"Dr. Death" Steve Williams

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Lakewood, Colorado, United States

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Denver, Colorado, United States

**Steven "Steve" Williams** (May 14, 1960 – December 29, 2009), better known by his ring name **"Dr. Death" Steve Williams**, was an American professional wrestler, author and former star of collegiate football and wrestling at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Death was a three-time world heavyweight champion, having won the UWF World Heavyweight Championship twice and the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship once. In addition to his singles success, Dr. Death Steve Williams achieved notoriety in Japan in tag team competition, winning the World Tag Team Championship eight times with notable tag team partners Terry Gordy, Gary Albright, Vader, and Johnny Ace. He also achieved great tag team success in North America, winning tag team titles in the Mid-South, World Championship Wrestling, UWF and NWA United States Tag Team Championship as well as winning the World's Strongest Tag Determination League twice with Gordy and Mike Rotunda.

## Early life

Williams attended Lakewood High School in Colorado, graduating in 1978. He was on the track team, played football, and wrestled all four years. Williams graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1981 after a football career that saw him named an All-American. He also competed as an amateur wrestler, where he was a four time All American, finishing 6th as a freshman, 5th as a sophomore, 3rd as a junior and 2nd as a senior. His senior year he lost in the finals of an NCAA tournament to future Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner. Already interested in professional wrestling, Williams had a ready-made nickname that dated back to an incident in junior high wherein he had to wrestle in a hockey goalie's mask and was jokingly labeled "Dr. Death" by one of his school's coaches.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early years (1982–1987)

Williams, trained for professional wrestling by Bill Watts and Buddy Landel, started wrestling in 1982 in Watts' Mid-South Wrestling. In 1985, he formed a team with Ted DiBiase and feuded with Eddie Gilbert and The Nightmare. In 1986, Mid-South was renamed the Universal Wrestling Federation and Williams went on to win the UWF Heavyweight Championship from Big Bubba Rogers. When Jim Crockett Promotions bought the UWF in late 1987, he was one of the few UWF wrestlers to receive an initial push in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

### Japan (1990–2000)

During the 1990s, Williams continued to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling and became a main eventer for the company, making him one of the most successful foreign athletes in Japanese wrestling history. On July 28, 1994, he defeated Mitsuharu Misawa for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, holding it for three months before dropping it to Toshiaki Kawada.

### Cancer, return to wrestling, and retirement (2004–2009)

In 2004, Williams underwent surgery for throat cancer and was declared cancer-free the next year.

After the death of longtime rival and friend Mitsuharu Misawa in June 2009, Williams made the decision to retire from wrestling after 27 years. Williams's final American match took place August 15 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for Asylum Championship Wrestling. He defeated Franco D'Angelo for the ACW Heavyweight Championship, which he vacated after the match. His final match was held on October 25 in Tokyo.

## Books

Steve Williams: *How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life* Sports Publishing LLC

## Death

The throat cancer eventually returned and Williams's health gradually worsened. His last public appearance was at the K&S Wrestlefest Wrestling Convention on December 12, 2009, in Carteret, New Jersey. On December 29, 2009, Williams died at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver from throat cancer. He was 49 years old.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Backdrop Driver* (Spike belly to back suplex)
	+ *Doctor Bomb* (Gutwrench powerbomb)
	+ *Oklahoma Stampede* – Innovated
* **Signature moves**
	+ Belly to belly superplex
	+ Corner clothesline
	+ Front powerslam
	+ Military press slam
	+ Scoop powerslam
	+ Short-arm clothesline
	+ Spinning toe hold
	+ Three-point stance tackle
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Dr. Death"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "I Love It Loud" by KISS (AJPW)
	+ "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen (NJPW)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ World Tag Team Championship (8 times) – with Terry Gordy (5), Gary Albright (1), Vader (1) and Johnny Ace (1)
	+ World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1990, 1991) – with Terry Gordy
	+ World's Strongest Tag Determination League (2000) – Mike Rotunda
	+ January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (1995, 2000)
* **International Wrestling Association of Japan**
	+ IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ryo Miyake
* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**
	+ PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1985)
	+ PWI Tag Team of the Year (1992) with Terry Gordy
	+ PWI ranked him #**8** of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1991.
	+ PWI ranked him #**78** of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
* **Pro Wrestling This Week**
	+ Wrestler of the Week (July 19–25, 1987)
* **Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards**
	+ 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Kenta Kobashi on August 31
	+ 5 Star Match (1995) with Johnny Ace vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi on March 4
	+ 5 Star Match (1996) with Johnny Ace vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on June 7 in Tokyo, Japan
	+ Match of the Year (1996) with Johnny Ace vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on June 7 in Tokyo, Japan
	+ Most Improved (1985)
	+ Rookie of the Year (1982)
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1992) with Terry Gordy
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2011)

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Dr. Death" Steve Williams . *WWE.com*. WWE. Retrieved on 2015-03-06.
2. ↑ Wrestling legend Steve Williams passes away. . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online. Retrieved on 2009-12-30.
3. ↑ Schramm, Chris. "Dr. Death" Steve Williams dead at 49 . Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on 2010-11-17. Retrieved on 2010-11-17.
4. ↑ Gerweck, Steve 2009-12-30. Dr. Death Steve Williams passes away . Wrestle View. Retrieved on 2009-12-30.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Nitro report on December 6, 1999 .
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Nitro report on November 29, 1999 .
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Starrcade report on December 19, 1999 .
8. ↑ Thunder report on December 2, 1999 .
9. ↑ AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Title history] At wrestling-titles.com
10. ↑ AJPW World Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
11. ↑ http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/alljap/ajtourn.htm
12. ↑ IWA World Tag Team Title (IWA Japan) history At wrestling-titles.com
13. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2010-09-15.
14. ↑ Pedicino, Joe; Solie, Gordon (hosts) (July 25, 1987). "Pro Wrestling This Week". *Superstars of Wrestling*. Atlanta, Georgia. Syndicated. WATL.
15. ↑ Meltzer, Dave 2011-10-20. Thurs. update: Brisco, GSP updates, Hall feature, WWE drops announcer, TV show looks to be canceled . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2011-10-21.