Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall passed away last week and left an empty space in so many wrestling fans’ hearts because the Bad Guy knew how to make an impact, wherever he was wrestling. Scott Hall, also popular as Razor Ramon is one of the very few wrestlers of WWE who were considered ahead of time.

At the time when most of the wrestlers focused on bulking their size, it was this legendary wrestler who had a more natural athleticism and flexibility. Through this, the legendary wrestler gained massive success and was considered as one of the biggest threats on the part of his counterparts.

Scott himself said it best in his WWE Hall of Fame induction, “Hard work pays off, dreams come true. Bad times don’t last, but bad guys do.” With that in mind, a bunch of SteelChair Wrestling Magazine writers decided to take a look back at their favourite matches in the career of the legendary Scott Hall.

Tom Mimnagh: Razor Ramon vs The 1-2-3 Kid – Monday Night RAW – May 13, 1993

“There were many highlights to Scott Hall’s first run in early-90s WWF. His feud with Macho Man Randy Savage, his stellar title match with Bret “The Hitman” Hart at Royal Rumble 1993, his matches with Jeff Jarrett, the ladder matches with Shawn Michaels – the list goes on and on. However, one particular moment sticks in the minds of many, because it arguably revolutionised the way the audience saw Monday Night RAW.

Razor Ramon’s loss to The Kid AKA Sean Waltman on May 13, 1993, was as unexpected and out of nowhere as anything that had happened on the programme to that point in its short history. It made Waltman a megastar, set Ramon on the path to a babyface turn and solidified that anything can happen on Monday Night RAW. It was an extraordinary bit of generosity from Hall, losing to a virtual unknown, clean-as-a-whistle on the company’s flagship television show, something many of his peers may have been unwilling to do and demonstrated what a great mind Hall had for the business, knowing he would lose nothing in defeat and the story would benefit everyone involved massively as it unfolded.”

Sean Reid: Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels – Ladder match for the Undisputed WWF Intercontinental Championship – WrestleMania X

“When many think of classic Scott Hall matches, his WWE WrestleMania X ladder match as Razor Ramon with Shawn Michaels is the first to come to mind. The March 1994 encounter was the first televised ladder match in WWE history and set the benchmark for what to expect from a ladder match for years to come.

Some have said the match was Michaels working with a ladder, yet Hall’s influence shouldn’t be ignored. From the moment he arrived in WWE in 1992, Hall’s colourful portrayal as Razor Ramon was full of charisma, dripping in coolness and gold. In the ring, he backed up with a consistent and versatile work rate, making use of his powerhouse, brawler style. He was no different on this night in New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena.

The back-and-forth contest saw both Hall and Michaels use the ladder in a variety of unique, and ground-breaking ways. For example, the Razor slingshot Michaels into the ladder outside of the ring. Later on, Ramon gave Michaels a suplex off the ladder. The dramatic conclusion of Michaels tied up in the ropes as Hall climbed the ladder to grab both Intercontinental Championship belts, capped off a superb example of storytelling. Together, Michaels and Hall provided an innovative template making this match a timeless classic.

As a four-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, Razor Ramon had the work rate trait that the title has become known for. Combined with a memorable persona, Hall is one of the WWE’s greatest Intercontinental champions of the 1990s and beyond.”

Humza Hussain: Razor Ramon vs. Diesel – SummerSlam 1994

“Scott Hall’s run as Razor Ramon in the then WWF not only cemented his trademark characteristics and catchphrases that would endear him to wrestling fans around the world, but it was also undoubtedly the greatest in-ring run of the Bad Guy’s career. Hall was revered by his fellow wrestlers for his “excellent in-ring IQ and psychology” (as stated by The Rock), and a match that beautifully illustrates this is an underrated showdown between Razor Ramon and Diesel for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1994.

