Scott Hall, or Razor Ramon, to wrestling fans, was the subject of an ESPN “E:60” report this week, that showed a former superstar wrestler turned drug addict, who now wanders around with a pacemaker monitoring his heart at 52 years old.
During the 90s Hall was one of most popular wrestlers during his time in the ring, as people latched on to his bad boy personality, which peaked when he joined forces with Hulk Hogan to create the New World Order.
The muscles, fresh tan and toothpick are long gone. Hall is a shell of his old self after years of drug and alcohol abuse.
“What do you do when they stop chanting your name?” he said in the interview with ESPN. (Watch video here)
But even before Hall evolved into a superstar in the wrestling world, he had a troubled life. He said he comes from a family of alcoholics and was arrested and charged for second degree murder when he was 25, after shooting and killing a man after the two had a dispute outside the strip club where he made a living as a bartender.
Hall’s case was dismissed because evidence against him was deemed insufficient. He said he should have sought counseling right there but didn’t.
One year later he was signed by the American Wrestling Association.
“The only time that he ever felt in control of his life was when he was in that ring,” said his former wrestling partner, and fellow NWO member, Kevin Nash.
His ex-wife said Hall chose drugs, alcohol and wrestling over his family.
“They needed a dad, they didn’t need a wrestler,” she said.
“I could never depend on my father,” said one of his sons, who is following in his dad’s footsteps and wants to be a professional wrestler.
Hall has been to rehab more than 10 times, with the WWE paying for his treatment.
In 2010 he suffered congestive heart failure and began battling seizures. Because of his health problems, Hall takes 11 different medicines daily, and uses a pacemaker to monitor his heart.
During the “E:60″ special, ESPN showed footage of Hall performing in an independent wrestling league just hours after leaving the hospital after suffering a seizure. He wobbled through the curtains and needed help walking to the stage.
“There’s got to be a reason I’m still here,” he said. “I should’ve been dead a hundred times.”
