Kevin Nash showed up at Smackdown last week ranting about what happened on Raw the night before. On Raw, the Rock broke from script and called Nash “Big Daddy Bitch.” Although Rock may claim it was a harmless improv, Nash was upset because he believes it compromised his character. Nash argued that had it been discussed ahead of time, he would have pointed out that his character would charge the ring when called such a name. He wanted to know if next time a wrestler “broke from script,” if he would be allowed to do the same without being accused of overreacting. When Nash showed up at Smackdown, he was fuming. The first person he saw was Shane McMahon, who listened to Nash’s beef. Later Vince McMahon and Rock were filled in. There was additional tension because Nash had heard Rock had boasted that he was going to get Nash because Nash got him. Apparently Rock heard that Nash, while in WCW, said if he ever returned to the WWF, he’d call Rock a “bitch” on the air. At this week’s Raw, the two shook hands and seem to have agreed to at least work together even if they still disagree over how things went last week.
Kevin Nash didn’t help his case last week considering that he showed up over two hours late for Smackdown. He was supposed to be there at 1 p.m., but arrived after 3 p.m. Showing up late was one of the main complaints about Nash and his pals the last time he was in the WWF. Nash has argued that wrestlers who have to stay until the end of TVs ought to be able to arrive later than those who leave after their segment and are back at the hotel eating or sleeping before the show ends.
The tenuous status of Steve Austin may prompt a change in the planned main event for the Backlash PPV. The top match was slated to feature Hulk Hogan & The Rock & Steve Austin vs. Kevin Nash & Scott Hall & X-Pac. The WWF basically gave away a version of that match on Raw with the NWO threesome against Hogan & Rock. Depending on how the Austin situation plays out, it may end up better off for all involved that Austin not be in that mix. It should be noted that there has not been a case of Austin getting into any type of backstage verbal spat with either Hall or Nash. Austin’s frustrations have been expressed directly to management.
Had the Steve Austin vs. Scott Hall match ended as originally planned, there would have been a better storyline explanation for the roster split. Had the NWO (on orders of Vince McMahon) interfered and cost Austin the match, Linda McMahon was going to announce on Raw that as a result of McMahon’s actions, she was going to split up the roster. Because the finish was changed, apparently to placate Austin, it left the WWF without a storyline explanation for the drastic move of splitting the roster.
