Freakzilla |
While in WCW, Steiner became a one time World Heavyweight Champion, a two time United States Champion, a two time Television Champion, and won the WCW Triple Crown.
Steiner's greatest success has come as a tag team wrestler, as he is a twelve time World Tag Team Champion (seven times in World Championship Wrestling, two times in the World Wrestling Federation and two times in New Japan Pro Wrestling with Rick and one time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling with Booker T) and a one time U.S. Tag Team Champion with Rick in WCW. All totaled, between WCW, WWF/E, NJPW, and TNA, Steiner has won 18 championships.
26 Inch Bicep |
Steiner won the WCW World Television Championship on September 29, 1992. The Steiner Brothers, however, left WCW for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after being low balled on their contract renewal by then-WCW head Bill Watts.
The Steiner Brothers left WCW in November 1992, with Scott vacating the WCW World Television Championship. They quickly signed contracts with the WWF, making their televised debut in an interview on the December 21, 1992 edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling. They also appeared on the debut episode of Monday Night Raw on January 11, 1993. They made their WWF pay-per-view debut on January 24, 1993 at the 1993 Royal Rumble, defeating the Beverly Brothers (Blake and Beau). At WrestleMania IX on April 4, 1993, the Steiner Brothers defeated The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu). The Steiners left the promotion in mid-1994.
Hard to believe he was only a World Champion once in his entire career but he was the very last WCW Champion! |
In late 1997/early 1998 Steiner "increased his muscle mass", cut his signature mullet, began sporting a goatee and a "Fu Manchu mustache", and developed a short fuse of his temper. He then started a feud with Buff Bagwell of the nWo over who had the better physique, with both wrestlers showing off their enormous muscles to the public. He and his brother also began having trouble working together in the ring, as Scott would often leave Rick in the ring by himself or would start the match and not tag his brother in.
Scott joined the nWo at SuperBrawl VIII on February 22, 1998, by attacking his brother Rick while they were defending the WCW World Tag Team Championship against The Outsiders. The next night on Monday Nitro, he adopted a new gimmick that was somewhat reminiscent of "Superstar" Billy Graham, dyeing his hair and beard blond and increasing in muscle mass even further. Scott adopted two new nicknames: "White Thunder" (referring to his bleached hair and goatee and his all-white wrestling gear) and "Superstar" (as a homage to "Superstar" Billy Graham"), including a black 'S' logo in the style of the Superman logo. He finally adopted the nickname "Big Poppa Pump", which many thought was inspired by New York rapper Notorious BIG's song "Big Poppa". Steiner soon joined forces with Buff Bagwell who started calling himself "Buff Daddy" - named after rapper Puff Daddy. He remained a member of the nWo until the group disbanded in early 1999.
His "Freak" |
After the nWo disbanded once again, Steiner became one of the central members of Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff's New Blood faction. On November 26, 2000 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he defeated Booker T to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and in doing so also became a WCW Triple Crown winner. In January 2001, he became the centerpiece of Ric Flair's Magnificent Seven faction. Steiner's feud with Booker T continued several months over several pay-per-views until he lost the WCW World Heavyweight Championship back to Booker on the final episode of Monday Nitro on March 26, 2001 after the company had been purchased by the WWF. Unlike many of his colleagues, Steiner did not join the WWF, instead opting to wait until his contract with AOL Time Warner expired later that year before seeking further employment.
New Tattoo |
Steiner appeared in the television program Charmed on February 1, 2001, playing "Mega Man" in the episode "Wrestling With Demons". He also appeared in the Disney Channel television show The Jersey as himself.
Superstar Billy Graham |
While wrestling Apolo at a TNA house show in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 3, 2007, Steiner sustained a kick to the throat. After he began coughing up blood, he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a torn trachea and given five hours to live. Steiner was put into an induced coma for two days, during which time doctors cut through his ribs and lung and repaired the tear, then began draining fluid from his lungs, a process that lasted two weeks. Unable to fly (because the change in air pressure would have caused his lung to collapse) Steiner eventually left Puerto Rico on a cruise ship and arrived back in the United States one week later.
Steiner's weight gain in the late 1990s led to allegations of steroid abuse, which he denied. Steiner claims that, upon returning to World Wrestling Entertainment in late 2002 he was asked to undergo a steroid test. According to Steiner, he agreed to take the test - on the condition that Triple H take one as well. Steiner claims that WWE never followed through.
Jeff Jarrett & Abyss |
Towards the end of his tenure in World Championship Wrestling, Steiner embarked upon a rivalry with wrestler Diamond Dallas Page after insulting Page's wife Kimberly during an interview. Kimberly had fallen afoul of Steiner after claiming that drug paraphernalia found backstage belonged to Tammy Lynn Sytch, an accusation that, despite Sytch's vehement denial, led to her being released from the promotion soon after. The acrimony between Steiner and Page eventually descended into violence, with the two men engaging in a locker room fight before being separated by other wrestlers. The fight itself lasted less than 30 seconds, and probably closer to 10 seconds, before more than a half-dozen wrestlers intervened and pulled Steiner off of Page. Page was left bloodied and bruised after the ordeal.
Stacy Keibler |
In January 2001, Steiner was arrested after inadvertently assaulting Randall Mankins, an emergency medical technician employed by the Kernersville, North Carolina fire department. As part of an episode of WCW Monday Nitro, an EMT was sent to the ring to tend to Michael Modest and Christopher Daniels, who were selling leg injuries ostensibly inflicted by Steiner. As the EMT entered the ring, Steiner struck him twice. Steiner was arrested for assault the following morning as he tried to board a plane. Charges of assault were later dropped when it was determined that Steiner was not made aware that this EMT was not a paid actor.
Ring Ka King |
In December 2005, Steiner, along with Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell, were removed from a flight from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Winnipeg, Manitoba following a disturbance onboard the plane. The three men were detained for several hours before Steiner and Bagwell were released and permitted to continue on their journey (Luger, however, was held without bail and later charged and jailed). Steiner would later invoke the incident in his in-ring interviews, describing himself as a violent criminal with little regard for the forces of law and order.
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