The Stupid Fake Razor Ramon & Diesel WWE Storyline, Explained
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- It's been several decades since the WWE introduced the ridiculous notion of two replacements to play the Diesel and Razor Ramon characters, as if the gimmicks were interchangable with any wrestler. Sure, TV characters get re-cast all the time, but wrestling is a different beast and the failed experiment here with handing Glenn Jacobs the Diesel gimmick and Rick Bognar the Razor Ramon gimmick, proved that the performer typically makes the gimmick. For example, on paper, would The Undertaker gimmick have worked on any other guy BUT Mark Calaway? The idea behind the Fake Diesel and Ramon characters however, were also borne out of pettiness, and that rarely makes for a compelling program. Let's revisit just how this whole saga started and how it played out in the end.
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After Razor Ramon and Diesel decided to leave WWE in 1996 and jump ship to WCW for a more lucrative contract, Vince McMahon made the unusual decision to recast the characters, replacing the real-life Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. It was one of the most baffling decisions in the company's history and led to huge backlash from both fans and wrestlers in the industry.
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WWE & WCW have produced their fair share of awful gimmicks accompanied by stupid ring names. It's hard to believe these ideas got approved.The storyline was a major failure and didn't last long, but the decision to do it in the first place was a major mistake and one WWE should have known better than to do. It was a fairly apparent jab at their competition and was an example of the company treating their own fans like idiots. There's a lot to be said about the disastrous experiment, but first here's a pretty thorough explanation into the entirety of the story and why it was so despised.
UPDATE: 2023/12/30 07:30 EST BY STEFANO MOCELLA
It's been several decades since the WWE introduced the ridiculous notion of two replacements to play the Diesel and Razor Ramon characters, as if the gimmicks were interchangable with any wrestler. Sure, TV characters get re-cast all the time, but wrestling is a different beast and the failed experiment here with handing Glenn Jacobs the Diesel gimmick and Rick Bognar the Razor Ramon gimmick, proved that the performer typically makes the gimmick. For example, on paper, would The Undertaker gimmick have worked on any other guy BUT Mark Calaway? The idea behind the Fake Diesel and Ramon characters however, were also borne out of pettiness, and that rarely makes for a compelling program. Let's revisit just how this whole saga started and how it played out in the end.
Scott Hall and Kevin Nash Were Replaced Out Of Spite
WWE Felt They Could Keep The Gimmicks, Despite Losing The Performers
- Both Hall and Nash Left WWE When Their Contracts Expired In 1996
- The Duo Formed The Outsiders And Eventually The nWo With Hulk Hogan
- The WWE's Response Fell Flat In Every Way Imaginable
Razor Ramon and Diesel were two of WWE's biggest stars in 1996, and their decision to leave the company for WCW was seen as a major loss to McMahon and the company. They chose to leave for much more attractive contracts in Ted Turner's promotion--highlighted by a lighter schedule--and it seems the move ticked off The Chairman.
In quite an unbelievable decision, WWE decided to revive the Razor Ramon and Diesel characters without the men behind the gimmicks, and simply just replaced them with two completely different wrestlers. It was a poor look for the company and showed how easily replaceable McMahon seemingly viewed two of his biggest stars.
Kevin Nash Vs Scott Hall: 10 Things WCW Fans Should Know About Their Feud
Two best friends feuding against each other can have mixed results, with Kevin Nash vs. Scott Hall in WCW being a prime example!There's only one Scott Hall and only one Kevin Nash. They perfectly embodied the characters, and without them, it's fair to say that Ramon and Diesel may not have enjoyed the success they achieved, so for WWE to think they could just swap the pair out for two inexperienced guys with very loosely similar looks was pretty foolish.
WWE Treated Their Fans Like Idiots By Recasting Razor Ramon And Diesel
Fans Knew The Real Diesel And Razor Were In WCW
- Glenn Jacobs And Rick Bognar Were Miscast In Their Roles
- Neither Performer Was Really Pushed As A Singles Star
- Jacobs Eventually Found His Footing As Kane, Whereas Bognar Left WWE
Over the years, WWE has been known to underestimate the intelligence and investment of their fans on a number of occasions, and the decision to run with the Fake Razor and Fake Diesel storyline was one of the biggest examples of that.
