The Kliq on How Close The Undertaker Came to Joining WCW and More

The Kliq may not have been front-and-center when it came to WrestleMania festivities in 2015, but one of the most-influential groups in professional wrestling history had a week to remember. Kevin Nash took his spot in the WWE Hall of Fame during the year’s induction ceremony, going in as the final inductee. He was inducted by Shawn Michaels, as the ceremony closed with The Kliq posing on stage.

The next night, at WrestleMania 31, all members of The Kliq appeared in a matchup between Sting and Triple H. Representing the New World Order, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, joined by Hulk Hogan aided WCW’s former poster boy. The ruthless trio made a surprise appearance, evening the odds when members of D-Generation X, including Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, ran interference for Triple H. After all that, Shawn Michaels delivered “Sweet Chin Music” to Sting, playing a role in HHH’s eventual victory.

Sports Illustrated caught up with three of the five Kliq members: Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman for their first interview since WrestleMania 31. The three controversial figures didn’t hold back in their responses to the website.

Kevin Nash revealed that WCW was very close to acquiring The Undertaker in 2000, during the famed Monday Night War:

“We had ‘Taker close,” said Nash, referencing when the Undertaker was a free agent in 2000 and was unhappy with the direction of his character. “All of a sudden he wasn’t the Deadman. He became the American Badass for a reason. That Deadman wasn’t going to f—in’ come to WCW. He would have been the biker character and gone by Mark Calaway.”

“All along, I was trying to get guys money, I was trying to get guys paid. And what happened was Vince started giving huge guarantees to the Shawns and Undertakers and those guys and said, ‘I can’t lose my core guys.’”

Scott Hall and Sean Waltman even had some choice words for Chris Jericho. Though, upon reading the interview, Jericho would take to Twitter to note he respects Waltman.

Hall:

“Jericho’s just a whining p–s. If you have any talent, you can’t be held back and you can’t be held down. Jericho just whines and whines. He’s gone on to be tremendously successful, and he’s still got a hard on for us. I don’t get it, but nobody makes headlines for saying, ‘Those guys are great guys. You talk about what d—s we are, and then some guy sits down and interviews you.”

Waltman:

“Jericho realized, once he got to WWE, ‘Holy s—, I don’t know what the f—ck I’m doing here. That’s why Vince made him come to me and run his matches by me, even he was working with Boss Man or something. You think you know, until you finally know.”

Check out the full piece, here. The three also talk about WrestleMania 31, Kevin Nash’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, and their closeness through the years.