Rick Steiner

At 63 years old, Rick Steiner has this physical status:

Professional wrestling career

He began wrestling under the name Rob Rechsteiner before he adopted the simpler ring name Rick Steiner. He served with the American Wrestling Association, Montreal's Promotional Wrestling Federation, and the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF). When he was in the UWF, he formed a tag team with Sting, winning the UWF World Tag Team Championship in 1987. He also competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1987. Jim Crockett Jr. bought the UWF out of 1988, acquiring a majority of the team's roster, including Steiner, for his National Wrestling Alliance territory, Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP).

Steiner, a charter member of The Varsity Club, worked with Mike Rotunda and their boss Kevin Sullivan, with the long-term view being that Rotunda was favoured by Sullivan, and both of them marveled at Steiner as their dull-witted underling. Steiner's slow fan favorite turn came as he began breaking rules less often and was depicted as a dim but good-hearted guy who was a villain by association. On June 8, 1988, Steiner and Rotunda were granted a spot in the second ever Clash of Champions, which took place in Miami. In a losing effort, the pair faced Jimmy Garvin and Ronnie Garvin. This would lead to a breakup, and Steiner became a fan favorite until winning the Television Championship from Rotunda at Starrcade.

His brother Scott began accompanying him to the ring in early 1989, and eventually, the two teams formed a tag team. By defeating the Freebirds for the World Tag Team Championship in November 1989, they established themselves as a top tag team. The pair continued to dominate in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) (as JCP became well-known after it was sold to Turner Broadcasting System), winning numerous titles and visiting New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

After then WCW Executive Vice President Bill Watts lowballed them on a wage increase and gave them the option to be released early from their existing contracts, the two jumped to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the WCW's top competitor. They had success there as well as winning the WWF World Tag Team Championship from Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) on two occasions.

In 1994, the Steiners left the WWF, with Rick saying that Vince McMahon was not following through with promises made to the team.

Steiner made his début in Extreme Championship Wrestling in April 1995 at Three Way Dance, swapping for Sabu in the main event.

The Steiner Brothers resurfaced in ECW on July 28, 1995, defeating Dudley Dudley and Vampire Warrior. They defeated Dudley Dudley and 2 Cold Scorpio a few days later on August 4. The Steiner Brothers made their ECW Arena debut at Wrestlepalooza, where they joined Eddie Guerrero and Eddie Guerrero in a loss to Scorpio and Cactus Jack. They defeated Scorpio and Malenko on August 25, then Scorpio and Chris Benoit the following evening. Dudley defeated Dudley Dudley and Dances on August 28, defeating them on August 28.

They partnered with Taz in a loss to The Eliminators (John Kronus and Perry Saturn) and Jason at Gangstas' Paradise on September 16, 1995. They defeated Raven and Stevie Richards on September 23, a record setback. On October 28, Rick was at his final ECW appearance after being teamed with Taz in a loss to The Eliminators in a tag team match.

Steiner was recalled with Scott in 1991 as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. They've won the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice before. The Steiners wrestled for NJPW full time before returning to WCW in March 1996. Rick returned to WCW as a member of Keiji Muto later this year. As they lost to Masahiro Chono and The Outsiders, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, he teamed with Scott and Muto on May 3, 1997.

Steiner defeated Randy Savage at the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2000. This will be Savage's last match for a few years.

The Steiner Brothers made their World Championship Wrestling debut on March 11, 1996 in a losing effort to The Road Warriors. The Steiners won their first match since returning from defeating The Public Enemy last week. The Steiners began fighting with the World Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat after briefly clashing with both the Warriors and Public Enemy. The Steiner Brothers defeated Harlem Heat to win the World Tag Team Championship on July 24, but they lost the title to Harlem Heat three days later. The Steiner Brothers regained the title after defeating The Outsiders at Souled Out on January 25, 1997. They were stripped of their position by Eric Bischoff only two days later. Rick then met Kevin Nash for the title at Spring Stampede on April 6, but he was unable to win the title back.

Ted DiBiase, the Steiner Brothers' new manager, made a shocking appearance on Nitro on August 4, 1997 (DiBiase was no longer a member of the nWo and had not been seen on television since April). The Steiner Brothers defeated the Outsiders in a rematch for the World Tag Team Championship on August 9 at Road Wild, but they did not win the tournament due to disqualification. After losing to Hall and his replacement tag team partner Syxx, the Steiner Brothers finally regained the World Tag Team Championship on the October 13 episode of Nitro. In their first defense against The Public Enemy, the Steiners successfully retained the title on October 27 in their first defense against The Public Enemie. They re-lost the title to the Outsiders on January 12, 1998, during several successful title defenses. They defeated the Outsiders for the championship on February 9 episode of Nitro, almost a month later.

The Steiner Brothers disbanded during SuperBrawl VIII, becoming a villain in the process by allowing the Outsiders to pin Rick and claim the World Tag Team Championship. Scott migrated to the New World Order (nWo) faction later in the decade, while still trying to convince him to join. Rick began feuding with certain nWo players or teaming with Lex Luger on occasion in tag team matches over the next months, but DiBiase stayed in Rick's corner during this stretch. During the May 4 episode of Nitro, Rick took several months off shortly after this due to shoulder surgery triggered by an ambush assault from Scott and Brian Adams.

Scott would continue to complain about Rick for months until he recovered and was ready to return for revenge. Rick was no longer joined by DiBiase after recovering from his injury (Rick returned to television after being wounded in the August 3 episode of Nitro). Rick and Scott were then scheduled for a long-anticipated match at Road Wild, but the match didn't take place after Scott and Bagwell announced to J. J. Dillon that Scott could not participate "due to injury." Despite Bagwell's turning on Rick during the match, the pair teamed up against Scott on September 13, beating him to a "no contest" against Scott at Fall Brawl on September 13. Rick defeated Scott in a singles match that included overcoming an ambush attack from Bagwell and Stevie Ray right after the tag team match.

Kenny Kaos was named as his new tag team buddy for the World Tag Team Championship next night by Steiner after winning the title at Halloween Havoc the previous night. Steiner and Kaos also maintained their position against nWo members The Giant and Stevie Ray later in the night. Steiner was assaulted backstage by nWo Hollywood, who injurred his right shoulder at World War 3. Despite the assault, Rick made his way to the ring for his match against Scott but he wasn't exactly fit to wrestle, resulting in the match being called a "no contest" (Rick was blasted by Scott and Bagwell in the ring before Goldberg came to save the fight). This will be Steiner's last TV appearance for several months. The titles were vacated on January 7, 1999, with a Tag Team Championship tournament launching on Thunder that evening.

On the March 1, 1999 episode of Nitro, he made his television return as he and Goldberg defeated Scott and Bagwell. Steiner became a villain after winning multiple matches and losing to Booker T in a match for the Booker's World Television Championship on April 12th. Steiner defeated Booker in a rematch for the World Television Championship on May 9 in Slamboree. Rick reunited with Scott on a few occasions and began feuding with Sting, culminating in a fruitful title defense at The Great American Bash on June 13. After four months as champion, he lost the title to Chris Benoit on the September 13 episode of Nitro before reclaiming it a little more than a month later at Halloween Havoc on October 24. Scott Hall won the World Television Championship in Mayhem, as well as win Steiner's World Television Championship, which he had to abandon due to being injured.

On December 19 at Starrcade, Steiner reformed the Varsity Club with Mike Rotunda and Kevin Sullivan to face Jim Duggan in an eight-man tag team match against the Revolution, who Duggan had been feuding with. However, the club retaliated against Duggan, allowing him to be pinned. Sullivan left the team after Starrcade as Steiner and Rotunda competed as a tag team for the remainder of 1999 and 2000.

Rick returned to Nitro on January 15, 2001 as he helped Kevin Nash beat Scott during a World Heavyweight Championship match, turning him into a fan favorite once more. Thunder defeated Kwee Wee two days later, proving his in-ring return for the first time. Steiner defeated Shane Douglas to win the United States Heavyweight Championship on February 5 on episode of Nitro. He joined Nash in a handicap match against Scott later that night, but Nash beat him to death, making Scott win, making him a criminal once more and also joining Scott's team the Magnificent Seven. Steiner began a brief feud with Dustin Rhodes over the title that culminated in SuperBrawl Revenge, with Steiner triumphant in a title match. Greed, Steiner, who lost the US Heavyweight Championship to Booker T. on March 19, Steiner's last match for WCW in a losing bid to Hugh Morrus. The World Wrestling Federation acquired WCW only days later, but Steiner's deal was not confirmed. Rick will not wrestle for a year.

Steiner returned to the ring in February 2002, first to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, following WCW's dissolution. He continued to wrestle in local venues and made several appearances with fellow WCW superstar Buff Bagwell, both around the southeast United States and the independent circuit. Rick returned to Scott in May 2002, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kensuke Sasaki, who had been refereed by Chyna. In 2002, he appeared in All Japan Pro Wrestling losing to Bill Goldberg. In 2003, he joined Scott Norton in New Japan.

Rick appeared on Pro Wrestling Noah from 2004 to 2005.

At the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2008, the Steiners defeated Giant Bernard and Travis Tomko for New Japan.

The brothers reunited in Winnipeg, Manitoba, defeating Buff Bagwell and G-Man on December 6, 2005. Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner) defeated Elvis Elliot & Original Sinn (Sinn Bodhi) at a UCW wrestling show at Bay City Western High School in Auburn, Michigan, on June 2, 2006. They defeated Matt Bentley and Frankie Kazarian's team in Wilson, North Carolina, in the United Wrestling Federation. They also defeated Team 3D in Wilmington, North Carolina, the next night. The Steiners won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship on December 9, 2006, beating the Niles.

He then appeared for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling during the show's debut on June 19, 2002, where he competed in the 20-Man Gauntlet for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which was ultimately won by Ken Shamrock. In October 2003, Steiner returned to TNA, brawling with Jeff Jarr. He appeared on Impact!'s May 4, 2006 episode as a potential collaborator for Sting at the pay-per-view Sacrifice. On May 11, he made a second appearance in a similar capacity.

Rick and Scott reunited at Sacrifice in 2007, following Scott and Tomko's disqualification of a World Tag Team Championship match, which culminated in the Steiners' assault on Tomko.

On the episode of Impact!

Following Sacrifice, the Steiners smuggishly walked down Jim Cornette's office and begged for Cornette to meet Team 3D in the ring next week for a chance to compete for the World Tag Team Championship. Nevertheless, the match never happened due to Scott's need for emergency surgery after destroying his trachea during a match in Puerto Rico. Scott was then sent by Road Warrior Animals in Slammiversary, where Rick and Animal lost to Team 3D for the World Tag Team Championship.

He interfered in the Match of Champions by assaulting the referee during Brother Devon's pinfall attempt on Kurt Angle at Victory Road. Scott returned to the ring a month after his recovery, and the reunited Steiners defeated Team 3D, sparking a rivalry with Team 3D. Team 3D responded to the Steiners' demise, with Rick being powerbombed through a table.

In late September, the Steiners returned to TNA to face Team 3D in a two-out-of-three falls tables match at Bound for Glory. After doing the 3D on Rick through a table, Team 3D won the first fall. However, Brother Ray will suffer his first loss for his team after Scott played the frankensteiner on a table. Scott pulled Ray off his shoulders and Rick demonstrated his signature diving bulldog on Ray through a table, securing the Steiners' victory. Rick Steiner was released due to budget cuts on January 29, 2008, splitting up the brothers once more.

Rick would continue to go on his own after being released from TNA. He lost at Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling to Bobby Eaton on August 9, 2008. Rick and Scott were still working together in 2009, but it was not until then that they became a team. Rick fought for the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from 2010 to 2011. The Steiner Brothers won the Preston City Wrestling Tag Team Championships on May 31, 2013 before losing it the next day. At the House of Hardcore 2 event on June 23, the Steiner Brothers defeated Eddie Kingston and Homicide.

In Hawkesbury, Ontario, Rick lost to GNW Heavyweight Champion Devon Nicholson on November 5, 2016. With Kazushi Miyamoto defeating Elliot Russell and Sigmon, he returned to Japan on September 19, 2019.

Rick appeared in the now-called World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in his first appearance since 1994, honoring his son, Bron Breakker's first NXT Championship victory over Tommaso Ciampa. On April 1, 2022, Rick and Scott Steiner were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Rick was kidnapped by Joe Gacy and Harland a few days later, tied inside a cage after his son Bron retained the title.

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