Scott Hall is one of the most important wrestlers of all time. Few wrestlers have left the mark that Hall has. For instance:
1) He also brought out the best of his opponents. He helped to legitimize Bret Hart's first title reign by putting on an excellent match at Royal Rumble 1993. He then put over the 1-2-3 Kid. Most importantly, he made HBK and Diesel into stars.
The passionate hatred directed towards HBK and Diesel from 1993 through 1994 was not because they were so great at garnering heat. It's because they were feuding with the abundantly talented Razor Ramon.
Shawn Michaels is often credited with making the Wrestlemania 10 Ladder Match so special. In fact, HBK's career was launched to new heights in the aftermath of that bout. But to be honest, I believe the match was so iconic (at that moment in time, in 1994) because of the excellent storyline heading into the match, precipitated by the brilliance of the Razor Ramon character. It was the match to determine the undisputed Intercontinental Champion, a designation that the fans passionately felt belonged to Ramon.
2) Ramon and Michaels made ladder matches, and gimmick matches in general, a mainstay in professional wrestling. In fact, without the ladder match in 1994, we would have probably not seen the Iron Man Match with Hart and Michaels at Wrestlemania 12. Since the WM 10 ladder match, we have seen it evolve into a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs concept. Fans of ladder matches across the world have Hall and Michaels to thank for that.
3) Ramon was not a common babyface. Though Ramon was loved by the fans, he still had the demeanor of a tweener. In a sense, he planted the seeds for the Attitude Era way back in 1992. Though, some may argue that such talents were first exhibited by Jake the Snake Roberts.
4) Because he completed in the the Intercontinental Championship ranks, Ramon made the midcard title as relevant as the WWF Championship from 1993 through 1995. In all honesty, I think the fans would have been just as pleased with Razor Ramon vs. Dean Douglas (IC Title Match) in the main event of In Your House October 1995 as they were with Bret Hart vs. Brittish Bulldog (WWF Title Match). At Summerslam 1994, Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart and Undertaker vs. Undertaker were the double main events. But Razor Ramon vs. Diesel was the true headline match. In fact, Ramon hoisting the Intercontinental Championship with Walter Payton raising his hand would have been a fitting way to close the show.
All the Ramon charcter cared about was the Intercontinental Championship. That indeed elevated the status of the title.
5) Scott Hall shifted the balance of power when he defected to WCW. No wrestler has EVER match such an impact on television ratings when departing from one major promotion to another. Not even Hulk Hogan himself was able to do for WCW what Scott Hall did. Without Hall joining WCW, there probably wouldn't have been been a "Monday Night War" between WWF and WCW.
With all of that said... Hall could have ben been greater!
Imagine if a wrestler of such charisma was given the full support of an entire company! He could have been eletated to Austin, Hogan, and Flair status. But instead, he was used as an overacheiving midcarder. Ramon could have made a ton of money for the WWF if he was given the opportunity.
Hall is great. But because of his positioning in the WWF and WCW, he will always be a peg below Hogan, Austin, Flair, and The Undertaker. He finds his company with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jake The Snake Roberts, and Mr. Perfect as potential mega-star main eventers who never got a chance to lead a major wrestling organization to prominence.
