#the outsiders - “big daddy cool” kevin nash & “the bad guy” scott hall

[rabid-dog-steve-horn]

For all my fellow wrestling fans.

Enjoy.

[shadow-of-wonder]

c's thoughts after watching 'Living on a Razor's Edge': the Scott Hall story documentary 💭

so I finally got around to watching this little Scott Hall documentary on WWE Network and I had to do a little ramble of my thoughts bc i had A LOT of them 🙈

- the intelligence and perspective of this man when it came to the wrestling business was something so special and in my opinion, rare. he was so capable of coming up with ideas when it came to characterisation, not only for him but also others. the point of view and honest advice he would offer others is something that I appreciate so much about his person bc I think everyone needs a friend/person like that in their life; someone who will be as honest as they can be when you seek their thoughts or opinion rather than giving you a sugar-coated perspective.

- the lifelong effects that repressing trauma can have on someone are truly real and I think Scott is an example of this. obviously, he may have drunk and done drugs w/o the demons he was carrying inside him. however, I think the guilt he carried and the punishment he put himself through internally over the shooting he was involved in was a big reason why he got so easily caught up in alcohol and drugs. 

* the story of the shooting is that he was seeing this girl and another guy she was involved with pulled a gun on him outside of the club he was working at. he ended up wrestling with the guy over the gun and as he hit him guy with it, the gun ended up going off and blowing the back of the guy's head off at point blank range. Scott says in the documentary: "it was so crazy, but I know in my heart that I wasn't trying to kill him. but he's still dead". 

- one thing I will always appreciate about the person Scott was is how he always acknowledged his mistakes whilst also being entirely honest about them. he's very open and honest during this documentary about how he was feeling and doing in real life throughout different eras of his career and it makes me as a fan feel so much empathy for him bc even now, some fans seem to forget that there is a human being behind the character they see on TV. 

- he's also very open about the misery he was feeling for the most part of his career when he was outside the ring and it again, makes me grateful that we are now in a day & age where (I'd like like think) fans are more aware and understanding of the fact that these wrestlers we love + admire are real ppl outside of their on-screen persona and they too, can have struggle with their mental health and/or mental illnesses. 

- his alcoholism was a big topic of the documentary (as expected) and I really loved and appreciated how he was openly honest about how he was very defensive when ppl did try to help him and although he had people reaching out to him, he had trouble accepting help. his transparency when it came to discussing his darkest times and addictions is something I'll always appreciate not just about him, but about anyone who is the same way.

- the Kliq were definitely a bunch of dicks back in the 90's but you can't deny the loyalty and friendship between these guys, especially between big daddy cool and the bad guy. Triple H spoke about how he heard Kevin Nash say regarding Scott that: "I'm done with him, I can't take it anymore. I'm done. I'm tired of worrying about him. I'm tired of all these things", yet Kev would later show up at Scott's House regardless to check in on him like that's a real friend, a real brother there. another thing that really hit me was something that Triple H said which was: "Scott is a great guy. Scott just doesn't know that he's a great guy" bc it hinted at the negative self-image that Scott had of himself that was likely a result of the burden and guilt he still held from the shooting as well as his real life issues that occurred along the way. if only this man knew how much so many ppl loved him for HIM. 

I had so many thoughts while watching this but they could go on forever so I'm going to stop myself here. I just want to say how fucking grateful I am that such a talented, intelligent, hardworking 'bad guy' like Scott Hall existed in the world at the same time as so many of us. I'm grateful that we are able to go back and relive the life, times and career of such an athletic, gifted man who could own it both in the ring and on the mic. I'm grateful that Scott was able to gain redemption and live a cleaner and more blissful life for the last decade of his life. I'm grateful for the mark that this man left on the wrestling business and I will forever have a crush on Razor Ramon thanks to him 🙈

in all seriousness, I've gained so much love + appreciation for both Razor Ramon, the character and Scott Hall, the real person since I've been doing my WWF rewatch and I'm still so sad that he's no longer with us. thank you for everything bad guy, I hope you're at peace wherever you are 🙏🏾

[kayfabejake]

WCW World War 3 1996 PPV Review

Oh dear lord, what a night of stipulations! An “Arm Tied Behind My Back Match”, a three ring sixty man battle royal!, and a three way dance for the tag team titles. If nothing else, this will be...interesting. In terms of storyline, Eric Bischoff has recently aligned himself with the nWo and Sting has just begun his rafters-watching Crow gimmick and is currently targeting Jeff Jarrett for unknown reasons. Let’s see how it goes.

