The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will be inducted on April 5th, 2014. Headlined by the enigmatic Ultimate Warrior, and supported by Jake “the Snake” Roberts and Lita, this year’s lineup is already bolstering the best class in recent history. But with one or two more inductees expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks, there is one superstar athlete who deserves to be inducted this year. And it just so happens his name has been rumored as a possibility. That superstar is Scott Hall.
As the former Razor Ramon, Scott Hall has been a part of several historic moments in the world of wrestling. Birthing his humble beginnings in territories like Minnesota and Memphis along the side of guys like Curt Hennig and the Undertaker, it was his exposure in WCW that truly elevated Hall into the spotlight. After a brief stint in WCW, Vince McMahon came barking and introduced the universe to Razor Ramon. In a time when the WWE was beginning to cycle downwards, Razor Ramon was one of the few wrestlers aiming upwards. His star power was almost instantaneous. It was during this time that Razor Ramon was embattled in a bitter feud with Shawn Michaels. At Wrestlemania 10, the two men redefined the term high spot, and set the bar for what a ladder match should be. It remains one of the most talked about matches in the history of the WWE.
Hall was a part of another high profile angle. An angle that ushered in a whole new attitude and created the next boom period for pro wrestling. But this time, it was for rival company WCW. Along side his partner Kevin Nash, the two ex WWE wrestler staged a hostile takeover in WCW. In June of 1996, they completed their plan with the addition of a newly turned bad guy, Hulk Hogan. As the New World Order, Hall became one of the most popular wrestlers in the world. He was a multi-time tag team champion, and at his zenith, helped a company rake in over 80 million dollars a year in profits. The NWO revolution was also the precursor to the WWE’s invention of Degeneration X and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
However, Scott Hall was not without his demons. And for the last decade, the skeletons in his closet ruled his life. He was no longer known for all the good things he contributed to wrestling, but rather, the mockery he made of his life.
But a funny thing happened on the way to sobriety. Scott Hall rekindled his friendship with Diamond Dallas Page. Page took Hall under his wing and helped the aging wrestler kick his habits and restart his life. Not every story gets a happy ending. But for Scott Hall, he’s in the best shape he’s been in over the last decade. He’s been clean and sober, and even traveling the independent wrestling scene with his son Cody Hall. Although he may not be in full recovery, he’s as close to recovered as he’s ever been.
This year, the WWE has a chance to do something special. A chance to show the world that addiction can be conquered. There is no doubt the career of Scott Hall is well suited for a Hall of Fame induction. It should be done this year, while the man still has time to enjoy it.
