WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash On AEW's Issues With Oklahoma State Athletic Commission

WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash weighed in on the warning sent to AEW by the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. OSAC alleged that the company had violated its ban on intergender wrestling by booking Nyla Rose, a transgender wrestler, against Alejanda Lion, a cisgender wrestler, on December 23, 2023. The commission opted to reprimand AEW this time, with the caveat that if it were to book another transgender vs. cisgender match in the state they would take punitive action. Addressing the warning during his "Kliq This" podcast, Nash could recall no other circumstance when a commission had interfered in wrestling, and reasoned that this was a political move. 

"I think it's the antiquated commissions that they have," Nash said. "When wrestling was still considered kayfabe and it was kind of [a] shoot; we used to have, like you'd go in and the commission doctor's in there and all these guys would walk in, and their blood pressure would be off the f***ing charts. I've never seen anybody in my life be told by one of these commission doctors that they couldn't participate. Because they all knew, as the guy was smoking a cigarette while he did his blood pressure, that it was a work and he wasn't gonna go out there and do anything." He continued, "So Oklahoma, because they've got the racket still set up, they try to politicize it. They don't have a box in it for wrestling. But they're gonna add one ... I absolutely do [think it's political] in Oklahoma."

The event in question was the last time AEW has held a show in Oklahoma, with there being no new dates announced so far. Rose has competed within the women's division since signing with AEW in 2019, making history as the first openly transgender wrestler to sign with a major promotion, and later capturing the AEW Women's World Championship.

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