Scott Hall
| Scott Hall | |
|---|---|
| File:Scott Hall TNA.jpg | |
| Born | October 20, 1958 Chuluota, Florida |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | The Diamond Studd, Razor Ramon , Scott Hall, Starship Coyote, Texas Scott |
| Billed height | 6 ft 7 in (200cm) |
| Billed weight | 287 lb (130.5 kg) |
| Billed from | Miami, Florida |
| Trained by | Christopher Adams |
| Debut | October 1984 |
| Retired | 2005 |
This article is about the professional wrestler. For information on the Leeds suburb, see Scott Hall, England.
Scott Oliver Hall (born October 20, 1958 in Chuluota, Florida) is an American professional wrestler. In the course of his career, Hall wrestled for the American Wrestling Association, the World Wrestling Federation (as "Razor Ramon"), World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Career
Jim Crockett Promotions
Reportedly "discovered" by Barry Windham while shopping in a Florida grocery store in late 1984, Scott Hall's first professional wrestling appearances came in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985. "Coyote" Scott Hall was half of a short-lived tag team called the American Starship with "Eagle" Dan Spivey. The duo never made it past early-card status and quickly went their separate ways.
American Wrestling Association
Hall would then join the AWA later that year. "Big" Scott Hall, as he was then known, teamed up with Curt Hennig to win the AWA World Tag Team Championship by defeating "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin & "Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal on January 18, 1986. The "Perfect Combination," as they were dubbed by a Pro Wrestling Illustrated article, had many hard fought matches against Buddy Rose & Doug Somers during this time. They eventually lost the belts to "Playboy" Rose and "Pretty Boy" Somers by count-out on May 17, 1986 due to interference by Colonel DeBeers.
Hall first appeared in WCW in the early 1990s. During this time, he was best known as The Diamond Studd, where he was managed by Diamond Dallas Page. In 1992, he began teaming with members of Paul E. Dangerously's Dangerous Alliance. However, the idea of adding him to the stable fell through. Soon after, Hall left to the WWF.
World Wrestling Federation
Hall wrestled in the WWF as Razor Ramon, a Cuban-American from Miami, who was modeled after Tony Montana, Al Pacino's character from the movie Scarface even though his appearance and dress sense resemble Montana's friend Manny Ray. Although he was pushed as a heel (wrestling villain) in his early WWF days, he gained considerable popularity, and won the WWF Intercontinental Championship on four occasions, then a record.
Hall's ladder match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania X for that title is considered to be a classic. Later, as Hall was leaving for WCW, he and three other wrestlers (Shawn Michaels, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Kevin Nash) broke character and celebrated in the ring together without authorization; their characters at the time were supposed enemies. The four, along with Sean Waltman, were known as the Clique.
World Championship Wrestling
Hall's first appearance on WCW television after leaving the WWF was an unannounced interview where he appeared in street clothes, claiming to be "an outsider." He was then joined in the following weeks by Kevin Nash, the two claiming they were going to undertake a hostile takeover of WCW. The storyline directly paralleled the real-life competition between the WCW and WWF. At the following PPV, The Outsiders, along with a mystery partner, took on Sting, Lex Luger and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The mystery partner turned out to be Hulk Hogan, and the three formed the nWo, or New World Order. The group stormed WCW, enlisting such stars as Syxx, The Giant, Buff Bagwell, and others. The group took off in popularity and dominated WCW television for years to come.
One of Hall's trademark gimmicks was using a toothpick. After he was done talking trash to his opponents, he would flip the toothpick in his opponent's face, and it mattered little who it was. Hulk Hogan got the toothpick when he decided that Hall needed to be taught a lesson, and the bad guy had one for 'special guest referee' Eric Bischoff, too.
After the nWo storyline, Hall had some stints as a singles wrestler, but was saddled with various drug and criminal convictions. It was speculated by some fans that he was drunk during his match against Goldberg on the July 6, 1998 edition of Monday Nitro. His popularity did not wane, and WCW capitalized on this and continued to mention his name on televised events months after he had been taken off TV. This habit even got to the point where at a PPV event there was a match between Kevin Nash and Goldberg for Scott Hall's contract.
