10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Dec 2)
4. Kevin Nash Couldn't Believe His Oz Gimmick Got Over In Japan
Before going on to play the imposing Diesel in the WWF or the super-cool leader of the nWo Wolfpac in WCW, Kevin Nash had to make do with some terrible gimmicks. In the early-1990's, Nash was cast as Oz, a direct tribute to The Wizard Of Oz movie.
Regardless of the production costs tied to Oz's entrance, WCW bosses couldn't stop the character from tanking in the United States. Unbelievably, the guise had more success elsewhere in the world. That's something Nash himself couldn't fathom when wrestling in Japan under the gimmick. For some reason, Japanese wrestling fans adored Oz.
Speaking on Eric Bischoff's podcast 'Bischoff On Wrestling', Nash said that he was awestruck by the response Oz received during a match against Shinya Hashimoto in the Osaka Dome for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Coming down to the ring for the match, Nash was first raised via a platform on the entrance ramp. As he surfaced, he heard fans chanting for Oz, something that certainly hadn't happened back in America. Much to Nash's bemusement, Oz was over in Japan.