Kevin Nash believes the nWo’s 2002 WWE run had plenty of life left in it, but says backstage politics ultimately worked against the legendary faction.
Speaking on Inside The Ropes, Kevin Nash reflected on the return of the original nWo trio of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and himself following WWE’s acquisition of WCW. According to Nash, many people believed the group’s best days were behind it by the time WWE brought them back. The nWo had splintered into multiple versions during WCW’s final years, leading some to question whether the original magic could ever be recaptured.
“They thought that if you got the original Beatles back together again, that it wouldn’t work,” Nash said.
However, Nash argued that perceptions changed immediately upon the trio’s reappearance in WWE.
“The minute they brought those three characters back out with those black and white shirts on in Milwaukee for No Way Out, the place went crazy.”
The WWE Hall of Famer pointed to the crowd reaction and merchandise sales as proof that fans were still heavily invested in the group. In fact, Nash claimed the nWo quickly became WWE’s top merchandise seller. That success, he believes, created resentment within the locker room.
“We were the number one selling shirt, and every guy in that locker room went, ‘Kill them.’ And that’s what happened.”
Kevin Nash, Hulk Hogan & Scott Hall’s WWE nWo Run Was Short-Lived
While the nWo arrived with significant momentum, the group’s WWE run proved short-lived, debuting at No Way Out on February 17, 2002, and disbanding on the July 15 episode of Raw that same year. Hulk Hogan was soon moved back into a babyface role following his hugely popular WrestleMania 18 match against The Rock, while Scott Hall and Kevin Nash’s runs ended under different circumstances.
Looking back, Nash feels the faction still had considerable value and fan support when it arrived in WWE. However, he suggested the group faced an uphill battle behind the scenes despite its popularity with audiences.
More than two decades later, the nWo remains one of the most influential factions in wrestling history, but Nash believes its WWE revival never received the opportunity to reach its full potential.
