10 "Add-On" Wrestling Signings That Became Major Players

3. Diesel

Feeling he needed something with a bit more aggression to make him a major player, Shawn Michaels began scouting for a male bodyguard character who'd add an extra layer of heat to his heel gimmick. One day, he stumbled upon Kevin Nash's 'Vinnie Vegas' routine on WCW TV, and he was sold.

Michaels took the news to Vince McMahon. He wanted Nash, and he wanted him pronto.

Nash managed to get out of his WCW deal by telling management he was tired of wrestling and wanted a change in career. When they released him, Shawn and McMahon could make their move. After that, the imposing presence of Diesel began shadowing Michaels, and it was a winning combo; Nash barely gets enough credit for his early work as the mute enforcer. He was tremendous.

Come 1994, Diesel was a force in his own right on programming. McMahon grew so enamoured with him that he booked a shock WWF Title win later that year, and Nash would hold the thing for around a year. Working with Shawn was the launching pad he needed to become a star.