Grudge Match: Sean Waltman & Scott Hall - Part 1
Sean Waltman and Scott Hall are two amazing competitors that share an amazing chemistry inside of the ring. Both members of the Kliq, Hall and Waltman are good friends outside of the ring. In fact, Sean Waltman, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash all make appearances together today as the Kliq. This connection outside of the ring definitely added to their work inside the ring.
Sean Waltman has gone through a few name changes. When he started out he went by The Lightning Kid, gaining popularity in the Global Wrestling Federation (GWF) on ESPN during the early nineties.
Scott Hall had been the more established performer. His career had been on track since the mid-eighties. By the time that Waltman had broken into the career, Hall was already a steady performer in the NWA. However, it wasn't until Scott Hall's first WCW run as the Diamond Studd that we would see the beginnings of his true character, The Bad Guy, Razor Ramon.
Both competitors had signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 1992 and showed a lot of promise. Scott Hall, now the sleazy Razor Ramon, shot up the ranks really quickly. Unfortunately, Waltman floundered. He was brought in as a tag team wrestler that found a place with the fans. This led to him going through some name changes The Kamikaze Kid, The Lightning Kid, The Cannonball Kid and just The Kid. He wound up jobbing out quite often even though the crowd loved him. It appeared that this would be his limit. Then the Kid met Razor Ramon.
 |
| - Tumblr |
This match felt different. Almost like a tipping point for the Kid's career. Was he just going to be enhancement talent forever? Was Razor going to destroy him? By the time of this match The Bad Guy has victories over Tito Santana, Bob Backlund and Typhoon. Not to mention the list of jobbers he had already beaten. He even took Bret Hart to the limit at the Royal Rumble that year.
Razor had put the Kid through hell in their first matchup. It looked dire. However, The Kid pulled out a surprise victory following a Moonsault, a big move for '93. This loss would be a spear in the side of Ramon. A soft spot for him for a good while. The match was really good for television. And boosted The Kid's popularity. But this would just be their first meeting.
 |
| - CagesideSeats |
The Kid still wasn't a full time wrestler with the World Wrestling Federation and he would still be fulfilling other dates. Following his match with Razor Ramon on Monday Night RAW. The Kid would adopt the Lightning Kid moniker again and compete for New Japan Pro Wrestling during their Top Of The Super Junior IV tour. He would share the ring with greats like The Pegasus Kid (Chris Benoit), Jushin "Thunder" Liger, Dave Finlay, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, El Samurai and Shinjiro Otani. These meetups with such talent obviously had an impact on his in-ring work.
It wouldn't be long before Razor would challenge the 1-2-3 Kid to a rematch. Obviously the loss had been weighing on Ramon, causing him a lot of stress. In June of 1993, after a second loss to Bret Hart at King of the Ring, Razor Ramon brings seventy-five thousand dollars to the ring and offers it up to the 1-2-3 Kid. He wants his win. However, the Kid rejects the offer. Then Razor ups it to $10,000 and Waltman ends up accepting on the phone.
These two would put on another good match that unfortunately ended in a schmohz. The 1-2-3 Kid took the cash and ran causing a double count-out. The Million Dollar Man would start a feud with Razor Ramon the following week by "showing Razor" how to beat the Kid.
Razor and Kid were both gaining popularity quickly. Too quickly to keep them feuding with each other. It only made sense to pair these two together signaling the first face turn for Razor. Sean Waltman was over with the World Wrestling Federation crowd and he had his new friend Scott Hall to thank for that. These were the beginnings of the Kliq.
The 1-2-3 Kid would again start working his way through the enhancement talent. He made his Pay-Per-View debut in a losing effort at WWF Summerslam '93 against Irwin R. Shyster a cronie of the Million Dollar Man. This match was an extension of the DiBiase and Razor Ramon feud that had also played out during that show. The feud essentially justified Razor losing $10,000 to his friend.
Both guys seemed to be coasting for the rest of '93 as they would appear on Wrestling Challenge and Superstars facing more local talent. Razor Ramon would go on to pursue the Intercontinental Title breaking away from that mid-year feud. However, they would end up teaming again at Survivor Series in a team with Marty Jannetty and Randy Savage.
Team IRS consisted of Irwin R. Schyster, Rick Martel, Diesel and Adam Bomb. This would be another milestone for the Kliq as Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Razor Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid were all featured prominently. Then on the following Monday Night RAWs, we would see Razor face Diesel and Shawn Michaels face Kid. They would go their separate ways, each finding a niche and working into it. The 1-2-3 Kid became a tag team wrestler with various partners.
