Scott Hall

Scott Hall: biography

Scott Hall was a retired professional wrestler from the United States. Hall was best known for his time in various wrestling promotions, particularly his stints in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Childhood and youth

Scott Oliver Hall was born on October 20, 1958, in St. Mary's County, Maryland. As a military brat, Hall's childhood was marked by constant relocation and change. He attended high school in Munich, Germany, due to his family's military commitments. Growing up, he experienced the challenges of moving frequently, with his family relocating every year until he reached the age of 15.

The experiences and influences of his youth laid the foundation for Hall's eventual foray into professional wrestling. His path led him to become a charismatic and influential figure in the industry, leaving a lasting impact through his performances as Razor Ramon and his involvement with the nWo.

Wrestling career

Hall embarked on his professional wrestling career in 1984, starting out in the Florida territory of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) known as Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF). It didn't take long for Hall to make an impact as he engaged in a feud with the legendary Dusty Rhodes. During this time, Hall, along with Dan Spivey, trained together under the tutelage of Rhodes, as well as other notable wrestlers like Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham.

When Hall and Spivey were ready to debut as a tag team, Rhodes arranged for them to work in Jim Crockett's territory in Charlotte, North Carolina. They made their debut as the American Starship, with Hall assuming the ring name Starship Coyote, and Spivey adopting the name Starship Eagle.

Initially, the American Starship duo had limited wrestling opportunities, leading them to take on ground crew jobs for the Charlotte Orioles, which happened to be owned by Jim Crockett at the time. When they did step into the ring, their success was scarce. Their most notable match in Crockett's Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling was a failed challenge against Arn and Ole Anderson for the NWA National Tag Team Championship.

Following their stint in Crockett's promotion, Hall and Spivey ventured into Bob Geigel's NWA Central States territory based in Kansas City in 1985. This move provided them with new opportunities and fresh competition as they continued to navigate their way through the wrestling industry.

In 1985, Hall joined the American Wrestling Association (AWA) under the ring names "Magnum" Scott Hall and later "Big" Scott Hall. He wrestled as a babyface, and AWA owner Verne Gagne aimed to push Hall to the same level of success as Hulk Hogan after Hogan's departure to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

During his time in the AWA, Hall emulated Hogan's mannerisms and moves as part of his character. He also ventured to Japan, where he competed in several matches for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) between 1987 and 1990.

Hall formed a tag team with his experienced friend Curt Hennig, whom he credited with nurturing his early wrestling career. Together, they won the AWA World Tag Team Championship by defeating Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal in a 58-minute match. They defended the titles against various challengers but eventually lost them to Buddy Rose and Doug Somers due to interference by Colonel DeBeers.

After parting ways with Hennig, Hall received opportunities to compete for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against Stan Hansen and Rick Martel. Although Gagne intended to crown Hall as champion, Hall grew disillusioned with the territory's cold weather and viewed the AWA as a "sinking ship." As a result, he left the promotion and joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 1989.

In 1989, Scott Hall was brought into WCW by Jim Ross as part of the NWA's effort to develop new stars. He made his debut on the June 3 episode of World Championship Wrestling in a vignette showcasing his activities. His first in-ring appearance came on June 16 in a tag team match. Hall's television debut occurred on July 9, where he faced The Great Muta and suffered a loss. He participated in a battle royal at The Great American Bash: The Glory Days pay-per-view. However, Hall experienced a series of losses to various opponents and went on hiatus after his final match on November 7.

Hall made a significant career move in 1991 when he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). He debuted as "Razor Ramon," a character inspired by the Tony Montana character from the movie "Scarface." Razor Ramon became immensely popular and played a key role in the mid-1990s wrestling boom.

During his time in WWF, Hall achieved considerable success. He won the Intercontinental Championship four times and engaged in memorable feuds with wrestlers like Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Hall's ladder match against Michaels at WrestleMania X is regarded as one of the greatest matches in wrestling history.

