Unpopular opinion.

[Vastardikai]

Rick Steiner is incredibly underrated. Criminally so, especially by workrate marks. How bad is it, you ask? Here goes.

Folks think that the only UWF guy who made anything of himself after the Jim Crockett sale was Sting. That wasn't true. Rick Steiner was almost as big of a star as Sting was. Sting was Flair's pet project. Rick was Kevin Sullivan's.

He was a member of the Varsity Club, a team that inspired several knock-offs. The only one that was better was the Steiner Brothers with his brother Scott. The abuse Rick suffered at the hands of Kevin and company made him incredibly sympathetic. He turned face in a match with the Fantastics, and they almost disappeared in the aftermath. His leaving the Varsity Club made him for years.

Workrate Marks think that Scott was the only reason why they got over, with his freakish strength and athleticism. Rick would get a bigger reaction for years just by barking and jogging around the ring, living his best life. For 5 years, Scott needed Rick much more than the other way around.

Rick also had one of the best clotheslines in the business. His Steiner-line looked good, and was devastating. Just ask Chris Champion.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'm not sure how unpopular that will be. I think the general consensus is that Rick Steiner was extremely valuable as himself and in the Steiner Brothers until it became time for Scot to eventually outgrow that team. Then he stuck around and stunk up the joint in WCW.

[Bad News Gertner]

Rick Steiner in the Varsity Club as the lovable dim witted oaf was incredible. Such a sympathetic baby face which was incredible considering how big Rick was.

I HATED his face run after Scott turned on him. Oddly entertaining in late 2000/early 2001 WCW. Like when he decided to shoot on Konnan during a match.

[Fignuts]

Scott could pull some cool stuff off like the moonsault powerslam and top rope frankensteiner, but I always considered Rick the better worker.

[Bad News Gertner]

I agree

[Mr. Nerfect]

I remember getting WCW PPV rentals back when Blockbuster and the like were a thing. Rick Steiner stunk the fuck out of late 90's PPVs, haha.

[Evil Vito]

I remember Steiner winning the tag titles in a handicap match and then randomly picking Kenny Kaos as his tag partner lol

[Seanny One Ball]

Rick Steiner was always my favourite of the two.
I don't think Scott Steiner will live as long as Rick.

[Evil Vito]

Probably not seeing as Scott has collapsed a few times in recent years.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Yeah, Rick was always the more over one until injuries caught up and Scott needed to spread his wings. I think his decline was so bad and the Attitude generation obviously didn't really see much older school Rick.

[Evil Vito]

Remember booking the Invasion angle in EWR but actually brought in most of the WCW contracts from the onset. Ended up with the Brothers of Destruction facing the Steiners at some point.

Surely must've been better than the fucking Kronik match.

[Seanny One Ball]

Probably not seeing as Scott has collapsed a few times in recent years.


He looks like a huge bag of onions with a head on top.

[Seanny One Ball]

And he wrestles half as well

[Seanny One Ball]

Did Scott Steiner name or invent the tilt a whirl slam?

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Remember when they were building to the big blowoff match between Rick and Scott at Halloween Havoc and they had Rick do an interview where he got interrupted by Chucky the doll from Child’s Play who cut a better promo than Rick

[Lock Jaw]

Yeah. Was honestly gonna post that clip earlier, but then didn't.

[Vastardikai]

I say that because a lot of folks don't get the Dog Faced Gremlin.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Obligatory mention of The Steiners vs Heavenly Bodies from SummerSlam ‘93.

[Seanny One Ball]

I watched Steiner's Vs Hase & Sasaki again because of this thread.
Love the moustaches.

[#1-norm-fan]

The Steiners are my favorite tag team ever. Steiners vs Gordy and Williams is better than sex. Though to be fair, I’m getting old and that analogy is less impactful because sex is “meh”.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Digging the Steiner recommendations.

Rick Steiner was so bad in late WCW, and Scott in the WWE, that I think it actually soured me on The Steiner Brothers in general for a long time, haha.

[Seanny One Ball]

The match I mentioned was on The Japan Supershow in 91.

Lots of power moves.
They are basically throwing each other about for 12 minutes until someone can't quite get up fast enough.

Very fun match, especially since everyone was roughly the same size so they could all do their shit on each other.

[xrodmuc316]

I don't think it's a fair comparison. He may have just been as good as Scott, but he doesn't have a 20 year singles career. It's the same with Stevie Ray. I think both older brothers were booked as equals during their tag team runs, but neither of the older brothers did much as singles wrestlers.

[#1-norm-fan]

Very fun match, especially since everyone was roughly the same size so they could all do their shit on each other.

Also why their matches with Gordy and Williams were so good.

[Seanny One Ball]

What?!

Gordy and Williams outweighed them by at least 100 lbs

[Seanny One Ball]

Apparently I am DEAD WRONG about this.

Their weights supposedly were similar.
I honestly don't remember it like that.

[Seanny One Ball]

I feel bad for being so sure about that.

[Vastardikai]

Don't be. Muscle weighs more than fat.

[Seanny One Ball]

I had Rick Steiner at 240 tops.
I dunno about Big Poppa Pump but I had Scott at 250 or 240.

[Seanny One Ball]

False memories/perceptions are so infuriating.

[#1-norm-fan]

There could have been a slight weight difference but I was mainly pointing that out because there’s a common discussion about how a Road Warriors vs Demolition feud couldn’t have worked because both sides rely too much on selling.

The Steiners were a great middle ground between brute power and flashiness but when they came up against Williams and Gordy, there was this brick wall of being equal that was magnificent to watch.