Razor Ramon was one of those partners. The two teamed up and faced The Quebecers on Monday Night RAW winning the WWF Tag Team Titles. Then losing them to Shawn Michaels and Diesel in a culmination of their work as the Kliq.
Who says that good stuff doesn't happen on the smaller shows. WWF Action Zone, Superstars and Wrestling Challenge all have a huge nostalgia factor and they feature smaller feuds like these. Come on WWE Network! Anyway. Again, Razor and The 1-2-3 Kid would team up for the Survivor Series. The Bad Guys (Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, The British Bulldog, Fatu & Sione) squared off against The Teamsters (Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart and Jeff Jarrett). A team of sleazy badasses facing a team of blue collar workers? Things were kind of going off the rails during this period of the WWF. But good matches were still happening surrounded by all of this bizarreness.
 |
| -YouTube |
Hall and Waltman would again go their separate ways. However, it was understood that they were friends. It would be common to see them together. But they wouldn't meet up in the ring again until they paired up with Savio Vega against hillbillies, the Blu Brothers (Jacob, Eli and Zeb). Yes, that Zeb. But things would get murky as Razor would become more and more paranoid. Leading to another series of matches between Razor and The 1-2-3 Kid.
 |
| -YouTube |
This series would see them trading victories. Both showcasing some amazing work. Even though they were enemies during this little period, they would again squash it and try their hand at tag team wrestling again. The duo of Razor Ramon & The 1-2-3 Kid would team up throughout the rest of '95. They would again try their luck for the WWF Tag Team Titles against The Smoking Guns. But come up short. After a loss to Owen Hart & Yokozuna things turned sour. The 1-2-3 Kid ended up aligning himself with Ted DiBiase turning his back on his friend.
The Kid would end up teaming with the returning Sid while in the Million Dollar Corporation. A team that he thought would have a better chance at winning tag team gold. This leads to his team with Sid facing three other teams during the WWF Raw Bowl Elimination Match for the WWF Tag Team Titles on January 1st 1996. Those teams would be The Smoking Guns, Owen Hart & Yokozuna and Savio Vega & Razor Ramon.
While the 1-2-3 Kid wants to become a WWF Tag Team Champion again, he also has an intense hatred for his former friend. This hatred boiled over in early '96 with Kid attacking Razor in his matches. He would attack Razor with various weapons costing him wins against Jeff Jarrett.
When the WWF Tag Team Titles were on the line in a tournament. The 1-2-3 Kid tagged with fellow Million Dollar Corporation member, Tatanka. They ended up in a match against Savio Vega and Razor Ramon on Monday Night RAW.
The 1-2-3 Kid was a shell of who he was when he came in. His work with the Kliq was undeniably his best during this first WWF run. But it was also that same group that strangled the business at the time. Waltman's drug use didn't help. His final match for the WWF in 1996, would be against Savio Vega. A match that is again closely affiliated with Razor Ramon.
 |
| -wwe |
The Kliq would take part in the famous "curtain call" breaking kayfabe and "exposing the business", just before Scott Hall and Kevin Nash (Diesel) would leave for the rival company, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Waltman wasn't part of that jump because he was in drug rehab during the time. However, he too would leave the WWF for WCW.
Razor Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid left the WWF in 1996 for more money in WCW. Razor adopted his name Scott Hall while Kid adopted a new name, Syxx. Syxx joined the nWo with Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ted DiBiase, Vincent and Hulk Hogan. Being light-weight, he was their entry into the Cruiserweight division. He feuded with Chris Jericho and even competed in the World War III match with friend Scott Hall.
1997 would have Scott Hall dealing with various nWo shenanigans and antics. He would be a WCW Tag Team Champion with Kevin Nash as The Outsiders. One of the greatest tag teams of all time. They are definitely worthy of an article on their own. Syxx would be sharpening his skills against the cruiserweights like Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio Jr, Juventud Guerrera and Jericho. He even picked up the WCW Cruiserweight Title.
These two would continue to meet up in the future. This is as far as I can get today. I hope you enjoyed it.
To Be Continued...
Bonus Videos:
The tag team PG-13 (JC Ice & Wolfie D) cut a promo against The 1-2-3 Kid and would actually face him as things got heated. This all took place during a "WWF Invasion" angle of the USWA promotion.
Leave a Comment