Scott Hall will go down in the books as one of the most entertaining and compelling shoot interviews in the history of RF Video. Hall’s passion for the wrestling business comes alive right from the beginning when talking about his memories of breaking in the business and working for Jim Crockett as a rookie. Those who know Scott know that there are very few short answers as Scott goes in depth with his answers to all of our questions. He literally was giving two or three extra stories while answering one question. Scott’s memory of recalling all the events throughout his career is amazing to witness. Hall remembers every little detail and had no trouble sharing those experiences without holding anything back. What you will love about Scott is how he wears his heart on his sleeve as he talks honesty about himself. This is a man who has no problem taking responsibility for his actions that others may have found controversial. This exclusive shoot interview is a combination of interesting road stories and compelling answers to questions that spanned from his salad days in Florida as a greenhorn all the way to his current comeback in Puerto Rico.
Some of the many highlights of the interview include: Scott talking about the break Barry Windham gave him early on his career; being ribbed in Kansas City by two of the territories biggest stars, how he reacted, and the surprising reaction he got from Harley Race; Hall’s run in the AWA, who helped him during that time, and who tried to sandbag him early on in matches; the lessons he learned wrestling Bruiser Brody early on; the influence that Curt Hennig, Larry Zbysko, and Dusty Rhodes had throughout his career; what he learned from Verne Gagne and the strange way that the meeting went in which he gave Verne his notice; how he wound up in WCW and how the Diamond Stud gimmick developed; and DDP and Hall being ribbed early on and how it turned out for an unlucky wrestler.
It gets better. More topics include: Halls very candid thoughts on Ric Flair leaving WCW while he was holding the strap, and how The Nature Boy took that resentment to him to the WWF and how it almost came out in a booking meeting with Vince McMahon; the process of how Hall got into the WWF and how long it took; the initial meeting with Vince McMahon and how he sold Vince on his character while coming up with the name Razor Ramon (this includes a surreal moment when Hall went into character and it beame immediately apparent as to how truly talented and charismatic this legend truly is); putting Sean Waltman over on Monday Night Raw, why the angle worked, and a match early in his career that inspired the angle; and the legendary WrestleMania X match with Shawn Michaels and some of his peers reactions.
We also were able to get Scott’s side of a story told by Shane Douglas, in a previous shoot interview, about the heat between the two of them and what it stemmed from. Hall also gave his view of the infamous weekend the Clique allegedly went on strike and Vince McMahon came to a house show to calm down the locker room. You will hear the evolution of the Kliq and their issues with Chris Candido. Scott talked about what it was like to wrestle Bret Hart and gives his opinion on whether Bret is overrated or not. We found out Hall’s side of the story on to why he did not want to work a program with Goldust and all the behind the scenes notes on how the negotiations went down with WCW and how Vince reacted to it. This led to the controversy behind Hall’s suspension for failing a drug test towards the end of his WWF run and how he found about it. Hall’s last house show matches before leaving to go to WCW and the most famous Nitro in wrestling history where he debuted, how it almost turned out different, and who’s idea it was that would make or break the angle. The infamous Bash at the Beach and the politics behind Hogan going black and white. You will hear a first person account of the heat between the NWO and the Horsemen after the infamous Arn Anderson skit and the hypocrisy behind it.
Hall discussed his matches with Goldberg and gave some interesting comments rebutting claims Goldberg has made about Scott and Kevin Nash over the last few years while also giving a very interesting take to the age old question as to whether WCW used Bret Hart right or not. We got Hall’s version of what happened between Jerry Saggs and himself that resulted in a lawsuit. Why was Hall originally fired by WCW and what were the politics behind it? Scott talks that and about leaving WCW for good and what he had planned at the time. The DVD covers the NWO return to the WWE, how it came about, and why he and Nash had reservations going into it. How WrestleMania changed around the day of the show and why he thinks that happened. The differences in how Vince used the NWO as compared to how they were used in WCW. Hall’s matches with Steve Austin are covered along with some interesting insight. Hall describes the chemistry between he, Nash, and Hogan and Hogan’s part in the NWO in the WWE. Why things didn’t work out in the WWE and the final conversation he had with Jim Ross about his tenure in the company. Scott talked about his brief run with NWA TNA. Holding back nothing, Scott talked about his personal issues and how he feels about the fact they are so public. Scott got very emotional when speaking about the recent tragedy involving Chris, Daniel, and Nancy Benoit. Scott talked about the rumors behind the DX vs. NWO feud last year. His future and his current return in Puerto Rico. His future intentions and where he may pop up next. Throughout the interview Scott gets very detailed about match psychology, the theory behind doing jobs, good business and bad business, and the change in philosophy in wrestling today.
