some heat on Kevin by some of the guys in the locker room because Backlund was a legendary figure a long, long time champion very popular guy it’s hard not to like Bobby Backlund for God’s sakes. If you did you didn’t like Opie Taylor or any other redhead that you can think of. So, beating Bobby in the Garden where he had some of his greatest successes was a shocker. Especially amplified when Bob did the favor in eight seconds. So, a lot of the talents didn’t understand that. Vince wanted to get younger wanted to have some different looks, different feel and Kevin could do that if he was given that opportunity.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Grilling JR with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.