Date: November 24, 1996 / Venue: Norfolk Scope - Norfolk, VA / Attendance: 10314 / Tagline: Sixty Men... Three Rings... One Battle Royal... Total Destruction!

J-Crown Title Match Ultimo Dragon w/ Sunny Onoo pins Rey Mysterio Jr. in (13:48)

Ultimo Dragon is putting up EIGHT belts in this match holy shit

High energy back and forth stalemate at the beginning

Sends Rey Mysterio way up and he comes crashing down on a belly flop god DAMN

Ultimo Dragon is keeping Mysterio grounded, which is really cool considering they had a more high flying match all the way through at Hog Wild that Dragon lost--so there’s continuity there

Dragon is absolutely dominating to this point

Hits a brutal brainbuster on Mysterio jesus

Small package attempt from Mysterio

Piledriver to Mysterio. Dragon is really grinding down on him in this match and honestly appears to be entirely outclassing Jr.

Piledriver to Mysterio again this time on the outside

Dragon FINALLY goes to the top rope and hits a hurricanrana 

RUNNING POWERBOMB! But he can’t get the cover. Ridiculous.

Jumping spinwheel kick from Mysterio does some kind of double rope jump flip shit. Just wild.

Sunset flip off the top rope by Mysterio, fails, bridging pin by Dragon

Dragon suplex, but a kickout

Bomb into the ropes into a powerbomb on Mysterio for Dragon to retain the J-Crown

My Rating [4.25*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [4.5*]

One Arm Tied Behind My Back Match Chris Jericho w/ Teddy Long pins Nick Patrick in (08:02)

Just...lol. Lol. Please, I pray to Jericho, make this quick.

Oh. So only Jericho has to tie his arm behind his back. Okay, interesting.

Jericho is just overwhelming Patrick even with one arm

Jericho starts a “Patrick sucks” chant, what a fucking king

Beef between Teddy Long and Nick Patrick on the outside

Strikes from Jericho to Patrick and Patrick falls

Patrick keeps on rolling out of the ring...this match is predictably annoying and I feel bad for Jericho for having to do it

Jericho misses a punch on the outside and hits the ringpost, hurting his hand and now Patrick is getting some serious shots in

Patrick does some weird somersault move and then starts working on Jericho in the corner

I swear to god if Patrick fucking wins this

Jericho bashes Patrick’s head in the corner

Nick Patrick goes up to the top rope and then Jericho hip tosses him off please just pin him Jericho! Jericho hits a superkick and it’s over. Ugh. This could’ve been a zero star match if it weren’t for Jericho.

My Rating [.5*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [1.25*]

The Giant pins Jeff Jarrett in (06:05)

Ah yes! My absolute favorite rivalry is getting a rematch!

Hot start! Jarrett gets laid out by a clothesline from The Giant

Jarrett returns fire with a clubbing blow and a dropkick

People are pointing up somewhere, who could it be?

IT’S STING, OF COURSE!

UGH CROW STING IS SO BADASS

Jarrett hits a big crossbody on The Giant

STING PLANTS A DDT ON JEFF JARRETT

CHOKESLAM ON JARRETT, 1-2-3

My Rating [1.5*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [1.25*]

Contract Signing Rowdy Roddy Piper & “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan

Piper comes out, Bischoff, DiBiase, and that other guy come out on Hogan’s behalf

Piper calls Bischoff “an Eddie Munster lookalike” lmao

Bischoff threatens to fine Piper and Piper asks “how much would it cost me to just knock your ass out”

Hogan comes out along with the rest of the nWo. Already it is starting to feel like there are too damn many people in the nWo.

Hogan says that Piper was his equal ten years ago and can’t do it now, as if he hasn’t aged horribly too

Piper shows the scar on his hip which looks horrible

Hogan says he can’t wait to beat up a gimp, and Piper comes at him and the nWo respond in kind

HOGAN HITS THE SURGICALLY REPAIRED HIP WITH A FUCKING CHAIR

nWo spraypaint on the leg of Piper

Piper is trying, so, so admirably, to fight despite not being able to stand on the leg

“November 29th! Nashville, Tennessee! If that’s the best you can do, Hogan, YOU’RE IN TROUBLE!” HELL YES KING OH MY GOD

Booker T & Stevie Ray “Harlem Heat” w/ Sherri pins Jacques Rougeau & Pierre Ouellette “The Amazing French Canadians” w/ Col. Parker in (09:14)

The Amazing French Canadians...sort of sing their national anthem. They just mumble some nonsense into the mic and get their heat and move on

Double clothesline from Harlem Heat on Rougeau

Stevie Ray wails on him

Booker T hits a knee drop

“There’s nothing like going to war with a man in tight pants,” says Dusty Rhodes. “You already know you’re on the winning side.”

