WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash offered a deep dive into the physical and psychological toll of professional wrestling during the latest episode of his podcast, Kliq This. After watching the premiere episode of the Untold documentary series that includes Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, Nash shared his reactions to the behind-the-scenes footage, specifically focusing on Lynch’s return to the ring following the birth of her child.
The Pain of Returning
Nash was particularly struck by a scene depicting Lynch and Rollins training in a ring as she prepared for her WWE comeback after a year-long absence. He noted the raw honesty in Lynch’s reaction to taking bumps for the first time in months.
“She’s coming back… and her and Seth go to this [ring]… and she’s just basically like… ‘F***, my back hurts so bad. Like, this f***ing sucks,'” Nash recounted. He highlighted her realization of the pain involved in the profession: “‘I forgot how bad this f***ing sucks hitting this f***ing wood'”.
“Withdrawal From Punishment”
Drawing from his own extensive career, Nash contextualized Lynch’s struggle by comparing it to his own recovery from a torn quadriceps. He introduced the concept that a wrestler’s body goes through a form of “withdrawal” when it stops receiving regular physical trauma.
“It was like a heroin [addict]… it was like I had like withdrawal, like my body had withdrawal from the punishment,” Nash explained. He elaborated on how the body adapts to contact over time, using his brief boxing experience as an analogy. “I remember the first time I ever got hit with a… glove, and I went, ‘F***. That sucks.’ And then, you know, go forward f***ing eight weeks, and you’re getting f***ing rocked with combos. And it’s, your body is now adapted to that degree of of contact”.
Nash emphasized that this adaptation process is the hardest part of returning to the ring. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is you have to get used to, you know, that pounding all over again”.
“This Is My Last Contract”
Beyond the physical aspects, Nash noted a significant revelation regarding Lynch’s career timeline. He pointed out that Lynch was explicit in the documentary about her future in the industry.
“It’s so clear when she… states on the show, that this is her last contract,” Nash observed. “It’s not like, ‘I think this is my last contract.’ It’s like, ‘This is my last contract'”.
On-Screen Character vs. Real Life
Nash also praised Lynch’s natural charisma and appearance, admitting that before watching the documentary, he didn’t know her personally. He expressed that her on-screen “heel” persona had effectively worked him as a viewer because he wasn’t aware of her true personality.
“Her character has heat with me on TV, because I don’t know her… And I’m thinking like, ‘No man, she’s just that f***ing good,'” Nash said. “The real her is a f***ing sweetheart. The heel her is f***ing agitating”.
He also commented on the production choice to feature her without TV makeup, which he felt showcased her “naturally beautiful” appearance more effectively than her television presentation. “They make these girls up to go out and wrestle… and she’s such a naturally beautiful woman that’s almost like, God, like you take away from your natural beauty by… [dialing] yourself up”.
Nash concluded by defending the “insider” nature of such documentaries, arguing that for those who have been in the business, the only mystery left is understanding the human being behind the character. “The only thing left for me is to actually know who the person is that walks out there every night,” Nash stated.
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