[1995-11-20-WWF-Raw] Interview: Diesel

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Famous promo, possibly the best Nash ever did. He delivers this really well, with lots of emotion, and looks like a badass. This was the beginning of him being used in a way where he was way more effective than as Smilin' Champ.

[Tim Evans]

This is like Darkside Hogan but way better. I like that he would only slap hands with people in black gloves.

[PeteF3]

Ahead of its time on SOO many levels. It's remarkable a.) how much this, by design or not, plays off that sitdown interview with Vince earlier in the year, and b.) how much it foreshadows what's to come with Mr. McMahon. But other than outing Vince as the guy in charge, this is refreshingly free of the shooty-shoot stuff while still feeling real.

[Dooley]

Great promo grounded in realism but still pushes his merch. Nash knows how to play the game. He breaks out of his year-long character rut and is instantly more interesting than he's been since the face turn.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Stumbled on this promo before the Shawn vs Owen match. Really great by Nash, lots of conviction and emotion. He sounded like Nash. Unlike some of the stilted Diesel promos where he seemed to be putting on a lower voice than he really has and tried to emote a badass vibe. Here he was a pissed off ex-champ and he rocked it. I wouldn't say this was as shooty as some thing later on. But it feels like the first of its kind in WWF. I think this is a reaction to reality-based angles in WCW and ECW. Showed WWF not only could hang with those promotions but be ahead of them in some ways by bitching about the promoter and how they were being handled by Vince. Good explanation of a heel turn but also with some shades of grey. Well-done.

This seems like turning point for the WWF. Diesel title reign was rock bottom for WWF. It would take until 1997 and the Bret/Austin double turn to make WWF red hot, but this started the gradual upward trend.