Scissor kick from Booker T! Hell yeah

SPINAROONI INTO A HIGH KICK FROM BOOKER T! I LOVE YOU BOOK I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Boston Crab applied by the Canadians with a leg drop added from the top rope

Incredible spot I’ve never seen before with the steps on top of the ring ropes

Flip misses tho and Harlem get the pin, 1-2-3, and Sherri gets to beat up Col. Parker! Cool I guess.

My Rating [1.5*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [.75*]

WCW Cruiserweight Title Match Dean Malenko pins Psychosis in (14:33)

A lot of dance-grappling in the middle of the ring

A lot of...holds? From Malenko? I dunno. I’m feeling a little bored by this match so far. Been think about what Allan on Twitter said about Malenko’s matches looking too cooperative.

Malenko kicks him into the top rope! Jesus!

Malenko applies a nasty leg pull in the middle of the ring

Psychosis hits a nasty backbreaker into flip combo on the outside

Leg drop off the top rope

Fast small package out of a delayed vertical suplex

Bridge into bride into bridge into tombstone piledriver! WOW!

Malenko pins Psychosis with a weird back bend

My Rating [3.25*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [2.75*]

Three Corners Match for the WCW Tag Team Titles Scott Hall & Kevin Nash “The Outsiders” def. Jerry Sags & Brian Knobbs “The Nasty Boys”, and Meng & The Barbarian “The Faces of Fear” w/ Jimmy Hart in (16:08)

This match is going to be total chaos

The commentators up top are just straight up acknowledging that the rules dont fucking matter lol

The Nasty Boys and the Faces of Fear are working on each other separately for a while

Nash eventually enters, trades off beating up a Nasty Boy with Scott Hall

Tag matches like this where you can tag the other teams in and out for some inexplicable reason are the WORST

the idea that there could be any strategy involved immediately goes out the window

Now everybody’s in the middle of the ring fucking around!

Hall now going to work on a face of fear

Both Faces of Fear get tagged in but then one tags in a Nasty Boy, so...can you win the belts without pinning

Now both Faces of Fear and both Outsiders are fucking each other up in the ring. WHY WOULDNT THE NASTY BOYS WANNA GET IN THEY CANT GET THE BELTS LIKE THIS AND WHY CAN U TAG OUT TO OTHER TEAMS WHAT THE FUCK

Scott Hall sells a nutshot pretty hilariously, so...this match has that going for it

WAIT WTHAT THE FUCK IF SCHIAVONE SAYS IF THEY PIN EACH OTHER THEY RETAIN THE BELTS. THIS MATCH IS POINTLESS AND IDIOTIC AND THEY TRY TO PIN EACH OTHER OMG I HATE THIS GARBAGE

Megaphone to Knobbs into powerbomb into retaining. What a garbage match.

My Rating [.25*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [.5*]

Three Ring, Sixty Man Battle Royal The Giant def. A Lot of Wrestlers

Cool! An incredibly long battle royal!

Luger and Guerrero exit first and then a jobber and then DDP

Tons of people streaming out obviously, this is insane

LA PARKA!!!!

The nWo exit together, and it looks like Nash is drinking soda or beer as he exits

Steve McMichael is apparently used to “being in there with a lot of men and having his way”

Brawl on the outside even before a bunch of the people are in the ring...nonsense already

What a beautiful fucking disaster. I’m not even going to attempt to describe what’s going on here. They’re in triple screen and you cant even see the action, really. It’s impossible to follow.

Lol commentator Lee Marshall gets injured

This is so, deeply, incredibly boring

Comes down to Luger and five nWo members, and the Giant wins. Cool! I never gave a shit and I hated it all the way through.

My Rating [.25*] / Daddy Meltzer’s Rating [.5*]

Overall PPV Grade: D

One hell of an opener and then not much else could possibly redeem this shitshow. Too many stipulations, not enough interesting storylines or good wrestling. The nWo storyline is already starting to show cracks in the armor and I need an injection of Sting, and fast.