Chris Nelson recently recalled how he earned one of the biggest paydays of his wrestling career after appearing in a WWE segment with Stephanie McMahon.
On the April 16, 2000, episode of Sunday Night Heat, McMahon and her on-screen personal trainer Muffy spotted Nelson backstage. They went on to fat-shame the former enhancement talent, who portrayed a member of WWE’s lighting crew for the purposes of the segment.
In an interview on the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, Nelson revealed he earned $500 that night. He also reflected on what happened during the backstage skit:
“She [Stephanie McMahon] goes, ‘Hey, who are you? Do you work here?'” Nelson said. “‘Yeah, on the lighting crew.’ ‘God, you’re fat! You’re slovenly. I can’t believe you work for WWF [WWE]. This is my personal trainer, Muffy, now your personal trainer.’ Then she [Muffy] starts, ‘I don’t know what your name is. I’ll call you fat-a**,’ or whatever. She starts punching me in the stomach and starts making me do jumping jacks.” [10:43 – 11:06]
Nelson, formerly known as Chris Avery and Chris Tipton, wrestled sporadically for WWE between 1994 and 2001. He also made appearances in WCW throughout the 1990s.
Backstage reaction to Chris Nelson’s segment with Stephanie McMahon
Former WWE announcer Kevin Kelly was responsible for Chris Nelson appearing on television with Muffy and Stephanie McMahon.
Nelson jokingly remembered how he earned more money than some other performers even though he did not wrestle:
“They [other wrestlers] are like, ‘Damn, how is he getting 500 for doing five jumping jacks and everyone else is out there busting their a**?’ I’m like, ‘Damn, Kevin Kelly got me heat!’ I didn’t even mean to. I thought I did a good job. I was ready for my acting award!” [12:30 – 12:45]
In a separate interview, Nelson recently spoke about his experience wrestling Triple H in WCW in 1994.
Did you enjoy Stephanie McMahon’s villainous WWE character? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.