Scott Steiner

Scott Rechsteiner (born July 29 1962) better known by his ring name Scott Steiner, is an American professional wrestler. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order faction. He is also known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions, World Wrestling All-Stars and the World Wrestling Federation. He is currently wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Career
Steiner attended the University of Michigan on a wrestling scholarship, earning a degree in education. Steiner was an All-American at the University of Michigan, and placed second in the Big Ten Conference in his sophomore, junior, and senior years. In his senior year, Steiner placed sixth in the 190 lb (86 kg) weight class of the 1986 National Collegiate Athletic Association championships..

After graduating, Steiner turned professional, training under The Sheik and debuting in the Indianapolis, Indiana-based World Wrestling Association in 1986 as Scott Rexsteiner which was a variation of the spelling of his real last name. On August 14 1986 in Dearborn, Michigan, Steiner defeated "The Great Wojo" Greg Wojciechowski for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship. He held the title until May 3, 1987, when he lost to Wojciechowski in Toledo, Ohio. Steiner then formed a tag team with Jerry Graham, Jr. and the partners defeated Chris Carter and Mohammad Saad with their manager, The Dark Angel, for the WWA Tag Team Championship on October 6, 1987. Their reign ended in Toledo on December 6, 1987 when they lost to Carter and Don Kent.

In 1988, Steiner joined the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association and wrestled under his real name. He formed a tag team with Billy Joe Travis, and the duo defeated the Cuban Choir Boys for the CWA Tag Team Championship on May 29, 1988. Their reign ended on June 6 1988 when they lost to Gary Young and Don Bass. Steiner and Travis regained the titles on June 27 1988, but lost to the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) on August 15 1988. Steiner formed a new tag team with Jed Grundy, and on February 18 1989 they defeated CWA Tag Team Champions Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden. Steiner's third and final reign ended on February 25, 1989 when Fuller and Golden regained the titles, and he left the CWA soon after. Steiner went on to form a tag team with his brother Rick known as the Steiner Brothers.

Jim Crockett Promotions | World Championship Wrestling (1988-1992)
Scott Steiner made his debut at Starrcade 1988: True Grit, cheering on his brother Rick as Rick defeated Mike Rotunda for the NWA World Television Championship. After Rick lost the belt back to Rotundo at Chi-Town Rumble, Scott and Rick began teaming together in tag team matches.

On November 1, 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, the Steiner Brothers defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael "P.S." Hayes and 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 and Ron Simmons) in Washington, D.C. at Capital Combat.

The Steiner Brothers defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and 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 in January 1991, 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. After the Steiner Brothers won the IWGP World Tag Team Championship from Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki on March 21, 1991, WCW announcers began referring to them as "Triple Crown Champions".

At the same time, Scott Steiner 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 USD (kayfabe) if they defeated all three. Steiner 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. Steiner would go on to win the WCW World Television Championship 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 Steiner Brothers 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 in an interview on the December 21 1992 edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling as babyfaces. 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 and Beau). At WrestleMania IX on April 4, 1993, the Steiner Brothers defeated The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu).

Following WrestleMania IX, the Steiner Brothers began feuding with Money Incorporated (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster). At King of the Ring 1993 on June 13 1993, the Steiner Brothers and The Smokin' Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Headshrinkers and Money Inc. The following evening, on the June 14, 1993 episode of RAW, the Steiner Brothers 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 Steiner Brothers once again at another house show on June 19 1993 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Steiner Brothers successfully defended their titles against The Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard and Jimmy Del Ray) on August 30, 1993 at SummerSlam 1993. On the September 13, 1993 episode of RAW in New York, New York, the Steiner Brothers defended their titles against The Quebecers (Jacques and 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 WWF Tag Team Championship 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 Steiner Brothers 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 Rougeau), 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 Steiner Brothers debuted in Extreme Championship Wrestling on July 28 1995 at 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 Steiner Brothers joined forces with Taz in a loss to The Eliminators (John Kronus and Perry Saturn) and Jason. On September 23 1995 in Middletown, they defeated Raven and Stevie Richards. Scott Steiner made his final ECW appearance on October 28 1995, teaming with Taz and losing to The Eliminators in a tag team match.

