"Look at the size of him" - Vince McMahon's reaction after seeing a current WWE legend
Kevin Nash has recalled how former WWE co-worker Lex Luger gave him a heads-up about Vince McMahon’s reaction to his impressive height and physique.
The latest episode of WWE Network show "WWE Untold" focused on Nash and Shawn Michaels’ alliance and rivalry between 1993 and 1996. Standing at 6ft 10in tall and weighing 320 pounds, Nash’s onscreen character, Diesel, debuted in WWE as Michaels’ bodyguard.
Speaking about Vince McMahon’s opinion of him, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer revealed what the WWE Chairman told Luger:
“This is second-hand, this is from Lex,” Nash stated. “He [Lex Luger] said, ‘You’re gonna be the champ, man.’ He said, ‘I was standing right next to Vince.’ He said he [Vince McMahon] just kept saying, ‘Look at the size of him. Look at the size of him. Look at his shoulders. Look how big that man is. He’s 317, he’s 320, and he’s not exactly an ugly human being.’”
WWE had a reputation for being “the land of the giants” in the 1980s and early 1990s. Although Michaels recommended Nash to Vince McMahon because he wanted his own bodyguard, Nash ended up winning the WWE Championship before Michaels.
Vince McMahon booked Kevin Nash as WWE Champion within 18 months of his debut
Kevin Nash made his WWE debut at a live event on June 6, 1993. Within 18 months, Vince McMahon booked him to defeat Bob Backlund for the WWE Championship at another live event on November 26, 1994.
As Diesel, he held the WWE Championship for 358 days before losing the title to Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1995.
Nash’s WWE Championship reign as Diesel is the 11th-longest in the title’s history. Only Bruno Sammartino (x2), Hulk Hogan (x2), Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales, CM Punk, John Cena, Randy Savage, and AJ Styles had longer reigns as WWE Champion.
Please credit WWE Untold and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.