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‘The Bad Guy’ Scott Hall Made People Believe in the Magic of Pro Wrestling

Though never a world champion, the two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee, who died Monday at 63, was one of the most influential wrestlers in history.

Justin Barrasso

SI.com’s Week in Wrestling is published every week and provides beneath-the-surface coverage of the business of pro wrestling.

Scott Hall will leave a lasting impression on the industry he helped revolutionize

Bad guys don’t live forever.

An obvious exception to that rule, of course, will be Scott Hall.

Hall died Monday as the result of surgery complications caused by a loose blood clot. Yet right up until the very end, Hall was oozing machismo. He had signings booked for WrestleMania weekend this year, ready, undoubtedly, to show off that natural charisma and quick wit that helped make him an icon of the industry. “The Bad Guy” held an innate understanding of the magic of pro wrestling, one that has made his work stand the test of time.

Hall’s lasting influence will be central to his legacy. He brought a trailblazing style to his craft, reinventing the genre with a masterful display of pomp and bravado in WCW with the New World Order. Interconnected for eternity with Kevin Nash, “The Outsiders” changed pro wrestling’s entire scope and structure, as well as reenvisioned wrestling contracts. In an era when talent was continually underpaid, Hall and Nash changed that. To this day, that run with the NWO remains timeless, aging solely in years.

Known for a willingness to flirt with death, Hall was no saint. Yet he was a legendary performer in the ring, willing to accept an ancillary role to allow the show to reach heights otherwise unattainable. Championed for his ability to captivate an audience, a microphone in Hall’s hand was equal parts dangerous and compelling. He never received the credit he deserved in between the ropes, but Hall was also a marvel to behold in the ring.

Hall was an overnight success that took 10 years to materialize. It is easy to look at his success in WWE as Razor Ramon and think of him as a made man in the industry, but he was brought in as a relatively unknown heel challenger for back-to-back babyface champs, then reinvented himself as the hero. This was the plan all along, dating back to his run in the AWA (and this was an AWA that was post–Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura and Gene Okerlund) where he was positioned as the “next” Hogan. That, clearly, was never to be, and it was a kiss of death for anyone attached to such a label. Hall and Hogan did eventually become equals, though certainly not according to plan. Rarely does it work that way, which explains why pro wrestling cards, like any plans, are always subject to change.

Instead, Hall bounced around the industry, desperately seeking his break. He had a couple of stints in WCW, more memorable for his failures than success. There were trips to Puerto Rico, Germany and Japan, wrestling a diverse array of opponents that helped shape his unique style, especially as a big man. Hall was 6'7" and looked like a legitimately intimidating figure, but he also possessed a combination of athleticism, coordination and agility. And it all came together in 1992 when Vince McMahon saw money in Hall.

Fans from that time frame vividly recall those Razor Ramon vignettes, introducing a new character into the fold. He challenged Randy Savage for the WWE title, giving him a credible opponent during a stretch when the company was losing monstrous heels from its golden days of the 1980s. He then did the same for Bret Hart, putting forth an entertaining match—one where Hart was lauded, and rightfully so, but where Hall also played his part to perfection—at the Royal Rumble in 1993. That became a theme in Hall’s most significant matches, a hallmark of his greatness.

Understanding the subtleties and nuances of the craft, Hall perfected the ability to highlight his opponent. He did that with Hart at the Rumble, then during a watershed moment with Sean Waltman on Monday Night Raw in the spring of 1993 when he was pinned by “The Kid,” instantly endearing Waltman to an entire fan base. Most famously, Hall wrestled Shawn Michaels in a ladder match in Madison Square Garden at WrestleMania X, where Hall won the match yet it was Michaels who climbed the next rung toward becoming world champion. He was also a key figure in the infamous “Curtain Call,” right in the middle of MSG, before departing the company for WCW in the spring of ’96.

Remarkably, this all merely served as a prelude to his main act.

