The wrestling world lost a legend on Monday with the passing of Scott Hall.
One of the most influential performers of his generation, Hall was the epitome of “cool” in the 1990s. Whether it was during his time as Razor Ramon in the World Wrestling Federation, or using his real name as a member of the nWo in WCW, Hall left a mark on the industry that won’t soon be forgotten.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a kid in the 1990s that didn’t imitate the man at some point during their adolescence — the toothpick throw, the signature walk or yelling out a “Hey yo!” Scott Hall became ingrained in popular culture.
For those wanting to relive some of the great moments of his storied career, here are seven must-watch Scott Hall matches for fans familiar to the man (or for those who want to become more acquainted with some of his best work).
Razor Ramon vs. 1-2-3 Kid, WWE RAW (May 17, 1993)
In the early days of RAW, this was a match that made it known that the show couldn’t be missed. In addition, on this same broadcast, Marty Jannetty defeated Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a historic night indeed.
This was Hall taking a pinfall that nobody saw coming for a man who would become one of his best friends in life, Sean Waltman. The finish would be replayed numerous times over the years as one of the most shocking moments on WWE television. It shows the generous side of Scott Hall. It’s not an in-ring classic, it’s very brief, but it’s on this list for historical significance.
Echoing history nearly 10 years later, Hall did a similar job for a rising young star in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania X (March 20, 1994)
This is the most obvious choice on the list. The most famous match of Hall’s career, and arguably his most influential. Though there had been a ladder match in the WWE before this (Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels in 1992 for the IC Title), this was the first time a ladder match was featured as part of a PPV.
Introducing the majority of wrestling fans at the time to a new match concept, Hall and Michaels (two real-life good friends) went out and electrified Madison Square Garden. The match received five stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and won Match of the Year for 1994.
Watching the match now, the spots might seem tame in comparison to the more psychotic ladder matches we have seen since, but this one stands the test of time for its next-level psychology and historical significance.
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, WWE RAW (August 1, 1994)
This was Shawn Michaels’ first television match since the aforementioned ladder match at WrestleMania X. The backdrop was the fact that Diesel (Kevin Nash, Intercontinental Champion at the time) would be defending his belt against Razor at SummerSlam just a couple of weeks later in Chicago.
This bout opens the RAW broadcast and is a doozy. From the first opening moments, Shawn is bumping all over the place for the much bigger Hall, letting him showcase his powerful offense.
As a bonus, this was the first episode of WWE television after Vince McMahon was acquitted of charges in the famous steroid trial. Randy Savage leans into this on commentary, with a “hung jury” being mentioned on more than one occasion.
Razor is outnumbered here, leading to Todd Pettengill mentioning moments after the match that Ramon might need to start looking into getting backup for SummerSlam. That would end up being none other than legendary NFL running back Walter Payton.
Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid vs. Shawn Michaels and Diesel, WWE Action Zone (October 30, 1994)
Four best friends going out of their way to make each other look great. A bout that aired on WWE’s new Sunday broadcast (this was just the second episode of Action Zone) and did it’s best to make the new show can’t-miss programming.
This match earned 4.5 stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Given the short-lived television show it aired on, it has been hard to find over the years. However, it was released on a couple of Coliseum Videos at the time (Slamfest ’95 and Shawn Michaels: Hits From The Heartbreak Kid) and was featured on the 2015 Kliq Rules DVD set from WWE. Hits from the Heartbreak Kid is available on Peacock and the WWE Network.
Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart, WWE RAW (January 9, 1995)
Another outstanding bout that opened a WWE RAW broadcast. Razor was the Intercontinental Champion at the time, taking on Owen Hart in the final days of his feud with his brother Bret (Bret’s involved in the finish of the match).
The crowd that night at Houston’s Summit is on fire as, similar to the RAW match with Shawn referenced above, Owen bumps all over the place to make Razor look like a million bucks. There’s never a dull moment throughout the match — 100% action-packed from bell to bell in front of what has always been a great wrestling city.
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, WWE SummerSlam (August 27, 1995)
The sequel to the WrestleMania X ladder match. Razor and Shawn take up the ladder once again for the Intercontinental Championship, this time in Pittsburgh. Honestly, some people actually prefer this one to the WrestleMania match, and it’s pretty close to a toss-up. I’d go with WrestleMania due to the historic nature of the match, but this one is really damn good, too.
This match would rank as one of the top 10 WWE matches of the 1990s by most accounts. You owe it to yourself to watch it if you’ve never seen it, especially if you’ve only seen the much more talked about WrestleMania ladder match.
Other than an IC Title match with Goldust at Royal Rumble 1996, this would end up being one of Razor’s last significant matches during his original run with WWE. Less than one year later, he’d be lighting it up with the nWo in WCW. Which leads us to…
The Outsiders vs. Randy Savage, Lex Luger and Sting, WCW Bash at the Beach (July 7, 1996)
This one is more for the history than the match itself, although it’s not bad by any means. Ring work wise, it doesn’t live up to the matches listed above, but it’s iconic for a different reason.
This was the night the nWo was born. Hall and Nash, The Outsiders, promised a mystery partner. They work almost the entire match by themselves, but then in the closing moments, Hulk Hogan comes down and turns his back on WCW, aligning himself with Hall and Nash to form the New World Order. A new wrestling boom period was born and Hall was crucial to its success.
Hall had been the original Outsider, debuting with the company unannounced six weeks earlier during the Memorial Day broadcast of WCW Nitro. His arrival started a spark, Nash’s subsequent arrival at Great American Bash kept the momentum building, and Hogan’s heel turn was the fire being lit for one of the most memorable periods in wrestling history.
Final Thoughts
Other matches that just missed the cut but are absolutely worth checking out:
- Razor Ramon vs. Bret Hart, WWE Royal Rumble 1993
- Razor Ramon vs. Bret Hart, WWE King of the Ring 1993
- Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart, WWE King of the Ring 1994
- Razor Ramon vs. Rick Martel, WWE RAW (October 11, 1993)
- Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Syxx vs. Roddy Piper, Ric Flair and Kevin Greene, WCW Slamboree 1997
What are your own favorite Scott Hall matches? Let us know in the comments section or give me a shout on Twitter, @ryandroste.
Check out my podcast, Top Rope Nation, as we will be doing a special look at Scott Hall’s career this week: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.