Reflecting on Kevin Nash’s character Oz in AEW, Tony Schiavone discusses how it was an unconventional choice in wrestling. Initially, Nash faced challenges with various gimmicks before gaining popularity in the late ’90s.
In a recent “What Happened When” episode, Schiavone sheds light on the origin of the Oz character. It seems the character may have aimed to leverage the fame of “The Wizard of Oz” movie for promotion. However, the timing was off as Ted Turner didn’t introduce the Turner Classic Movies channel until three years later.
Despite the unusual character, Schiavone expresses his lack of surprise at Nash’s success in wrestling. While he didn’t anticipate Nash’s significant rise, Schiavone always saw the potential for Nash to evolve into a top star beyond the Oz persona.