Former WWE Referee On How Shawn Michaels Stirred Up Heat Between Kevin Nash And PCO In The 90s
Former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas was a guest on a recent episode of our WINCLY podcast, which drops every Thursday on the Wrestling Inc. audio channel. As one of the longest-tenured referees ever to work for WWE with 22 years of experience, Korderas has a few backstage stories, and he told one about a feud between PCO and Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash.
It has long been a tradition that wrestlers don't win in their hometown, rather putting over their opponents. Korderas said the beef started when PCO, a proud Canadian, refused to lose to Nash in Montreal.
"It was Montreal, Quebec, and he didn't want to lose in Montreal, so basically they had worked it out that they would do a count-out finish," Korderas recalled. "We were in Quebec City the next night and he didn't mind doing the honors in Quebec City... I guess Montreal is his hometown."
Korderas said Nash didn't really have an issue with PCO, but it was Michaels who egged him on. He pointed out that the Shawn Michaels that was a member of The Kliq in the 90's is much different from the Shawn Michaels of today. With Michaels in his ear, Nash reached a boiling point when PCO botched a move during their next match.
"Kevin is really chill, it takes a lot to get him riled up," Korderas said. "Shawn was a little bit of a disturber back then, so I think he stirred the pot and got Kevin a little riled up... And then the next night in Quebec City, a move from top rope by PCO went a little bit wrong, and he kind of landed on Kevin's face and Kevin got hot, and it was not pretty."
Korderas said Nash beat PCO so badly in the ring that he got all his frustration out right then and there. When they got back to the locker room, PCO was not happy, but Korderas felt he was putting on more of a front than anything else.
"That's pretty accurate," Korderas said when Hausman asked if Nash beat the snot out of PCO. "And then we had the show in the locker room afterwards. From what I remember, Kevin was sitting in a chair, he came to the back and was like, 'OK, I'm done with this, whatever.' PCO came in ready to go, but not really, I think it was more show than anything. I didn't think he wanted to go, but that was just my observation, I could be wrong."
You can listen to the full episode below: