 Steiner in 2025 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Rechsteiner (1961-03-09)March 9, 1961 (age 64) |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Children | 3, includingBron Breakker |
| Family | Scott Steiner (brother) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Rick Steiner[1] |
| Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 280 lb (127 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Detroit,Michigan[1] |
| Trained by | Brad Rheingans Eddie Sharkey[2] |
| Debut | 1983[2] |
Robert Rechsteiner[2] (born March 9, 1961)[2] is an Americanprofessional wrestler, better known by thering nameRick Steiner.
Steiner is best known for his tenure withWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was aneight timeWorld Tag Team Champion (seven times with his brotherScott as half of theSteiner Brothers, and once withKenny Kaos). In addition to tag team success, he was also aone timeUnited States Heavyweight Champion and athree timeWorld Television Champion. Beyond WCW, Steiner found success inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he and Scott held theIWGP Tag Team Championshiptwice, and theWorld Wrestling Federation (now WWE), where they won theWorld Tag Team Championshiptwice.
Steiner was acollegiate wrestling standout at theUniversity of Michigan, where he placed second at theBig Ten Championships in 1983 for the Wolverines, became an NCAA qualifier, and established the fastest pin record in the school's history at 15 seconds. At the 1983 NCAA tournament, Steiner wrestled against three-time All-American and future National ChampionTab Thacker of North Carolina State.[2] After earning hisbachelor's degree in education,[4] he was introduced to professional wrestling byGeorge "The Animal" Steele and entered pro wrestling immediately out of college.[2]
He initially wrestled under the name Rob Rechsteiner before he took on the simplerring name Rick Steiner. He spent time in theAmerican Wrestling Association,Montreal promotion International Wrestling, and theUniversal Wrestling Federation (UWF). While in the UWF he formed atag team withSting, winning theUWF World Tag Team Championship in 1987. Also in 1987 he wrestled forNew Japan Pro-Wrestling.[5] The UWF was bought out byJim Crockett Jr. in 1988, acquiring much of its roster (including Steiner), for hisNational Wrestling Alliance territory,Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP).[2]
Steiner was a charter member of thefaction known asThe Varsity Club along withMike Rotunda and theirmanagerKevin Sullivan, with the long-term angle being that Rotunda was favored by Sullivan and both of them looked at Steiner as their dull-witted underling. It also started a slow fan favorite turn for Steiner, as he began breaking rules less often and was portrayed as a dim but good-hearted guy who was a villain by association only. Steiner and Rotunda were given a spot at the second ever Clash of the Champions, which took place in Miami on June 8, 1988. The duo faced Jimmy Garvin and Ronnie Garvin in a losing effort. Eventually, this would lead to a breakup and Steiner subsequentlybecame afan favorite before winning theTelevision Championship from Rotunda atStarrcade.
In early 1989, his brother Scott began accompanying him to the ring and eventually, the two formeda tag team. They proved they were a serious tag team by defeating the Freebirds for theWorld Tag Team Championship in November 1989. The pair continued to dominate inWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) (as JCP came to be known following its sale toTurner Broadcasting System), winning multiple championships and making occasional trips toNew Japan Pro-Wrestling.
The two jumped to theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF), WCW's biggest competitor, in December 1992 after then WCW Executive Vice PresidentBill Watts lowballed them on a contract extension and then gave them the option for an early release from their present contracts. They found success there as well, winning theWWF World Tag Team Championship fromMoney Inc. (Ted DiBiase andIrwin R. Schyster) on two occasions.
The Steiners left the WWF in 1994, with Rick stating that he felt thatVince McMahon was not following through with promises made to the team.
After leaving the WWF, Steiner debuted inExtreme Championship Wrestling in April 1995 atThree Way Dance, substituting forSabu in the main event.
The Steiner Brothers reunited in ECW on July 28, 1995, defeatingDudley Dudley andVampire Warrior. A few days later on August 4, they defeated Dudley Dudley and2 Cold Scorpio. The following day, the Steiner Brothers made their debut in theECW Arena atWrestlepalooza, where they teamed withEddie Guerrero in a loss to Scorpio,Dean Malenko, andCactus Jack. On August 25, they defeated Scorpio and Malenko and then Scorpio andChris Benoit the following evening. On August 28, they defeated Dudley Dudley andDances with Dudley.
At Gangstas' Paradise on September 16, 1995, they teamed withTaz in a loss toThe Eliminators (John Kronus andPerry Saturn) andJason. On September 23, they defeatedRaven andStevie Richards. Rick made his final ECW appearance on October 28, teaming with Taz in a loss to The Eliminators in a tag team match.
Steiner made his return toNew Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1991 with Scott. They won theIWGP Tag Team Championship two times. In 1995, the Steiners wrestled for NJPW full-time until going to WCW in March 1996. Rick returned later that year while under contract with WCW withKeiji Muto as a tag team. On May 3, 1997, he teamed with Scott and Muto as they lost toMasahiro Chono andThe Outsiders,Kevin Nash andScott Hall.
On January 4, 2000, Steiner defeatedRandy Savage making it Savage's last singles match.
On the March 11, 1996 episode ofNitro, the Steiner Brothers redebuted inWorld Championship Wrestling in a losing effort toThe Road Warriors.[6] The following week onNitro, the Steiners picked up their first win since returning after they defeatedThe Public Enemy.[7] After brieflyfeuding with both the Warriors and Public Enemy, the Steiners began feuding with theWorld Tag Team ChampionsHarlem Heat. On July 24 at a house show, the Steiner Brothers defeated Harlem Heat to win the World Tag Team Championship, although they re-lost the title to Harlem Heat three days later. The Steiner Brothers then reclaimed the title after defeatingThe Outsiders on January 25, 1997, at Souled Out.[8] Only two days later, they were stripped of the title byEric Bischoff.[8] Rick then facedKevin Nash for the title at Spring Stampede on April 6 due toScott Hallnot appearing, but was unable to win the title back.[9]
In a shocking move during the August 4, 1997 episode ofNitro, the Steiner Brothers introducedTed DiBiase as their new manager (DiBiase was no longer a member of the nWo and had not been seen on TV since April). After starting a winning streak, the Steiner Brothers defeated the Outsiders in a rematch for the World Tag Team Title on August 9 atRoad Wild, but due to winning via disqualification, they did not win the title.[10] On the October 13 episode ofNitro, the Steiner Brothers finally reclaimed the World Tag Team Title after defeating Hall and his substitute tag team partnerSyxx.[11] On the October 27 episode ofNitro, the Steiners successfully retained the title in their first defense against The Public Enemy.[12] After several successful title defenses, they re-lost the title to the Outsiders on the January 12, 1998 episode ofNitro.[13] Nearly a month later, they defeated the Outsiders for the championship on the February 9 episode ofNitro.[14]
During a title defense against the Outsiders duringSuperBrawl VIII on February 22, the Steiner Brothers disbanded when Scottturned on Rick and DiBiase, becoming avillain in the process by allowing the Outsiders to pin Rick and win the World Tag Team Championship.[15] Scott subsequently joined theNew World Order (nWo)faction and beganfeuding with Rick, whilst also trying to get him to join. In addition to Scott, Rick also began feuding with various members of the nWo, facing them in either singles matches or teaming withLex Luger on occasion in tag team matches over the following months, and DiBiase remained in Rick's corner during this stretch. Rick took several months off soon after this due to shoulder surgery caused by an ambush attack from Scott andBrian Adams during the May 4 episode ofNitro.
Scott would talk trash about Rick for months until Rick finally healed and was ready to return for revenge. Upon returning from his injury, Rick was no longer accompanied by DiBiase (Rick made his return to TV during the August 3 episode ofNitro). Rick and Scott were then scheduled for a long-anticipated match atRoad Wild, but the match didn't happen after Scott and Bagwell came out to claim toJ. J. Dillon that Scott could not compete "due to injury". Then, after wrestling to a "no contest" against Scott atFall Brawl on September 13,[16] Rick teamed up with Scott's "former" allyBuff Bagwell to defeat Scott (who was a substitute for Scott Hall) andThe Giant for theWorld Tag Team Championship atHalloween Havoc on October 25 despite Bagwell turning on Rick during the match.[17] Immediately after the tag team match, Rick defeated Scott in a singles match (which included overcoming an ambush attack from Bagwell andStevie Ray.[17]
The next night onNitro, Steiner nominatedKenny Kaos as his new tag team partner to hold the World Tag Team Championship with due to Bagwell turning against him after winning the title atHalloween Havoc the previous night. Later on in the night, Steiner and Kaos successfully retained their title against nWo members The Giant and Stevie Ray.[18] AtWorld War 3 on November 22, Steiner was attacked backstage by nWo Hollywood, who injured his right shoulder. Despite the attack, Rick still made his way to the ring for his scheduled match against Scott, but he clearly wasn't healthy enough to wrestle which led to the match ending in a "no contest" (Rick was further attacked by Scott and Bagwell in the ring beforeGoldberg ran in to make the save). This would be Steiner's last TV appearance for several months. On January 7, 1999, the titles were vacated, with a Tag Team Title tournament beginning that evening on Thunder.
On the March 1, 1999 episode ofNitro, he made his televised return as he and Goldberg defeated Scott and Bagwell.[19] After winning several matches, Steiner became avillain and lost toBooker T in a match for Booker'sWorld Television Championship on the April 12 episode ofNitro.[20] On May 9 atSlamboree, Steiner defeated Booker in a rematch to win the World Television Title.[21] After becoming a villain, Rick reunited with Scott on a few occasions and began feuding withSting, culminating with a successful title defense at The Great American Bash on June 13.[22] After four months as champion, he lost the title toChris Benoit on the September 13 episode ofNitro,[23] before reclaiming it a little over a month later atHalloween Havoc on October 24.[24] AtMayhem, Scott Hall defeated Booker T to retain hisUnited States Heavyweight Championship as well as win Steiner's World Television Championship, which he had to vacate due to being injured.[25]
On December 19 atStarrcade, Steiner reformed the Varsity Club with Mike Rotunda andKevin Sullivan to wrestle aneight-man tag team match withJim Duggan against theRevolution, whom Duggan had been feuding with. However, the Clubturned against Duggan, allowing him to be pinned.[26] After Starrcade, Sullivan left the club as Steiner and Rotunda wrestled as a tag team throughout the rest of 1999 and into March 2000.
After taking a hiatus in late August, Rick returned on the January 15, 2001 episode ofNitro as he helpedKevin Nash fend off Scott after aWorld Heavyweight Championship match, turning Rick into afan favorite again. Two days later onThunder, he made his in-ring return with a victory overKwee Wee.[27] On the February 5 episode ofNitro, Steiner defeatedShane Douglas to win theUnited States Heavyweight Championship.[28] Later that night, he teamed with Nash to face Scott in a handicap match, but turned on Nash and allowed Scott to pick up the victory, thusturning into avillain once more and also joining Scott's groupthe Magnificent Seven.[28] After winning the U.S. Heavyweight Title, Steiner began a brief feud withDustin Rhodes over the title, which culminated atSuperBrawl Revenge with Steiner being victorious in a title match.[29] On March 18 at WCW's finalpay-per-view,Greed, Steiner lost the U.S. Heavyweight Title to Booker T.[30] On the final episode ofThunder on March 21, Steiner wrestled his final match for WCW in a losing effort toHugh Morrus.[31] WCW was bought by theWorld Wrestling Federation only days later and Steiner's contract was not picked up. Rick would not wrestle for a year.
Following WCW's closure, Steiner returned to the ring in February 2002; returning to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He continued to wrestle in local venues and made several appearances, with fellow former WCW superstarBuff Bagwell, around the southeast United States and theindependent circuit. In May 2002 Rick reunited with Scott, since the closing of WCW, and defeatedHiroshi Tanahashi andKensuke Sasaki which was refereed byChyna. In 2002, he also made an appearance inAll Japan Pro Wrestling losing toBill Goldberg. In 2003, he teamed withScott Norton in New Japan.
Rick worked forPro Wrestling Noah from 2004 to 2005.[32]
On January 4, 2008, the Steiners lost toGiant Bernard andTravis Tomko for New Japan at the Tokyo Dome.
The brothers reunited for theWrestling Fan Xperince inWinnipeg,Manitoba to defeatBuff Bagwell and G-Man on December 6, 2005. On June 2, 2006, Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner) defeated Elvis Elliot and Original Sinn (Sinn Bodhi) at a UCW wrestling show at Bay City Western High School in Auburn, Michigan entitled "Steiner Brothers Return Home." They went toUnited Wrestling Federation inWilson, North Carolina, to defeat the team ofMatt Bentley and Frankie Kazarian. They also defeated Team 3D the next night inWilmington, North Carolina. On December 9, 2006, the Steiners won theNWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship.
He then debuted forTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling during the promotion's debut show on June 19, 2002, where he participated in the 20-ManGauntlet for the Gold match to determine a winner for the vacantNWA World Heavyweight Championship, which was ultimately won byKen Shamrock. Steiner made a one-night return to TNA in October 2003, brawling withJeff Jarrett. On the May 4, 2006 episode ofImpact!, he returned as a possible partner forSting at the pay-per-viewSacrifice. He made a second appearance on May 11 in a similar role.
In 2007, Rick and Scott reunited atSacrifice after Scott andTomko lost aWorld Tag Team Championship match, leading to the Steiners attacking Tomko. On the episode ofImpact! following Sacrifice, the Steiners busted down the door toJim Cornette's office and asked for Cornette to haveTeam 3D meet them in the ring the next week for an opportunity at the World Tag Team Title. However, the match never transpired due to Scott needing emergency surgery after damaging his trachea during a match in Puerto Rico. Scott was then replaced byRoad Warrior Animal atSlammiversary, where Rick and Animal lost to Team 3D for the World Tag Team Title.[32]
AtVictory Road, he interfered in the Match of Champions by attacking the referee duringBrother Devon's pinfall attempt onKurt Angle. A month later atHard Justice, Scott returned to the ring following his recovery and the reunited Steiners defeated Team 3D, beginning afeud with Team 3D.[32] In retaliation to their loss, Team 3D attacked the Steiners, ending with Rick beingpowerbombed through a table.
The Steiners returned to TNA in late September to challenge Team 3D in atwo out of three fallstables match atBound for Glory. Team 3D won the first fall after performing the3D on Rick through a table. However, Brother Ray would take the first loss for his team after Scott performed thefrankensteiner on him through a table. The deciding fall came when Scott lifted Ray on his shoulders and Rick performed his signature diving bulldog on Ray through a table, securing the win for the Steiners.[32] On January 29, 2008, Rick Steiner was released due to budget cuts, splitting up the brothers once again.
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After being released from TNA, Rick would continue to go on his own. On August 9, 2008, he lost toBobby Eaton at Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. In 2009, Rick continued teaming with Scott. Rick wrestled for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from 2010 to 2011. On May 31, 2013, the Steiner Brothers won the Preston City Wrestling Tag Team Championships before losing it the following day. On June 23, the Steiner Brothers defeated Eddie Kingston and Homicide at the House of Hardcore 2 event.
On November 5, 2016, Rick lost to GNW Canadian Heavyweight ChampionDevon Nicholson for Great North Wrestling in Hawkesbury, Ontario. He made a return to Japan on September 19, 2019, for Tokyo Championship Wrestling teaming withKazushi Miyamoto defeating Elliot Russell and Sigmon. This would be Steiner's last match to date.
AtNXT New Year's Evil, Rick appeared in the now renamed WWE in what is his first appearance since 1994, celebrated his son,Bron Breakker's firstNXT Championship win overTommaso Ciampa.[33] Rick and Scott Steiner were inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2022.[34] A few days later, at the end of the April 5 episode ofNXT after Breakker retained the title, Rick was kidnapped byJoe Gacy andHarland, locked up and tied inside a cage.[35]
Steiner has three sons: Hudson, Maveric, andBronson.[4] In 2020, Bronson signed with theNational Football League'sBaltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie,[36] and in 2021, signed a professional wrestling contract withWWE and currently performs on theRawbrand under the ring name Bron Breakker.[37]
In mid-2004, Steiner began sellingreal estate. He is currently with Rick Steiner and Associates at Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage in the North Metro Atlanta area.
He is also a school board member of theCherokee County School District.[4] He was disqualified from entering theRepublican primary for the 2006 term, due to using the Steiner name rather than his legal name. Steiner could have re-run for Republican party nomination had he presented a petition calling for this with 4,500 signatures; however, he was unable to do so. Consequently, Steiner ran unopposed as a write-in candidate in November 2006 and won the seat on the board for District 4. As of January 2025, he is still an elected member of the board, representing the county's District 4.[38] His current term of office ends in 2026.[39]
On March 31, 2023,Impact wrestlerGisele Shaw accused Steiner in a tweet of yelling transphobic comments directed at her and a homophobic slur at one of her peers atWrestleCon.[40][41] Professional wrestling referee Daniel Spencer stated on Twitter that he witnessed the incident, giving his support for Shaw.[42] On April 1, WrestleCon organizers subsequently banned Steiner from the rest of convention's events for 2023.[43][44]
Triple H – whose real name is Paul Levesque – also casually namedropped the signing of Bronson Rechsteiner, whose father is wrestler legend Rick Steiner.
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