Is it true that you were discovered by Barry Windham
What was his training like
What was the hardest thing to pick up in training
Memories of working in the Kansas City territory
When you started the territories were slowly starting to evaporate, how did the veterans take it at that time
Memories of Florida Championship Wrestling
Did you meet Eddie Graham
Initial memories of working for Jim Crockett and thoughts on Crockett
Initial memories of Dusty
Who’s idea was it to team you with Dan Spivey
Thoughts on Dan Spivey
Did any of the veterans try and test you early on
How did you wind up in the AWA
Why did you leave
How did you wind up in the AWA
Thoughts on Verne
Memories teaming with Curt Hennig
Memories of matches with the Long Riders
Memories of Wrestlerock and wrestling Ray Stevens
Memories of meeting Shawn Michaels back then
Thoughts on Nick Bockwinkel
Thoughts on Crusher
Do you think Verne was out of touch
Memories and thoughts on Bruiser Brody
Memories of Leon White
Memories and thoughts on your series with Buddy Rose and Doug Somers
Did WWF ever try and contact you during this time
What was the living situation like, Shawn writes in his book about a big apartment complex everyone used to live and hang out at
Memories of working in the CWA as Texas Scott
How did you wind up in WCW
Thoughts on Ric Flair as a booker
How did you wind up with the Diamond Stud gimmick and did it have something to do with going out one night with Terry Funk’s daughter
Thoughts on being paired with Dallas Page
Was Page ribbed a lot back then
Is it true that you knew you were going to the WWF a year before you had gone
Thoughts on Jim Herd
When Ric Flair left for the WWF and took the belt with him, did you take it personal since it was clearly a shot at trying to put the company out of the business by him or did it not bother you
Memories of matches with Brian Pillman and the Dirty Yellow Dog feud
How did you come up with the Diamond Death Drop aka: Razors Edge
How did you wind up in the WWF
Initial memories of Vince
In a recent interview you said you thought you blew the interview with Vince, why
What were you promised by Vince when you started as far as direction, titles, etc
At this point did you think to yourself, that you really made it
Memories of when Bill Watts came into the WWE
Memories of your first big series with Bret Hart
Some say Bret is overrated and others completely disagree who have worked with him, what do you think
Memories of your series with Curt and how had he changed since the time you were together in the AWA
Memories of your first Wrestlemania against Bob Backlund
Could you sense that there was a change of direction in the company in that now more athletic guys were getting pushed as compared to big monster heels, and muscle babyfaces
How did Vince change during his trial
Were you or any of the boys ever worried that he would go to jail
Did Vince change after the trial
Man Mountain Rock has been shopping a home video he taped on the road back then of the boys doing drugs, sleeping with rats, etc, what are your thoughts on that
What were your thoughts when you were told that you were going to put over and work a program with the 1 2 3 Kid
What are your thoughts when people tell you today that it is still one of the most remembered matches in Raw history when he pinned you
Do you think that the art of doing a job and helping get someone over is lost today and misunderstood
Memories of working with Terry Gordy when he came in with the mask
Memories of your matches with Jeff Jarrett
In your mind, when was the Clique truly formed
Memories of your series with Kevin Nash
Going into the ladder match at Wrestlemania, how far did you and Shawn want to push the limits
What made the ladder matches at Wrestlemania 10 and Summerslam so memorable today when now the business has evolved to a point where the high spots have gotten much crazier for example with TLC matches
What do you say to critics who say that Shawn carried you in that match
What kind of a toll do those matches take on your body
Is it true that Randy Savage was a little mad you guys went over
Could you feel it during those matches or did you not realize you hit a home run until after
Do you think Bret felt threatened at that time watching you guys
Memories and thoughts on Lex Luger in WWF
At what point do you think the Clique gained power
Is it true that the Clique threatened to strike and Vince had to go on the road
What happened between you and Shane Douglas, he says he wanted to change up your matches on the road, you didn’t
Did the Clique bury him to the office
Why were you guys so hard on Chris Candido