Hall is synonymous with the NWO. He started the uproar with his first appearance on WCW’s Nitro, interrupting a typical pro wrasslin’ match pitting The Mauler against Steve Doll. A mere 90 seconds later, the industry had a new edge and attitude. Pro wrestling was immediately cool, even cutting-edge, and the excitement that organically ensued is still trying to be replicated more than a quarter of a century later.

Over the years, I interviewed Hall a handful of times on the phone and in person. Each time stood out for a different reason. Whether it was sharing memories about Randy Savage, who Hall glowingly referred to as “Mach,” or explaining to me how Sting should have done a better job protecting himself in the WrestleMania 31 finish against Triple H, every interview was a writer’s dream full of anecdotes and rich perspective. Seven years ago, I sat beside him during an indie show at the Sukee Ice Arena in Winslow, Maine, sharing a small table with Nash and Waltman. I mostly remained quiet, listening to their stories, and I watched as Hall grew visibly frustrated over some perceived indignity from another wrestler on the show. It turned out to be a misunderstanding, but watching Waltman and Nash calm Hall down, almost like it was a six-man tag match, is a sight I’ll always remember.

Another moment with Scott that sticks out is my trip to Atlanta to visit the DDP Yoga headquarters. I had an interview set up with “Diamond” Dallas Page, and a couple of days before I made the trip, someone from Page’s team reached out and asked me to take part in the morning’s DDP Yoga session before we conducted the interview. Page’s class was a real workout, and I went in the bathroom to change and try to be somewhat less of a sweaty mess. As I stood at the sink, there was Hall, towering over me, speaking as if he knew me and telling me that Page asked him to meet with a reporter later that morning.

“That’s me,” I said, and reintroduced myself. We spoke about his son, Cody, who was attempting to make a name for himself in New Japan with the Bullet Club, and Hall mentioned he was extremely proud of his son. During all of our interviews, Hall always made a point to highlight his son. We then moved into the DDP Yoga conference room for an interview, with talk of yoga quickly replaced by Hall’s legendary stories of the business.

“I was the one,” said Hall, “who gave Sting that ‘Crow’ gimmick.”

Yes, Hall uncovered the hottest gimmick of 1997. And it wasn’t even his own.

“My first day back in WCW, we’re in the locker room,” said Hall. “Sting’s at one sink, I’m at the other. He’s painting his face, I’m slicking my hair back. I noticed that he’s growing his hair out—he’s not doing the short, bleached, platinum crew cut. I looked at Sting and said, ‘You’re growing your hair out?’ And all he said was, ‘Yeah.’

“Look, when he was a top guy there and I was underneath, we never had anything to say to each other. Now the tables had turned. I didn’t know him at all, but I couldn’t help myself. So I said, ‘Are you still going to wear the happy guy neon tights?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’

“Then I asked, ‘Have you ever seen ‘The Crow’? I started describing ‘The Crow’ to him—the raincoats and the darkness. That’s when I told him, ‘I ain’t telling you to rip off Undertaker, but yeah, I’m telling you to rip off ’Taker.”

In one story, Hall captured the brilliance of his entire career. A masterful storyteller, he made you hold on for every next word. And just like his wrestling career—where Hall was a multitime intercontinental, United States and tag team champ, yet never world champion—his focus was on making the story as captivating as possible. It was no different than his string of outstanding matches where his opponents received heaps of praise. Hall’s focus was on creating the best content possible, which he did, again, with Sting’s crow gimmick.

“Sting went to [Eric] Bischoff with it, and he loved it, and they went with it,” Hall continued. “I didn’t care if people knew it was my idea; I only cared that Sting knew. I know I could look across the locker room and say, ‘What’s up, man?’ I don’t care if you like me, I had a good idea, and that was the way it was at the time.”

Hall’s ability to hold a crowd (or a reporter) in the palm of his hand is unparalleled. He wasn’t Steve Austin or The Rock of the Attitude Era, or Hogan or Savage of the 1980s—he was different. Thinking of Hall’s signature “Hey yo” holds an emotional attachment in the hearts of wrestling fans. Hall did not play The Bad Guy, he was The Bad Guy. Along with Nash, he made it cool to be bad.