World Championship Wrestling (1996-2001)
The Steiner Brothers re-signed with WCW in 1996. They won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Harlem Heat on July 24 1996, but lost the titles to Harlem Heat just three days later. Following the formation of the New World Order (nWo), the Steiner Brothers began feuding with The Outsiders, who had won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Harlem Heat.

The beginning of Scott Steiner's heel turn began in late 1997/early 1998 when Steiner, now with increased muscle mass, having cut his signature mullet, and sporting a goatee and a "blond Fu Manchu mustache", started a feud with Buff Bagwell over who had the better physique, with both wrestlers showing off their enormous muscles to the public. Scott finalized his heel turn and joined the nWo at SuperBrawl VIII on February 22 1998, by attacking his brother Rick while they were defending the WCW World Tag Team Championship against The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash); 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.

Upon turning heel, Scott adopted two new nicknames: "White Thunder" (referring to his bleached hair and goatee and his all-white wrestling gear) and "Superstar" (as a homage to "Superstar" Billy Graham"), including a black 'S' logo in the style of the Superman logo. However, WCW was forced to drop the "White Thunder" name upon receiving complaints from fans who thought the nickname had white supremacist connotations. He finally adopted the nickname "Big Poppa Pump", which many thought was inspired by "Big Daddy Cool", which was Kevin Nash's nickname in the WWF when he wrestled as Diesel. He remained a member of the nWo until the group disbanded in early 1999.

Steiner remained a heel throughout most of 1999, feuding with wrestlers such as Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, and cruiserweight Rey Misterio, Jr., and winning both the WCW United States Championship and WCW World Television Championship in the process. In late 1999, Steiner suffered a back injury and was removed from action. On an episode of WCW Monday Nitro in December 1999 in Houston, Texas, Steiner delivered an emotional speech in which he announced his retirement from professional wrestling. Later that evening, Steiner revealed himself to be in perfect health, turning on Sid Vicious. He went on to become an integral part of the reformed nWo in 2000.

After the nWo disbanded once again, Steiner became one of the central members of Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff's New Blood faction. On November 26 2000 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he defeated Booker T to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

It was during this time, that Steiner delivered many shoot promos on several wrestlers within WCW. He would regularly come out during every broadcast and deliver a shoot. One of these shoots was directed to Diamond Dallas Page's on air and off air wife, Kimberly Page. Shortly after, Kimberly and Steiner became embroiled in a backstage confrontation that resulted in Kimberly leaving WCW and the wrestling profession for good. Steiner also delivered a scathing shoot to Diamond Dallas Page which resulted in a vicious backstage fight between the two. The creative team, however, thought Steiner's promos were cutting edge, and they continued to push Steiner despite his behavior. This series of pushes resulted in the biggest push of his career with him winning the World Heavyweight Championship. In January 2001, he became the centerpiece of Ric Flair's Magnificent Seven faction.

Steiner's feud with Booker T continued several months over several pay-per-views until he lost the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to Booker on the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro on March 26 2001. Unlike Booker T, Steiner did not join the WWF, instead opting to wait until his contract with AOL Time Warner expired later that year before seeking further employment.

World Wrestling All-Stars (2001-2002)
After his contract with AOL-Time Warner expired in November 2001, Steiner joined the World Wrestling All-Stars, where he was reunited with Midajah. He appeared at WWA house shows in Europe and Australia throughout 2001 and 2002. At the third WWA pay-per-view, The Eruption, on April 12 2002 in the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, Steiner challenged Nathan Jones for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship. Despite the presence of WWA Commissioner Sid at ringside, Steiner was able to cheat his way to a victory, striking Jones with the title belt and then pinning him. Steiner held the belt for several months, although never defending it, before vacating the title in November 2002 and leaving WWA for World Wrestling Entertainment.