The farewell to the Clique, do you think in retrospect it was fair to the rest of the boys
How did the agents react
Did Vince call you after that
Memories and thoughts when the Ultimate Warrior returned
Is it true that you had a big problem with the homosexual overtones in the angle with you and Goldust
In February 1996 you were suspended, what happened
How did the whole jump to WCW come about
What was Vince’s reaction
Did you approach Kevin
Who came up with the NWO
Was Hogan originally part of the plan
How did the other boys react to you two when you guys came into WCW
What happened between you and Jerry Saggs in a match where he said you worked overly stiff with him
Did Roddy Piper try and fight you guys after a match at a Nitro
How upset were Arn and the rest of the Horseman after your Horsemen imitation
Why was it so hard to get Sean Waltman on TV in WCW
Were you surprised that the angle with DDP got over as much as it did
When you went down to visit friends in Florida at ECW and Shane kicked you out, were you surprised and what is your version of what went down
Were you guys more or less booking and using Eric Bischoff as a pawn during that time
Memories of matches with the Giant
When do you think your alcohol started to get out of control
Did anyone say anything to you about it
What were the politics like in WCW
Were there any struggles between you, Kevin and Hogan for power and creative control
Thoughts on Hogan
Do you think Hogan used you guys, you guys used him or neither
What do you think should have been done differently in WCW to avoid the collapse when Vince eventually overtook WCW in the ratings, etc
Do you think Eric Bischoff was in over his head
Did it become frustrating when the NWO kept expanding
Were you surprised when Kevin Nash went on TV to campaign for your return
You came back for a brief time and had a feud with Goldberg, thoughts on him
What were the differences in working a ladder match with Shawn as compared to Goldberg
A lot of people say people like yourself, and Kevin gave Goldberg bad advice in WCW, how do you respond
Were you surprised when Bret Hart came to WCW
Memories of your feud with Larry Zbysko
Did you and Kevin play any politics with him behind the scenes to try and hold him back
How did Bret change when he came into WCW
Memories of matches with Sting and Luger
Memories of matches with Booker T
What were your thoughts on when Russo came in and Eric was demoted
Thoughts on Russo
Why were you released
How did you find out
How hard did you hit rock bottom
Your ex wife was writing a lot on the Internet, how did you feel about that
How did you wind up starting to wrestle in ECW
Did you like it
Thoughts on Paul Heyman as a booker
They teased your return on WCW when you were gone and Goldberg went on TV and tore up a contract with your name on it, were you planning a return or was that just WCW in business for themselves
Was it humbling to return to the independents like TCW
How did you wind up in New Japan
You wound up in NJPW around the same time as Chris Candido who was also battling similar demons, was that a good or bad thing
What did you like and not like about Japan
Did you always have a plan to return to WCW in your head
How did you wind up back in the WWE
What happened at the various hotels before you actually even appeared on TV
After the three of you appeared on TV together for the first time, did you guys know that Hogan was not going to work as a heel
How did Vince treat you this time around
How did the WWE boys react to you guys
Thoughts on the Rock
Thoughts on your match with Steve Austin at Mania
Is it true that you were supposed to go over in that match
Is it true that Austin didn’t work with any of you guys
What happened on that UK trip and the plane ride from hell that wound up getting you released
Do you think you will ever return
Thoughts on your brief run in NWATNA
Thoughts on your last match there involving Randy Savage
Thoughts on the current state of the business
Is it true that you and Sean Waltman were talking to the WWE recently about a return
Are you surprised at the success of HHH
Are you surprised at Shawn’s returns since retiring
How close was Shawn to ever coming to WCW and joining the NWO
Do you regret any of the things you have done or people you hurt in your past
Is it hard to be so talented and one of the biggest stars of the last decade and not be able to catch a break currently
Do you still have it in you to be a big draw
Have the times passed you by
Can the NWO still work today
What made the NWO work in your mind and why hasnt it been able to be duplicated
Would you want to write a book
Do you have any advice for guys now who may be struggling with success and their demons