Kevin Nash Says Rick Steiner's WrestleCon Scene Plays Out Differently If He's There

After making transphobic remarks toward Impact Wrestling's Gisele Shaw at WrestleCon in April, it wasn't expected that Rick Steiner would be appearing at the convention going forward. That changed last week when it controversially announced that Steiner would be appearing at the next WrestleCon, set for Detroit during SummerSlam weekend. The backlash to the announcement proved swift, and Steiner's appearance was canceled shortly after.

On the latest episode of "Kliq This," Kevin Nash — a long-time friend of Steiner's who worked with him in WCW and had previously commented on the events after they occurred — gave his thoughts on the situation, particularly the idea of WrestleCon welcoming Steiner back. While Nash understands where some, including vendor Tony Hunter who booked Steiner's appearance, was coming from, he doesn't believe the idea to bring Steiner back was smart at all.

"I just don't think ... it just wasn't thought out," Nash said. "I don't think there was any malice in it. I just...they just [went] 'Hey, can Rick come?' 'Yeah, sure.' Because there was an attempt ... I can see why it happened. I'm not saying in any form or fashion that it was — I wouldn't have even tried to open the door, with it happening at a WrestleCon where he was kicked out of, and then turn around and come back to WrestleCon? I wouldn't have done it," he continued, "but Tony is like a really sweet human being, and he's the kind of person that believes that everyone should be given a second chance. That's who Tony Hunter is."

As Nash continued to discuss the situation, it became clear that being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and his long-standing friendship with Steiner left him very conflicted.

"I have people that are involved in her [Gisele Shaw's] life," Kevin Nash added. "I have several friends that care deeply about that human being. I am in no way f*****g [defending Rick]. I just think ... there's a scene in 'Against All Odds,' and f*****g James Woods and Jeff Bridges, they've been fighting over Rachel Ward this whole f*****g movie. And she just looks at Jeff Bridges at one point goes 'Can it just for one f*****g time not be life and death?'

"Both these guys are pulling at her," he continued, "and it's just ... I feel that way sometimes. Can a human being make a mistake? I've known f*****g Robbie [Rick's real name] Steiner for 30 years. He is a decent man. He doesn't ... I don't think he's ever ... he's just not ... I don't know what f*****g set that off. I don't know why it happened. It was wrong. But you could name 50 other people ... when I heard that, I said 'Robbie? What?' It was such a horrible f*****g venue. That didn't help, man."

Nash, who was at WrestleCon but not on the floor during the incident, does believe that if he had been around at that time, the situation would've been resolved promptly — and appropriately.

"If I was in the convention, on the convention floor, I would've known f*****g 30 minutes after the s**t went down, tops," Nash said. "And I would've personally f*****g walked over there ... and that would've made a difference in that whole situation. When it first went down, me walking over there and pulling him aside would've been night and day of how all of this played off."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Kliq This" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription