Steiner Brothers

The Steiner Brothers were the tag team of brothers Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner. The team debuted in 1989 and competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. After breaking up in 1998, the brothers began teaming together again on the independent circuit in the early 2000s and in May 2007 they were reunited in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
==History==
===National Wrestling Alliance/World Championship Wrestling (1989-1992)===
On November 1, 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, the Steiner Brothers defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael P.S. Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. They held the titles until May 19, 1990, when they were defeated by Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons) in Washington, D.C. at NWA Capital Combat.
The Steiners defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) for the NWA United States Tag Team Championship on August 24, 1990 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. During their title reign, World Championship Wrestling withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance, and the title was renamed the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. Upon winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship on February 18, 1991, the Steiners vacated the WCW United States Tag Team Championship on February 20, 1991. They were the second team ever to hold both the WCW World and United States Tag Team titles at once (The Midnight Express tandem of Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane were the first team to accomplish that feat in September 1988). After the Steiners won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki on March 21, 1991, WCW announcers began referring to them as "Triple Crown Champions".
At the same time, Scott was being groomed as a singles performer. On WCW's weekend TBS shows (WCW Power Hour, WCW Saturday Night, and WCW Main Event), there was a special "gauntlet" match segment where a performer was picked to wrestle a top star on each show on that weekend, winning the sum of $10,000 (kayfabe) if they defeated all three. Scott was the first announced to run the gauntlet with his first opponent being Ric Flair. By way of backfiring interference by the Four Horsemen, Steiner beat Flair by pinfall. He would then get a title match against Flair at Clash of the Champions XIV: Dixie Dynamite on January 30, 1991, which ended in a time limit draw. Scott would go on to win the WCW World Television Championship from Ricky Steamboat on September 29, 1992, and began teasing a heel turn, which was aborted upon the Steiner Brothers leaving WCW for the World Wrestling Federation after being lowballed on their contract renewal by then-WCW head Bill Watts.
===World Wrestling Federation (1992-1994)===
The Steiners left WCW in November 1992, with Scott vacating the WCW World Television Championship. They quickly signed contracts with the World Wrestling Federation making their televised debut as babyfaces 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 & Beau). At WrestleMania IX on April 4, 1993, the Steiner Brothers defeated The Headshrinkers (Samu & Fatu).
Following WrestleMania IX, the Steiners began feuding with Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster). At King of the Ring on June 13, 1993, the Steiners and The Smokin' Gunns (Billy Gunn & Bart Gunn) defeated The Headshrinkers and Money, Inc. The following evening, on the June 14, 1993 episode of RAW, the Steiners defeated Money, Inc. for the WWF Tag Team Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Money, Inc. regained the titles on June 16, 1993 at a house show in Rockford, Illinois, but lost the titles to the Steiners once again at another house show on June 19, 1993 in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Steiners successfully defended their titles against the Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray) on August 30, 1993 at SummerSlam. On the September 13, 1993 episode of RAW in New York City, New York, the Steiners defended their titles against The Quebecers (Jacques & Pierre) in a "Province of Quebec rules" match, wherein titles can change hands via disqualification. The match ended when the manager of The Quebecers, Johnny Polo, threw a hockey stick into the ring, which was caught by Scott. When the referee saw Scott holding the illegal weapon, he disqualified the Steiner Brothers, thus awarding the title to The Quebecers. Scott gained a measure of revenge by defeating Pierre in a singles match the following week on RAW.
At the 1993 Survivor Series on November 24, 1993, the Steiners teamed with Lex Luger and The Undertaker as "The All-Americans". The All-Americans defeated their opponents, "The Foreign Fanatics" (Yokozuna, Crush, Ludvig Borga and Jacques), although Luger was the sole survivor.
On January 22, 1994, both Steiners entered the 1994 Royal Rumble, with Scott entering at number one. After Rick entered at number three, the brothers cooperated until being eliminated by Owen Hart and Diesel respectively. The Steiners had incurred the ire of the WWF booking team by refusing to fight one another during the Royal Rumble, and they left the promotion in mid-1994.
===Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995)===
The Steiners debuted in Extreme Championship Wrestling on July 28, 1995 in the Orange County Fairgrounds in Middletown, New York, defeating Dudley Dudley and Vampire Warrior. They next appeared with ECW in The Flagstaff on August 4, 1995 in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, defeating Dudley Dudley and 2 Cold Scorpio. The Steiner Brothers made their debut in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ECW Arena on August 5, 1995 at Wrestlepalooza 1995, teaming with Eddie Guerrero in a loss to Scorpio, Dean Malenko and Cactus Jack. On August 25, 1995 in Jim Thorpe they defeated Scorpio and Malenko, and they went on to defeat Scorpio and Chris Benoit the following evening. On August 28, 1995, they defeated Dudley Dudley and Dances With Dudley in the Big Apple Dinner Theater in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
At Gangstas' Paradise on September 16, 1995, the Steiners joined forces with Taz in a loss to The Eliminators (John Kronus & Perry Saturn) and Jason. On September 23, 1995 in Middletown, they defeated Raven & Stevie Richards. Scott made one more appearance (teaming with Taz in a losing effort against The Eliminators on October 28, 1995) before the brothers departed from ECW.
===World Championship Wrestling (1996-1998)===
The Steiners re-signed with WCW in 1996. They won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) on July 24, 1996, but Harlem Heat would regain the title just three days later. Following the formation of the New World Order (nWo), the Steiners began feuding with The Outsiders (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) who had won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Harlem Heat.
===Separation and beyond (1997-1998)===
The beginning of Scott's heel turn began in late 1997/early 1998 when he, now with increased muscle mass, having cut his signature long hair, and sporting a goatee, started a feud with Buff Bagwell over who had the better physique. Scott finalized his heel turn and joined the nWo at SuperBrawl VIII on February 22, 1998, by attacking Rick while they were defending the WCW World Tag Team Championship against The Outsiders; Steiner's heel turn enabled the Outsiders to regain the championship. 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.
The two brothers had a feud that also involved Scott's new partner Buff Bagwell, while Rick teamed with a variety of partners including Lex Luger and Bagwell's mother Judy.
Shortly before WCW's demise, the Steiners reunited, not so much as a tag-team but they were both heels who watched each other's backs. When WCW finally closed, the two went their separate ways again.
It is very safe to say that the Steiner Brothers are highly regarded as one of the greatest tag-teams of all time in professional wrestling.
===A Reunion (2006-2008)===
The duo would then reunite for the United Wrestling Federation in Wilson, NC. They reunited to defeat the tag-team of Matt Bentley & Frankie Kazarian.They would also go on to defeat Team 3D the very next night in Wilmington, NC. On December 9, 2006 they won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship.
===Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007-2008)===
At the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view Sacrifice, Scott Steiner teamed with Tomko in a Triple Threat Tag Team match. They lost the match and the miscommunication between Steiner and Tomko led Tomko to attack Steiner following the match. Rick Steiner made his return and fought off Tomko, thus reuniting the Steiner Brothers. They were set to face Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon) at Slammiversary for the TNA World Tag Team Championship however an injury to Scott's trachea in Puerto Rico put the match in question, until he was replaced by longtime rival Road Warrior Animal. While Scott was out for his injury, Team 3D developed into arrogant heel characters, demanding his return and teasing his near-death injury. The duo then appeared and attacked Team 3D at Victory Road, costing them the TNA World Tag Team Championship. The return of the Steiner Brothers involved Scott and Rick becoming face, completing a full circle of development for the team.
At Hard Justice, the Steiner Brothers defeated Team 3D.
On the August 16 edition of iMPACT!, the Steiner brothers lost in a Handicap match to Kurt Angle after interference from Team 3D, heating up their feud.
At Bound For Glory the Steiner brothers defeated Team 3D in a two out of three falls table match. After that Rick Steiner had got an a release from TNA due to budget cuts. Scott continued to wrestle for TNA until the end of 2009.
==Wrestling facts==
*Finishing and signature moves
:*Super Steiner Drop / Steinerizer (Scott lifts the opponent up and Rick performs the diving bulldog)
:*Steiner DDT (Rick lifts the opponent up and Scott performs the DDT)
:*Steiner Device (Rick holds the opponent in an electric chair hold while Scott hits a flying clothesline)
*Rick Steiners finishing and signature moves
:*Steiner Drop (Diving bulldog)
:*Steiner Driver (Death Valley driver)
*Scott Steiners finishing and signature moves
:*Steiner Recliner
:*Frankensteiner
*Managers
:*Ted DiBiase
:*Robin Green
*Theme music
:*"Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer (WCW)
:*"University of Michigan Fight Song" (WWF)
==Championships and accomplishments==
*National Wrestling Alliance
:*NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
*New Japan Pro Wrestling
:*IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times)
*Pro Wrestling America
:*PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
*World Championship Wrestling
:*WCW World Tag Team Championship (6 times)
*World Wrestling Federation
:*WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times)
==External links==
* Steiner Brothers profile at CAGEMATCH.net
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Category:WWE World Tag Team Champions
Category:WCW World Tag Team Champions
Category:Extreme Championship Wrestling alumni
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Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni
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Category:WWE Hall of Fame inductees