In one of his last appearances before re-joining WWE, Steiner teamed with his brother Rick to defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kensuke Sasaki on May 2 2002 in Japan at the New Japan Pro Wrestling thirtieth Anniversary show in a match refereed by Chyna.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2002-2004)
Steiner signed a three year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment in October 2002, and returned to WWE television as a face, at the 2002 Survivor Series in Madison Square Garden on November 17. On that night, he attacked Matt Hardy and Christopher Nowinski after they delivered a promo insulting New York City. Over the following weeks, General Managers Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon both courted Steiner, with each trying to sign Steiner to their respective brand, RAW or SmackDown!. Bischoff was ultimately successful after McMahon rejected Steiner's advances.

Once on RAW, Steiner quickly began a feud with World Champion Triple H, culminating in title matches at the 2003 Royal Rumble and at No Way Out 2003. Steiner won the match by disqualification after Triple H attacked referee Earl Hebner and lost the later match by pinfall following interference from Triple H's stable Evolution. The matches gained a degree of infamy after Steiner botched several moves, including an attempted butterfly suplex.

Following the title matches, Steiner was moved down the card, and formed a tag team with Test, with Stacy Keibler as their manager. The team was together for several months and had feuds with other teams such as La Resistance. The tag team separated after Test turned heel due to his misogynistic treatment of his manager, Stacy Keibler. Steiner defeated Test in a grudge match to win the managerial services of Keibler at Bad Blood 2003 on June 15 2003, but lost her back to Test in a rematch on the August 18 2003 episode of RAW. At Unforgiven 2003 on September 21 2003, Steiner faced Test with Keibler's managerial services on the line once again, with the stipulation that Steiner become Test's manservant if he lost. Steiner was defeated following a mistake by Keibler, and the tag team was reunited. After another mistake by Keibler cost the partners a tag team bout on the September 29 2003 episode of RAW, a frustrated Steiner turned heel by belly to belly suplexing Keibler. Steiner and Test teamed together, with Keibler their reluctant manager. Steiner suffered an injury in 2004, sidelining him for two months. While he was injured, WWE negotiated a contractual release, and Steiner left the promotion on August 17 2004.

Steiner underwent foot surgery in July 2004, having six screws inserted into his foot, a tendon transplant, and a bone graft, then convalesced, wearing a cast for eight months. He returned to the ring on August 28 2005 in Asheville, North Carolina for the Universal Championship Wrestling independent promotion, teaming with his brother Rick to defeat Disco Inferno and Jeff Lewis. Scott Steiner wrestled briefly for the LAW promotion where he worked alongside Buff Bagwell and feuded briefly with tag team Fame and Fortune.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2006-present)
Sporting a new chest tattoo, Steiner debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on March 12 2006 at Destination X 2006. His debut fulfilled Jeff Jarrett's claim that he would bring a new wrestler to TNA in order to counter the presence of Sting. At Destination X, Steiner broke Sting's Scorpion Deathlock on Jarrett and then applied his own Steiner Recliner to Sting, enabling Jarrett to recover and then break a guitar over Sting's head.

Steiner made his TNA iMPACT! debut on March 18 2006, identifying himself as Jarrett's bodyguard. In subsequent weeks, Steiner (who had ostensibly not been signed to a contract) began attacking members of the TNA roster, demanding to be hired. At Lockdown 2006 on April 23 2006, Steiner, Jarrett, and America's Most Wanted lost to Sting, A.J. Styles, Ron Killings, and Rhino in a Lethal Lockdown match.