In 1996, Hall, along with Kevin Nash, made a shocking jump back to WCW, where they formed the New World Order (nWo) stable. The nWo storyline, with Hall portraying the rebellious outsider, became a massive success and helped WCW dominate the wrestling ratings war against WWF for a significant period.

Throughout his career, Hall continued to make sporadic returns to both WWE and TNA (now Impact Wrestling). He had memorable moments, including his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014 and his appearance at the NWO reunion at WrestleMania 31 in 2015.

Scott Hall, also known as "Razor Ramon," made a return to WWE on January 22, 2018, during the Raw 25 Years episode. He appeared in a segment alongside D-Generation X, The Bálor Club, and The Revival. Hall made another appearance for the RAW Reunion show on July 22, 2019.

Furthermore, Hall was honored with induction into the WWE Hall of Fame for the second time. This time, he was recognized as a member of the New World Order (NWO), along with Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Sean Waltman. The induction took place as part of the Hall's class of 2020.

Personal life

In 1990, Scott Hall married Dana Lee Burgio. Unfortunately, their marriage was strained by Hall's drug use, leading to their divorce in 1998. However, they decided to give their relationship another chance and remarried in 1999, only to end up divorcing once again in 2001. During their time together, they welcomed two children: a son named Cody, born in 1991, who would later follow in his father's footsteps and become a wrestler, and a daughter named Cassidy, born in 1995. After the dissolution of his second marriage, Hall entered into a union with Jessica Hart in 2006. However, their marriage was relatively short-lived, as they divorced in 2007.

In the late 1990s, Scott Hall's struggles with drugs and alcohol became widely known, and they were even incorporated into a controversial storyline during his time in WCW. However, it was during this period that Hall's personal issues spilled over into real-life events. He was arrested for a legitimate incident where he, while under the influence, damaged a limousine by keying it outside a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The damages amounted to $2,000.

This incident further highlighted the challenges that Hall was facing with substance abuse, and it became a tangible reminder of the consequences that accompanied his personal struggles. It was a moment that captured public attention and served as a turning point for Hall, prompting him to confront his issues and seek the necessary help to overcome them.

Death

In March 2022, Scott Hall fell and broke his hip, leading to hospitalization. He suffered complications after hip replacement surgery, experiencing three heart attacks due to a dislodged blood clot. Hall was placed on life support but was taken off on March 14, 2022, and passed away a few hours later at the age of 63. His death was announced by WWE during an episode of Raw, and a tribute video was shown.

It was revealed that Hall had relapsed into alcohol abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling with isolation and experiencing significant weight loss. Fellow wrestlers, including Sean Waltman and Diamond Dallas Page, had tried to support him. Hall was laid to rest on April 8, 2022, in his hometown of St. Mary's, Maryland, with several wrestlers, including Kevin Nash, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Diamond Dallas Page, in attendance.

Accomplishments and achievements

Here is a list of Scott Hall's notable accomplishments:

American Wrestling Association (AWA):

• AWA World Tag Team Championship with Curt Hennig

DDT Pro-Wrestling:

• Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship

Pro Wrestling Illustrated:

• Match of the Year (1994) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania X
• Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1992)
• Tag Team of the Year (1997) with Kevin Nash
• Ranked No. 7 in the PWI 500 (1994)
• Ranked in various categories in the PWI Years (2003)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA):

• TNA World Tag Team Championship with Kevin Nash and Eric Young

United States Wrestling Association (USWA):

• USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship

World Championship Wrestling (WCW):

• WCW World Television Championship
• WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
• WCW World Tag Team Championship (multiple times)
• Winner of World War 3 (1997)

World Wrestling Council (WWC):

• WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
• WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship

World Wrestling Federation/WWE:

• WWF Intercontinental Championship (multiple times)
• WWE Hall of Fame (individually in 2014 and as a member of the New World Order in 2020)
• Slammy Awards (Most Spectacular Match in 1994 and Match of the Year in 1996)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

• Match of the Year (1994) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania X
• Best Gimmick (1996) as a member of the New World Order