What is Kevin Nash's Net Worth?
Kevin Nash is an actor and retired professional wrestler who has a net worth of $4 million. Kevin Nash is known for his tenures with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment, World Championship Wrestling, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. After starting out with WCW from 1990 to 1993, he became a WWF star under the ring name Diesel, winning the WWF World, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Championships. Nash went on to make multiple returns to WCW and WWF/E, winning further championships.
Early Life and Education
Kevin Nash was born on July 9, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan into a devout Christian family headed by Wanda and Robert. When he was eight years old, his father passed away. Nash was educated at Aquinas High School and then at the University of Tennessee, where he played basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers. Following a physical altercation with head coach Don DeVoe and a number of other on-campus incidents, he tried to transfer to Bowling Green State University in Ohio. However, Nash ultimately decided to leave school and move to Europe, where he played professional basketball for a variety of teams. His basketball career came to an end in Germany in 1981 due to injury. Nash subsequently enlisted in the US Army, and was stationed in West Germany.
World Championship Wrestling, 1990-1993
After working on a Ford assembly line and serving as the floor manager of an Atlanta strip club, Nash decided to become a professional wrestler. He made his debut in World Championship Wrestling in 1990, acting as one half of the tag team known as the Master Blasters. Going by the ring name Steel, he was first paired with Iron, and then with Blade. As Steel, Nash had his first singles match the next month. In early 1991, he was rebranded as the Master Blaster, a name he kept until May. Nash subsequently became the silver-haired Oz, and after that, was repackaged as Vinnie Vegas. With Diamond Dallas Page, he formed the tag team the Vegas Connection. In the first half of 1993, Nash teamed with Big Sky.
World Wrestling Federation, 1993-1996
In mid-1993, Nash joined the World Wrestling Federation and adopted the ring name Big Daddy Cool Diesel, or Diesel for short. The hyper-masculine, thug-like character began as the best friend of Shawn Michaels, with the pair going by the tag team name Two Dudes with Attitudes. The team went on to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship. A couple months later, Diesel and Michaels claimed the WWF Tag Team Championship. Their alliance ultimately fell apart after the Survivor Series, when Michaels accidentally performed a superkick on Diesel. However, Diesel bounced back toward the end of 1994 by winning the WWF Championship against Bob Backlund. In the spring of 1995, he retained his title by defeating Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XI. Diesel mounted further successful defenses against Sycho Sid and King Mabel. Reunited with Michaels, he then went on to win back the WWF Tag Team Championship, making him and Michaels holders of all three major WWF championships. Later, in 1996, Diesel turned heel and began a feud with Michaels. In what would be his last televised WWF appearance of the decade, Diesel unsuccessfully challenged Michaels for the WWF Championship.
WCW, 1996-2001
Nash returned to WCW in 1996, and with Scott Hall, formed the duo the Outsiders. They were soon joined by Hulk Hogan, and became known as the New World Order. With Hall, and eventually Sean Waltman, he became part of a new group in 1997 called the Wolfpac. The group was joined by a number of other wrestlers after that. In late 1998, Nash entered the 60-man, three-ring battle royal that was a staple of pay-per-view, with the winner receiving a shot at the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade. Having survived to the end, he advanced to Starrcade, where he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Goldberg. In the spring of 1999, Nash won the Championship for the second time by defeating Diamond Dallas Page at Slamboree. He subsequently started a feud with the returning Randy Savage. In the summer of 2000, Nash once again won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, this time from Booker T; he would later lose it to Booker T at Fall Brawl. Later in 2000, Nash aligned himself with Diamond Dallas Page to form the group the Insiders, and proceeded to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship at Mayhem. After being stripped of the title in December, they won it back at Starrcade.
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WWF/E, 2002-2003
With WCW having gone out of business, Nash returned to the WWF in 2002, where he briefly reformed the New World Order and feuded with Triple H over the World Heavyweight Championship. In the summer of 2003, he feuded with Chris Jericho and had to cut his hair after losing a "Raw" match. Nash had his final WWE match at SummerSlam in an Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Ultimately, he was the first to be eliminated.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
In late 2004, Nash debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He formed a trio with Scott Hall and Jeff Jarrett called the Kings of Wrestling. Later, after the group dissolved, Nash challenged Jarrett for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which was ultimately won by Rhino. In 2006, Nash partnered with Alex Shelley to form the stable Paparazzi Productions. He subsequently began managing the Motor City Machine Guns, and then started appearing as the psychiatrist Dr. Nash. Later, in 2008, Nash joined Booker T, Sting, Scott Steiner, and Kurt Angle to form the villainous stable known as the Main Event Mafia. He went on to defeat A.J. Styles for the TNA Legends Championship at Victory Road, but lost the title three days later to Mick Foley. Nash reclaimed the title less than a month later by defeating Foley at Hard Justice. In 2010, he, Hall, and Eric Young won the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Nash announced his retirement from professional wrestling in October of 2010 upon the expiration of his TNA contract.
WWE Return and Independent Circuit
Following his departure from TNA, Nash made his return to WWE. Billed as Diesel for the first time since 1996, he took part in the 2011 Royal Rumble Match, where he was eliminated by Wade Barrett. It was announced that Nash had signed a five-year WWE Legends contract. No longer billed as Diesel, he returned at SummerSlam in August. Nash went on to resume his longstanding feud with Triple H. In 2012 and into 2013, he appeared on WWE's development training television show "NXT." Nash was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015; he was inducted again, this time as a member of the New World Order, in 2020.
In addition to his appearances in WWE, Nash wrestled on the independent circuit from 2011 to 2018. He appeared at the 2011 Gathering of the Juggalos, and in 2012 made his debut with All Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with Keiji Mutoh. Nash was also briefly signed with Global Force Wrestling to help promote tours and events. In the summer of 2018, he performed in his final match, defeating Flex Armstrong for the Big Time Wrestling Heavyweight Championship. Nash later announced his retirement in early 2020.
Other Media Appearances
Outside the ring, Nash has acted in a myriad of films and television series. He made his feature film debut in 1991, playing the genetically enhanced version of the villainous Shredder in the superhero film "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze." The following year, Nash appeared in episodes of the television series "Swamp Thing" and "Super Force." Toward the end of the decade, he made guest appearances on "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and "The Love Boat: The Next Wave." Kicking off the 21st century, Nash was in two episodes of the sitcom "Nikki." In 2004, he played the supervillain known as "The Russian" in the vigilante action film "The Punisher." He subsequently had roles in the films "The Longest Yard," "Grandma's Boy," and "DOA: Dead or Alive." In 2011, Nash starred in "River of Darkness" and "Monster Brawl." The year after that, he appeared in "Rock of Ages," "The Newest Pledge," and "Magic Mike." Nash later reprised his role as a stripper in "Magic Mike" in the sequels "Magic Mike XXL" and "Magic Mike's Last Dance." His other notable credits have included the films "John Wick," "The Assault," "Chick Fight," and "Dog," and the British television series "Living the Dream."
Personal Life
In 1988, Nash married his wife Tamara. They separated in 2000 but eventually reconciled. The couple had a son named Tristen who passed away in 2022 during alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
In 2011, Nash was arrested for battery after allegedly attacking a drunken man in the parking lot of a Florida restaurant. Stating he was acting in self-defense, he was eventually cleared of all charges. Nash was arrested for battery again in 2014 after allegedly attacking his son. Once again, he was cleared of all charges, as he was allegedly defending his wife from his son's attacks against her.
