Posted By James Walsh on 05/10/26
In a landmark episode of the Kliq This podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash has ignited a firestorm within the professional wrestling industry by calling for the immediate unionization of talent. His comments come in direct response to reports that TKO Group Holdings is seeking to slash some performer salaries by as much as 50%.
Nash, a veteran who famously shifted the industry’s financial landscape in the 1990s, argues that the current corporate structure under Endeavor has made the traditional "independent contractor" model obsolete and predatory.
"This could be one of those times where this whole 1099 thing finally just... you know, it's not. Bring the folders out. Bring them all out," Nash stated, invoking the spirit of former Governor and wrestler Jesse Ventura’s past efforts to organize.
The episode highlights a stark disparity between executive compensation and talent treatment. While TKO executives have reportedly seen massive salary increases and bonuses, the performers—referred to by Nash as the "dock workers" of the business—are being asked to take drastic cuts despite a grueling schedule.
"You can't have it both ways," Nash argued during the broadcast. "You can't play Endeavor at the top with the 300% increases and 1099 the dock workers... If they're going to play by those rules, let the boys play by the same rules."
Nash specifically proposed that wrestling talent should look toward the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) for a path forward, noting that the production value and scripted nature of modern sports entertainment mirror the television and film industries that Endeavor already dominates.
"Go through Screen Actors Guild. They'll be more than happy to take their cut of your money. It won't be 50%, but it'll change the ball game," Nash suggested. "Take one of the programs that's written down and you tell me that that program isn't more heavily written and more produced than Curb Your Enthusiasm was when all those actors got SAG paid."
The call to action serves as a warning to the new corporate regime that the "old school" mentality of blind loyalty is being replaced by a demand for modern labor protections, including collective bargaining and profit sharing.
About Kliq This: Kliq This: The Kevin Nash Podcast is a weekly unfiltered look at the wrestling industry, pop culture, and the life of one of the most influential figures in sports entertainment history.