WWE Hall of Fame 2022: The Steiner Brothers
When you think of all time greatest tag teams in professional wrestling, The Steiner Brothers must be at the top of that discussion. Rick and Scott began teaming together in January 1989 in WCW after having standout careers in amateur wrestling for the University of Michigan. They quickly surged to the top of the tag team division in WCW feuding with the likes of the Fabulous Freebirds and Doom for the WCW Tag Team Championships. While in WCW, they would also go to New Japan Pro Wrestling and capture the IWGP Tag Team Championships. Shortly before their departure, WCW began playing with the idea of turning Scott into a heel. Even though it never fully developed, it would be sign of things to come years later.
The Steiner Brothers made their arrival to WWE in December of 1992. The Steiner’s were only in WWE for a year and a half, but had rivalries with the Beverly Brothers, The Headshrinkers, Money Inc, The Heavenly Bodies and The Quebecers. They won the WWE Tag Team Championships on two separate occasions. A lot of emphasis was put on the Steiner’s being standouts from the University of Michigan and their athleticism. After their departure from WWE, they would spend the summer of 1995 in ECW. They wrestled the likes of Cactus Jack, 2 Cold Scorpio, and Dean Malenko.
In 1996, the Steiner Brothers would return to WCW during a time right before the era of the now started. The Steiner’s would have memorable matches with the likes of the Road Warriors, Nasty Boys, Public Enemy, Harlem Heat, The Outsiders, and various other tag teams in the company. Throughout 1997, they would feud with the nWo over the WCW Tag Team Championships. In 1998, at SuperBrawl VIII the unthinkable happened when Scott turned on Rick and joined the nWo. The two would feud with each other for the majority of 1998. Both found singles success with Rick winning the United States and Television Championships. Scott also won those championships as well as winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
When WCW closed in 2001, many thought that would be the last you would see of the Steiner Brothers. Scott spent time in WWE for a year and a half, but the Steiner’s would eventually reunite in TNA Wrestling and feud with Team 3D (The Dudley Boyz). They would sporadically work independent shows together and faced notable talents like the Rock N Roll Express, Faces of Fear, New Age Outlaws, Eddie Kingston, and Homicide. The Steiner Brothers were one of the most athletic, hard hitting, and toughest tag teams of their generation. Their legacy in pro wrestling lives on through Rick’s son Bronson (current NXT Superstar Bron Breakker). Breakker has adapted many of his dad and uncle’s traits with his look, moves, mannerisms, and attire. It is fitting that the Steiner Brothers go into to the WWE Hall of Fame on the same weekend that Breakker tries to reclaim the NXT Championship. It will undoubtedly be a great weekend for the Steiner Brothers and their family. Congratulations to Rick and Scott, The Steiner Brothers on their induction into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