The match was arguably Hall’s WrestleMania Esq. moment due to it being a high-profile bout for the IC strap that also featured the celebrity element with NFL legend Walter Payton in Ramon’s corner while Shawn Michaels cornered Diesel. The match itself is surprisingly fast-paced, and it features brilliant psychology. From the utilisation of the exposed turnbuckle, fans going crazy for an abdominal stretch, and using Payton just enough without taking the attention away from the top-tier WWE stars involved, it’s a masterful performance that highlights Hall’s ability to lead a big match. In the end, Hall won his second IC title, a title he became synonymous with, against his real-life best friend. Upon reflection, considering the stage, match quality, and the participants involved – this might have been one of Hall’s most memorable career matches.”

Steph Franchomme: Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels – Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship – SummerSlam 1995

“They say the sequel rarely lives up to the original but at the 1995 SummerSlam pay-per-view, Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels set out to prove that concept wrong. In a match added to the card late to spice things up and make it more attractive to potential purchasers, Ramon and Michaels delivered an extraordinary follow-up to the match that revolutionized the industry just a year earlier. Switching roles with Michaels and working predominantly heel in the sequel, Ramon targeted the knee of his opponent, making it difficult for HBK to scale the rungs of the ladder due to being hobbled. A physical match that captivated the fans in Pittsburgh, was significant for a few reasons.

First, it was proof that both performers could go out to the ring with little or no backstory and still keep fans engaged. Second, it was evidence of just how well the real-life best friends were working together at that point for the sake of the overall product. Third, it was a phenomenal match that some look back on as the better of the two ladder matches. That is certainly a debatable point, but for historical significance, it is difficult to eclipse that WrestleMania X match. More on that in a moment, if you haven’t already gathered.

Michaels retained the match but the edginess demonstrated by Ramon throughout the match suggested he would be able to fill the role of the heel, of which there was a significant lack of at that point in time. Had the company recognized as much, perhaps the course of wrestling would have changed and both Ramon and Diesel would have stuck around beyond 1996.”

Tom Mimnagh: Scott Hall’s WCW debut – WCW Nitro – May 27, 1996

“Scott Hall’s entry into WCW is the stuff of legend. Although he had a run there in the early 90s as The Diamond Studd, which was arguably a forerunner of the Razor Ramon persona, Hall was seen very much as a “WWF guy”. With the internet not yet as widely used as it would become, when Hall jumped the barrier on WCW Monday Nitro on May 27th, 1996n ostensibly as Razor Ramon, it sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling industry. As shots fired go, it might as well have been a nuclear missile aimed directly at Titan Towers, such as the monumental nature of this moment.

The backdrop of a match between Steve Doll and The Mauler, which was interesting to absolutely no one, made the angle feel incredibly real. Hall looked and acted every inch the megastar and cut one of the most recognisable, memorable promos in wrestling history. Without this moment kicking off the biggest angle in WCW history there would be no boom period, no Attitude era and no New World Order. A defining moment in wrestling history, and one that no-one else could have pulled off in quite the same way.”

James Truepenny: Keiji Mutoh vs Scott Hall – AJPW Triple Crown on AJPW vs NJPW – 09-23-2001 

“Hiroshi Tanahashi coined the phrase “Forbidden Door” whilst hyping his match against then WWE regular Chris Jericho. It is also worth remembering that Tanahshi’s mentor and idol Keiji Mutoh didn’t so much as go through the forbidden door as run it over with a Ford Raptor and then back over it to make sure he always had a path back. So here you have Scott Hall of WCW and New Japan’s Team 2000 faction, led by Mutoh’s lifelong rival Masahiro Chono challenging for AJPW’s top prize held by Keiji Mutoh, leader of Badass Translate Trading, a multi promotion, multi-sport faction that totally broke new ground.

Mutoh cracks into the match with his typical methodical headlock and stall approach before a Hall Slingshot Back Suplex breaks things up and he starts to dominate. As legendary AJPW referee Kyohei Wada admonishes Hall for taking it outside, the momentum shifts back to Mutoh who locks in a Figure Four. Then the match starts to build in pitch until the end inevitably comes with a Shining Wizard from Mutoh to retain. Hall’s longevity and adaptability put him at the heart of pro wrestling’s history. After wrestling Tanahashi on the same tour, Hall told everyone who would listen. “That kid is money.” and the next 20 years of Puroresu was set in the shadow of this match.”

All pics and videos courtesy of WWE, NJPW and AJPW