He managed to win the U.S. title two times in 1999: once from Roddy Piper and once in a Texas Tornado Ladder Match where he defeated Sid Vicious, Bret Hart and Goldberg. He was stripped of the belt both times due to injuries. He also held the U.S. and TV Titles at the same time; however he threw the TV title in the trash on an episode of Monday Nitro.
Hall's real life personal problems made their way into an on-screen gimmick. His problems with drugs and alcohol were ultimately parlayed into a grudge match with his best friend Kevin Nash, who abandoned the ring and accepted a countout defeat after pummeling Hall at Halloween Havoc 1998.
Extreme Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling
Hall wrestled in ECW for a brief period. He wrestled three non-televised matches on November 10 & 11, 2000. Then on Christmas Eve 2000, Hall was arrested for DUI and ECW let him go. He then wrestled in Japan and did some independent shows in the United States before returning to the WWF (WWE). When he was in New Japan, he was a part of nWo Japan/Team 2000/ArisTrisT usually tagging with Masahiro Chono, Scott Norton or Super J/Black Scorpian/nWo Sting. He was very popular with NJPW fans for the duration of his stay. The highlights of his stay in New Japan, however, were defeats: a loss to All Japan Pro Wrestling Triple Crown champion Keiji Mutoh (the match was booked by New Japan, but AJPW referee Kyohei Wada officiated), and a loss to rookie Hiroshi Tanahashi, who was trying to break out into the heavyweight division.
World Wrestling Entertainment
Hall returned to the WWF under his real name and as part of the nWo storyline, but this stint was also short-lived. Hogan, Nash and himself first appeared at WWF No Way Out. Soon after, Hall feuded with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, to whom he lost at WrestleMania X8. In April of 2002, Hall had a feud with Bradshaw, whom he beat at the climax of their feud at WWF Backlash. Shortly after, towards the beginning of May, he was released when he was caught cutting a fellow worker's (reportedly road agent Michael Hayes) hair off on a European tour during a plane ride; it was also rumored that Hall was drinking throughout the tour, a violation of his contract. Hall was released after the next edition of RAW.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Hall worked for TNA very periodically between 2002 and 2004. He was on TNA's debut PPV, and later on teamed up with Sean Waltman when he made his debut in the promotion. Hall disappeared until late 2004, when he made his return alongside the debut of Kevin Nash. They were both signed and offered contracts as TNA prepared for their first monthly PPV, TNA Victory Road 2004. Hall joined Nash and Jeff Jarrett in the Kings of Wrestling, a stable similar to the New World Order, but the angle was short-lived. Hall bounced around the promotion for a few more months before leaving. His future in the wrestling business is currently uncertain.
Wrestling facts
Finishing and signature moves
- The Diamond Death Drop / The Edge / The Outsider's Edge / The Razor's Edge (Crucifix powerbomb)
- Hallbuster (Bulldog)
- Snap-Ab Suplex (Fallaway slam)
- Discus Punch
- Chokeslam
- Super belly to back suplex
Managers
Nicknames
- Big Scott Hall
- The Bad Guy
- Coyote
- Diamond Studd
- Last Call
- Magnum
- Lone Wolf
- Starship Coyote
- Texas Scott
Championships and accomplishments
- 1-time AWA World Tag Team Champion (with Curt Hennig)
- PWI ranked him # 72 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
- PWI ranked him # 40 the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Kevin Nash in 2003
- PWI ranked him # 98 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Curt Hennig
- PWI Most Improved Award (1992)
- PWI Match of the Year, versus Shawn Michaels in a ladder match (1994)
- PWI Tag Team of the Year, with Kevin Nash (1997)
- 1-time USWA Heavyweight Champion
- 2-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion
- 7-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (6-time with Kevin Nash, 1-time with The Giant)
- 1-time WCW World Television Champion
- WCW World War 3 sixty-man Battle Royal winner
- 1-time WWC Caribbean Champion
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 1994 Match of the Year (versus Shawn Michaels)
Championship succession
External links
