Hulk Hogan isn't being ALL the credit for the NWO. He IS getting the main reason for it becoming the success it was though if we want to use Kevin Nash in an argument about impact on the wrestling business.
Let us not forget as someone stated that Nash as Diesel was an abysmal flop. You think that tide of fans that came in after the NWO was mostly on Nash? I get it that Nash brought the "New Generation" / Hip Hop image with Hall to the NWO, but BUSINESS wise Hogan was the most responsible for it.
The REAL REASON why the NWO worked was it was set up AS WWF VS. NWO. If anything Hall's initial appearance if he doesn't pull it off the way he did the fans don't bite that it was WWF vs WCW which was already simmering when Vince Mcmahon went crazy with those "Billionaire Ted" skits. This is why I said Hogan made the whole thing work. It was the history of those two organizations climaxing in the minds of fans. Nash had a huge part in this, but I still say this does not become anywhere close to what it was if Mr. WWF Hulk Hogan doesn't turn on WCW. It doesn't get WWF fans who stopped watching again when Hogan admits to selling out the WWF.
Now about Randy Savage's role in the Mega-Powers. You fail to realize that angle WORKED because of Savage and Elizabeth too. The WWF has never duplicated a couple like that ever since not even including HHH/Steph(although they are opposites in reality). Heck there were Savage fans back then who thought Hogan was the heel in it.
You aren't really saying Nash was a #2 to Savage's #2 to Hogan are you? Savage was the ACTUAL #2 in the company, while in WCW you could easily say Sting and Goldberg the 1A or #2 to Hogan. Randy Savage was the most dastardly heel when he jumped on Steamboat's throat, but a few months after losing to The Dragon Savage forced the WWF to turn him babyface because fans were cheering for the guy. This was back in heavy kayfabe. Before that "being a bad guy is cool" you talk about with Nash.
When Randy Savage left the WWF in the mid 90's he took away a huge chunk of revenue leaving with the Slim Jim deal. It is a reason why Vince stayed salty with Macho so long that he didn't even bring him back. Randy Savage was a pioneer in bringing that kind of merchandising/sponsorship to the business.
The curtain call's impact AT the time was minimal. The WWF was smart in using it in angle to kickstart DX, but at the time it had no impact because the WWF never made mention of it. The breaking kayfabe on screen's real impact player was the Montreal Screwjob when Vince came out and said that "Bret Screwed Bret" which led to the heel Mcmahon that helped turn the tide.
The guaranteed contract imo credit should actually go to Eric Bischoff. He was smart enough to know if he brought that to the table with WWF stars he would be able to lure them away. Bischoff started luring WWF stars like Hogan and Savage because he made sure to make their deals sweeter than what Vince traditionally did. So does Hogan get credit for this? Of course not. Why should Nash get full credit for that when it was Bischoff who actually came to the table with that arrangement?
During that time period, the guy Vince was afraid of losing the most was Bret Hart which is why he gave him that 20 year contract not to jump ship. After that he was most afraid HBK was going to jump ship where he ended up giving HBK more money than Bret's year to year deal which caused riff in the main event with those two.
Oh it's funny how some also forget RANDY SAVAGE WAS IN THE NWO TOO!!
For those that are downplaying Nash's contribution to the NWO, here's how I see it. Yes, Hogan was the catalyst. Without him they wouldn't have blown up, but let's look at how it would have went down had there been guys with Hogan that didn't have the same appeal as Hall and Nash. Those two put the "cool" in the NWO. Hogan was the hated heel. He was still Hulk Hogan. Still OTT and larger than life. Just on the opposite end of the spectrum. Without Hall and Nash he would have still had a huge run, but the NWO would not have become cool. Which is exactly how it changed the business. Change that is still being felt. It made liking the bad guys cool. Hogan couldn't have ever pulled that off alone. Hall and Nash have said in interviews how they really wanted to step down their characters and just be themselves. Relatable to the older audience that had grew out of wrestling. The type of guys you'd want to just chill with and have a drink at a bar with. That wasn't and has never been Hogan. I don't think anyone is saying that Nash deserves full credit. Hell no. Just that he did play a pertinent role too.
You know people forget that Hogan was ALSO CHEERED in the NWO just like Hall and Nash. I remember at Halloween Havoc in 1996 Hogan was doing a promo and fans were chanting Hogan Hogan Hogan. He had to tell the crowd it was now Hollywood Hogan. Hogan was also selling T-shirts too.
No denying Hall and Nash brought the cool factor, but let's not act like Hogan didn't repackage himself and got some of his Hulkamaniacs back too. Not saying Nash wasn't a big player in the NWO, but does that itself alone make him have more long term impact and effect on the business than Savage? Not really.
As I said take Savage out of history without his contributions in the 80's and things may change dramatically. He helped singled the change into more athleticism(that made guys like Hart and HBK*who was being called wrestler of the 90's in 92 when Savage was champ which was a change from the belief it would be Warrior) in the main event. Vince was sold on Bigger Is Better, but Savage broke that mold in 1988 when he became very popular. It was Warrior that came and slowed down Savage's popularity in the main event, but even then Vince WENT BACK to Savage AGAIN in 1992.