Hyping up the pair's return, despite the fact Hall and Nash were busy killing it on WCW television every single week, WWE told fans repeatedly that the Diesel and Ramon characters they'd grown to love over the years would be returning to the company. With Hall and Nash thriving in the heat of the original New World Order run, the prospect of them appearing on WWE television was exciting, to say the least.
One subplot to this situation was a theory that, amidst the blurred lines of Hall and Nash staging a kayfabe invasion in WCW, maybe they really were double agents, or perhaps WWE and WCW had brokered some sort of deal. Instead, fans were instantly let down as Glenn Jacobs and Rick Bognar appeared as cheap imitations of the characters. Fans hated it.
It's unclear whether WWE just assumed fans wouldn't know better, or whether it was just a poorly thought-out decision for which the company didn't think about the potential backlash, but it was a fine example of McMahon purposely building up fan excitement just to disappoint them. It was a strange way to treat the loyal fan base and was one of many mistakes they made at the time that saw WCW gain a major foothold in the two companies' rivalry. WWE at least seemed to recognize the limitations of replacements as neither got the big singles push Hall or Nash surely would have, and instead mostly worked in a lackluster tag team division.
The Fake Diesel And Razor Ramon Storyline Featured A Failed Jim Ross Heel Turn
Turning Jim Ross Heel Has Never Worked
- Ross Cut A Heel Promo, Berating The WWE For Mistreating Him
- Fans Clearly Did Not Want To Boo JR And Never Have
- The Heel JR Experiment Didn't Last Long
To kick off this storyline, Jim Ross, the beloved WWE play-by-play man turned heel and began to berate the company and the lack of respect he believed they'd shown him. But Good Ol' JR is just too likable, and turning him heel didn't make a whole lot of sense. He didn't fit as a villain and seemed uncomfortable in the role.
5 Ridiculous Wrestling Gimmicks That Were Quickly Dropped (And 5 That Lasted Too Long)
Some ridiculous wrestling gimmicks were thankfully canned quickly, while others overstayed their welcome.Fans didn't want to boo Ross, but certainly had no problem doing so once he debuted Jacobs and Bognar as the Fake Diesel and Razor Ramon characters. Unfortunately, the vitriol was aimed more at the disappointing decision the company had made to run with this bad creative than it was at any of the work Ross himself had done in particular.
Jim Ross And Kane Overcame A Bad Situation
Glenn Jacobs Would Debut As Kane In 1997 And Save His WWE Career
- Glenn Jacobs Was Taken Off Television And Repackaged As The Undertaker's Brother
- Jim Ross Took Over The Lead Announcer Role And Stayed In The Role Until 2011
- Kane And Jim Ross Both Built Hall of Fame Careers In WWE
Despite the foibles of the Fake Diesel and Fake Razor scenario, two of its biggest players emerged unscathed and even enjoyed more career success coming out of the disaster. Jim Ross would carry on his career, most memorably as the voice of The Attitude Era alongside Jerry Lawler. Additionally, he took on more responsibility as headed up Talent Relations on and off for WWE in the years to follow.
The Fake Diesel, Glenn Jacobs, may have represented the most unlikely success story of all, though. He was a big man and a talented worker. It turned out that not so much impersonating, but being a spin-off character from an existing icon would take his career to the next level. In the fall of 1997, WWE reintroduced him as The Undertaker's long-lost brother Kane. In this persona, he played an all-time great monster heel, won world titles, and emerged as a totally uncontroversial inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Thankfully, WWE seemed to realize what a terrible story the phony Diesel and Razor Ramon posed. While The Fake Diesel did seem to get a push when he made it to the final three of the 1997 Royal Rumble, that wound up being his final televised appearance in the persona. WWE scrapped the concept entirely after a few months. Unfortunately, Rick Bognar, the Fake Razor, had already peaked with this bad gimmick and left WWE shortly thereafter. Everyone else involved moved on to bigger and better things in the Attitude Era.
