Kevin Nash was given the belt as a result of Vince McMahon being a “mark” for his size & because McMahon believed Nash had some untapped intangibles that a title reign might bring out in him - he was right. Diesel wasn't the biggest draw but the reality of the situation is nobody was a year prior to his title run or a year after his title run was either.
To claim Diesel was a failure as WWF Champ is unfair because he was given the WWF Title before he was completely comfortable with his ring persona & it came at a time when WWF going through a transition on screen & business was in a rut - WWF made a loss of $4.4 million in the 1994 to 1995 tax year which forced them to make a series of cuts to most of it's office staff while the high ranking office staff were forced to take 25% or higher pay cuts.
To blindly look at Nash's drawing power as WWF Champ without factoring in a number of other influences such as the bad booking, financing of failed project such as WBF & ICO PRO, loss of top stars (Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage), sex scandals, steroid scandals etc. on his success or lack thereof is simple minded & usually rooted in a bias.
Also keep in mind Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, & Roddy Piper worked in front of some pretty sparse crowds during the early 90's wrestling recession. It just so happened that Diesel, Razor Ramon, & Bret Hart first headlined when the industry was in a down period. Wrestlers who work in front of sellout crowds deserve credit for drawing such crowds. But wrestlers who work in front of small crowds deserve credit for being the ones working their asses off to get wrestling out of the recession & building a new fan base.
Diesel's first show at Madison Square Garden, appearing as Shawn Michaels bodyguard on June 12, 1993 drew approximately 9,000 (paying $100,000). Diesel & Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart & Undertaker match which headlined MSG on March 17, 1996 drew 17,000 (14,824 paying $299,596) - it was the first sellout at MSG for a non-PPV since the mid-80's & also set an all-time record house show gate. Diesel's final show at MSG, a cage match main event against Shawn Michaels on May 19, 1996 drew 18,800 (16,564 paying $319,411) - the the first time in 11 years, that WWF had two straight MSG sellouts & the first indoor non-PPV house in WWF history to top $300,000. Shawn Michaels & Undertaker vs. Mankind & Goldust match which headlined MSG on September 29, 1996 drew 6,747 (3,917 paying $146,437) - it was the lowest paid attendance & total fans for an MSG card dating back at least 40 years.
Towards the end of his WWF run, Diesel had really come into his own as a performer & WCW reaped the rewards of what WWF had built when they signed him.
•Nash was the catalyst that sparked WCW's ratings dominance over WWF in the Monday Night War which kicked off the late 90's pro wrestling boom period, lead to WCW to becoming the #1 promotion in the world & give the kick up the backside WWF needed to create the Attitude Era.
•Nash was a key player on screen & one of the behind the scenes architects of arguably the greatest faction & angle in pro wrestling history.
•Nash was influential behind pro wrestling's shift to more reality based content (in the 90's white boys now listened to rap, Tupac bandana wearing Nash knew the demographic had changed & tried to crossover). Nash revolutionised the concept of the cool heel & broke kayfabe with witty shoot comments - WCW merchandised the nWo, heel fans were encouraged - it was pioneering.
•Nash leaving WWF was instrumental in Vince McMahon's decision to start offering downside guaranteed contracts to talents in order to compete.
•A shrewd backstage tactician & businessman; Nash's role in increasing the pay scale of the industry was significant.
•Nash is one of the elite few who made who made late 90's a time when you could admit you were a pro wrestling fan & be considered cool.
•Nash inspired the creation of D-Generation X - a direct derivative of nWo.
•Nash redefined what a giant in pro wrestling could be.
•Nash in recent years has transcended beyond the genre of pro wrestling, making headway in Hollywood as a good mainstream representative of the business.
All that being said Nash might be the most despised man in the Internet Wrestling Community (a hive of hard-core wrestling nerds).
“When Benoit & Guerrero hugged, that was the end of the business” - Kevin Nash
Love how the IWC gets all butthurt because Nash said some things. Oh waaah, so what? Even if he's wrong, big deal. You workrate nuthuggers say equally dumb shit. GOD FORBID someone like Nash state his opinion about someone like Eddie Guerrero! “Nash didn't have half the talent the late, great Eddie did!” And maybe you're right, unless the talent you speak of is getting to the top of your profession & getting paid for it. Good wrestlers make great hands but good workers make great money. Love or hate him...HE STILL GOT PAID.