On Monday, March 14th, WWE Hall of Famer Razor Ramon Scott Hall passed away. After his passing, we learned bad times don’t last but bad guys do. As memories of Hall’s career and the person he was, continue to flood in, we are reminded of the impression he left on fans, his colleagues, family, and friends. The staff of Pro Wrestling Post were moved by Hall, his contributions, and the person behind the performer.
They acknowledge where he competed, his most memorable in-ring moments, and the risks he took in the ring. As the staff state below;
…bad times don’t last, but bad guys do.
Robski: Whether you loved or hated Scott Hall, it was for the exact same reason. The first time I heard of him was in a WWF publication. It quoted Razor Ramon’s claim that he intended to take whatever he wanted. This is the person that Scott became in real life too.
Scott wanted to enjoy life by any means necessary. Some of us envied his machismo and swagger. We longed to have his confidence to go after what he wanted and still be admired for it. The rest of us were jealous that he broke the rules and seemed to prosper from doing so. He didn’t seem to care who lost out as long as he had his fun.
Bad Times Don’t Last, But Bad Guys Do
Bad Guys are not supposed to be the heroes. They make enemies. They do bad things & suffer the consequences when they are beaten. And Scott, let us see all of that. He showed us that taking advantage of others or not keeping your word can take years to rebuild trust. He showed us how hard it is to battle demons once you choose to entertain them. Hall showed us the consequences of his bad decisions so that we can avoid him.
He also showed us the good. He showed us that hard work pays off. Hall showed us that bridges can be rebuilt. He showed us that our demons can be overcome. But, most importantly, he showed us the great matches and promos that made so many of us his fans in the first place.
Scott may have lived his life on a razor’s edge, but he lived it to the full.
Ian: There are risks with every surgical procedure, especially those of an orthopedic nature. Frightening complications can occur, namely blood clots in the days following the intervention. One needn’t think any further than Chris Candido or MLB umpire Eric Cooper.
As we all know, Scott Hall underwent a hip replacement last week, and the dreaded blood clot complication reared its grim head, triggering a series of heart attacks and the decision of Hall’s family to cease life support measures.
Hall performed in every major venue in the wrestling world. Early in his career in the AWA, he appeared as Big Scott Hall. He was a no-gimmick needed a burly, athletic, handsome man with the Tom Selleck-like good looks that were the rage close to forty years ago. He would tag frequently with Greg Gagne and a pre-Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig.
Bad Times Don’t Last But Bad Guys Do – From Diamond Stud to Bad Guy
There was even a little shape of things to come with the Diamond Studd as he always had a toothpick on hand.
Hall would then truly become the author of his own narrative upon signing with the WWE in 1992. Inspired by Al Pacino’s brilliant portrayal of Cuban mob boss Tony Montana, Hall invented the character Razor Ramon, a Cuban immigrant who came to claim the gold that he felt America’s streets were paved with. That gold includes, of course, championship gold.
The federation was at its pinnacle back then, and while more than often than not in the IC belt chase, Hall had scores of memorable moments, including, of course, his famed ladder match against Shawn Michaels.
Even today, nothing polarizes wrestling fans more than rooting for different federations. No matter whom one supports, pretty well all agree that nothing improves the product like competition. That being said, Hall was at the forefront of the Monday Night Wars pitting the WWE vs. WCW.
You know who I am, but you don’t know why I’m here.
Ted Turner decided to go big, and he signed Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and even the immortal Hulk Hogan to contracts, and they brilliantly crafted an “invasion from up North” angle led by The New World Order, N.W.O.
The Bash at the Beach PPV where Hogan became a heel was a stroke of genius. On the following night’s Nitro episode, Eric Bischoff mentioned that the phones hadn’t stopped ringing since with parents claimed their children were up all night crying and ripping up all their Hulk Hogan merchandise.
Hall was the main spokesman for the group who would stage cliff-hanging and rage-inspiring spots weekly, allowing TBS to win the weekly rating crown. Unfortunately, the faction was diluted and spread too thin as time went on, with subgroups popping up like Jiffy Pop at the four-minute mark. As we like to say, too much of a good thing.
While that is debatable, there is no denying that Scott Hall was a top-level performer at a time when wrestling was thriving and gaining more and more mass pop culture appeal. Quoting Razor, Hall didn’t sing it; he was able to bring it,
Rest strong, El Jefe.
I would like to end this piece with a fun anecdote. In May of 1995, I took my pregnant ex-wife, sister, and nephew to a Sunday matinee gala in Trois Rivieres, Quebec, roughly 90 minutes out of town. I wanted my family to have a small venue wrestling show experience. The show was a blast, and driving back to Montreal, we stopped for gas and to freshen up. I found myself standing next to Hall, the two of us alone in a bathroom & I felt like the ultimate vanilla little person. I told Hall that I drove my family to see the gala in Trois Rivieres, and without breaking Kayfabe, he asked me;
“So, how did you like the show mang.”
A forever memory was created thanks to finishing that can of Diet Coke. Being spoken to in Kayfabe by a wrestling icon made me feel like I was 12 again. Thank you, Scott Hall, for a surfeit of enjoyment and memories.
Kelly: It’s hard to believe that “The Bad Guy” has left us. He had such cool entrance music that really fit the Razor Ramon character to the T. The best memory I have of him is the epic ladder match with Shawn Michaels over the Intercontinental championship. Even as a kid, I liked the fact that the title belts were differently colored to give each character their own look with their title belt.
Bad Times Don’t Last But Bad Guys Do – Razor’s Edge
His untimely passing over such a “simple” procedure after all of his battles really shows you to chase your dreams to make them come true while you can. Godspeed Chico, you were an inspiration to all.
Marc: For everyone above the impact Scott Hall made on them, to his colleagues, and wrestling, in general, is so poignant. He moved fans regardless of where he was and what he did. Whether it consisted of a young Scott Hall emerging in Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association to beginning to developing the Razor Ramon character in World Championship Wrestling as the Diamond Stud to his return in WCW on May 27th, 1996.
Scott Hall shocked the wrestling world. While the internet was in its infancy, his appearance and the subsequent formation of the new World order – things felt genuine. As we look back twenty-five years later it was a turning point in making wrestling must see again. That moment, and the moments that he was a part of are proof that Scott Hall’s legacy will live forever.
Afterall as Scott Hall said;
“Hard work pays off, dreams come true. Bad times don’t last, but bad guys do”
Let Robski, Kelly, Ian, and I know what you thought about Scott Hall.