Hall made people believe in the magic of pro wrestling. He still does, and not even death can change that. In a field where everyone and everything becomes imitated, Hall will forever remain an original.

Even in death, The Bad Guy lives on.

The (online) week in wrestling

  • The tributes to Scott Hall have been incredible. One that stood out to me, even though they were not particularly close, was written by Bret Hart. 
  • Big E suffered a broken neck last week on SmackDown. This is a devastating injury to one of the most captivating stars in the entire industry, and it was a relief when he posted that he did not lose feeling in his body or need surgery. 
  • The Raw main event pitted Kevin Owens against Seth Rollins, with the winner … getting the right to interview Steve Austin at WrestleMania. Is that really the best stipulation, or use, of either Owens or Rollins?
  • Pete Dunne is now Butch on SmackDown, another reminder that anything that previously happened in NXT probably doesn’t matter. 
  • Scorpio Sky is poised for a lengthy title run as TNT champion in AEW, while Wardlow’s next program is set with MJF. 
  • Sting’s piece in The Players’ Tribune is a must-read, and he offers some very personal details from his life.
  • The Thunder Rosa–Dr. Britt Baker cage match looks like the perfect time to crown a new champion.
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  • Karan “The Asoka” Batta is premiering two new movies later this week at the Texas Short Film Festival in San Antonio, and both have connections to pro wrestling. Bronicorn stars Christopher Daniels, and The Legend of Chubby Kuku features Rocky Romero. 
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  • Killer Kross is coming to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 
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Kazuyuki Fujita crowns himself Pro Wrestling NOAH’s GHC heavyweight champion

Kazuyuki Fujita wrestles Masato Tanaka on March 21 in Fukuoka, where he will make the first defense of his GHC heavyweight championship for Pro Wrestling NOAH.

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Fujita unexpectedly won the belt last month, defeating Katsuhiko Nakajima at NOAH’s Gain Control show in Nagoya. Now 51, it appeared that Fujita would be a challenger for the title but never champion. That changed on Feb. 23, as the three-time IWGP heavyweight champion added the prestigious GHC title to his overflowing list of accolades.

“[Nakajima], he did well,” Fujita told Sports Illustrated in a brief interview translated from Japanese. “Now I am here to save NOAH as GHC heavyweight champion.”

Fujita’s first title defense will be broadcast on Wrestle Universe, and it will also feature English commentary. His approach to pro wrestling is markedly different, bringing a far more physical, ground-and-pound style. That fighting spirit and intensity will be visible against Tanaka as he seeks to expand his legacy in NOAH.

Before winning this title, Fujita had already accomplished so much throughout his career. This includes his success in MMA, where he defeated Ken Shamrock in 2000 and shared the cage with a plethora of elite fighters, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.

“Since I lost, I couldn’t achieve the satisfactory result,” says Fujita, who lost to Emelianenko by submission in 2003. He also fought Jiri Prochazka in ’16, losing in Nagoya, the same city where he captured the GHC title. He offered some words of encouragement to Prochazka, who is next in line for a UFC title shot against light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira. “All I can say to him is, good luck.”

Fujita also shared the ring with current WWE champion Brock Lesnar. A match against Lesnar and Masahiro Chono in October 2005 ended Fujita’s third and final IWGP reign when Lesnar won the belt. If presented another chance to wrestle Lesnar, he was asked if it would go differently.

“It didn’t happen that way,” Fujita says. “So I don’t know.”

Fujita celebrated his title victory against Nakajima with his beverage of choice, beer. He shared that he has more goals to surpass, beginning with his match against Tanaka.

“I’m here to save NOAH,” Fujita says. “I will keep doing my best to save NOAH.”

Tweet(s) of the Week

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Scott Hall once put over a young Hiroshi Tanahashi in 2001. Now, 21 years later, here is Tanahashi paying tribute to Hall.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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Justin Barrasso
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