MILWAUKEE -- April 7, 2003 -- After 10 months of strenuous rehab, Kevin Nash made a triumphant return to RAW tonight in snowy Milwaukee. The future Hall of Famer spoke to WWE.com earlier in the day.

WWE.com: How are you feeling?

Nash: I felt great in Atlanta where it was 75 degrees yesterday. Now I'm in 20-degree weather, and every bone in my body is killing me.

WWE.com: Are you worried about the quad tightening up?

Nash: No. I heat it up. I'll get some ultrasound. I've got so many damn exercises from my therapist that I'll be fine.

WWE.com: Nervous?

Nash: No. But ask me in a few hours and you probably won't be able to drive a nail up my ass. But really, I'm excited. There's no reason to be nervous. I've done this a million times before. It's just exciting.

WWE.com: How different is this from the last time you were in Milwaukee, making your long-awaited return to WWE with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall?

Nash: Last time we kind of came in as The Outsiders, no pun intended. There was a microscope on us. Now since I've come back and haven't been the pain in the ass that they thought I'd be, it's different. I think the guys are happy for me. No one wants to see anyone go down.

WWE.com: What are you looking to prove this time around?

Nash: To me, the thing to prove is that I can come back from this injury. I probably couldn't have rehabbed without the goal of coming back. When I retire from this business, I want to retire on my terms. I don't want to go out because of an injury.

WWE.com: What was the toughest thing about being away?

Nash: My buddies. I've been in locker rooms my whole life, joking, laughing, messing around. That's probably the thing I missed the most. I've been around some these guys 10, 12, 15 years. You go home and hang out with a bunch of lawyers and bankers, and it's not quite the same thing, if you know what I mean.

WWE.com: So is being around your buddies the best thing about being back?

Nash: Yeah, the people and the crowd. This may sound corny, but I really do appreciate all my fans, and I want to give back to them. While I was injured, I did a lot of appearances, and a lot of people came out to see me. It makes you feel good, and it makes you want to give back to them. Sometimes you take it for granted, but when you have it taken away from you, you learn to appreciate it.

WWE.com: There were some rumors that you were coming back as Diesel. Were they true?

Nash: I was going to come back as Diesel, but I dyed my hair black and a week later it was gray. Diesel with white hair just wouldn't work. A shame really, since the mullet was coming in in fine style, and I was going to use the heart punch as my finish.

WWE.com: How much longer do you want to wrestle?

Nash: I'll wrestle as long as I stay healthy and as long as it stays fun.

WWE.com: How healthy would you say you are now?

Nash: About 80 percent. I'll get a lot stronger once I get my timing back, and my wind. It will take a little while. I've been doing a lot of rehab, but there's no substitute for ring work. I've done a little, but I'm at the point in my career where I know how to take care of myself in the ring. I'll be near 100 percent real soon.