Following the defeat, Steiner and Jarrett challenged Sting and any partner of his choosing to face them at TNA Sacrifice 2006 on May 14, 2006. Sting teased three potential partners (Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger and Steiner's brother Rick Steiner) before revealing his chosen partner to be Samoa Joe. Sting and Joe went on to defeat Steiner and Jarrett at Sacrifice. After failing to defeat Sting to qualify for the third King of the Mountain match, Steiner faced, and lost to, Samoa Joe in a singles bout at Slammiversary 2006. At Victory Road 2006, Steiner faced Samoa Joe, Sting, and Christian Cage in a four way bout for the number one contendership to Jarrett's NWA World Heavyweight Championship; the match was won by Sting, who pinned Steiner, and Steiner resumed his role as Jarrett's bodyguard. Steiner then faced Christian Cage on the August 10 edition of Impact and was in Jeff Jarrett's corner at Hard Justice.

After Hard Justice, Steiner's short term contract expired and an agreement could not be reached on an extension. After briefly parting ways with TNA and working the independent circuit, Steiner re-signed with the company in January 2007.

On February 8 2007, Steiner returned to TNA and revealed himself to be the "special consultant" to NWA Champion Christian Cage in Cage's match with Kurt Angle at Against All Odds and joining Christian's Coalition. He appeared at TNA Against All Odds where he played a major role in the match by introducing a lead pipe. After the match Scott Steiner suffered from a head injury requiring stitches. He suffered the injury via the chair shot he received from Samoa Joe.

Steiner then started a feud with Kurt Angle after costing him the NWA World title at TNA Against All Odds 2007. Steiner eliminated Angle in a Gauntlet Match where the winner would face then champion Christian Cage at TNA Destination X 2007. Steiner would then lose to Angle at Destination X.

At Lockdown, Scott Steiner was part of Team Cage as they faced Team Angle in a Lethal Lockdown match. Steiner was hailed for the return of the Frankensteiner, a move he became famous for in the 1990s.

At Sacrifice, Steiner was reunited with the returning Rick Steiner. The Steiner Brothers were scheduled to wrestle Team 3D in a "dream match" at Slammiversary, but Steiner was replaced with Road Warrior Animal after suffering a severe throat injury (see below). Steiner returned to TNA on July 15, 2007 at Victory Road, costing Brother Ray a match. At Bound for Glory 2007, The Steiner Brothers defeated Team 3D in a 2-out-of-3 Tables Match.

The Steiners then went on to compete at Genesis 2007 against the tag team champions Tomko and A.J. Styles with a losing effort. Scott would then go onto Turning Point 2007 in the Feast or Fired Battle Royal, where he would successfully capture one of the four briefcases, containing a contract to challenge for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (though at the time, the cases' contents were a mystery). On the December 13 episode of iMPACT! Steiner beat Petey Williams, B.G. James, and Christopher Daniels. Following the match, Jim Cornette offered Steiner a check for $50,000 in exchange for his briefcase, but was turned down, with Steiner then choosing to switch briefcases with Petey Williams. He stated afterwards he would get his original case back the following week.

At Against All Odds Steiner defeated Petey, winning both of the briefcases, after a distraction from an unknown, tall, muscular African American woman later named Rhaka Khan. After winning both cases, Scott Steiner issued a challenge to anyone after a match with Abyss, in which Petey Williams was the man to answer. Petey lost, after yet another interference by Khan. Scott, then started training Petey as his protege, and gave him the X Division title shot on the April 17th edition of iMPACT!. Later that night, Williams cashed in the opportunity, beating Jay Lethal for X Division title with the Canadian Destroyer.At Sacrifice Steiner came up short in his title hunt by losing to Samoa Joe.

In wrestling

 * Finishing and signature moves
 * Frankensteiner
 * Steiner Recliner (Standing camel clutch)
 * Steiner Flatliner (Reverse STO)
 * S.S.D. – Steiner Screwdriver (Vertical suplex piledriver) – 1990s
 * Super fireman's carry drop
 * Double underhook powerbomb
 * Steiner–Line (Lariat)
 * Elbow drop followed by push ups
 * Multiple suplex variations
 * Spinning side belly to belly / Overhead belly to belly, sometimes from the top rope
 * Exploder
 * Dragon
 * Gutwrench
 * Northern Lights
 * Fallaway slam
 * Pumphandle drop
 * Reverse DDT
 * Sitout double underhook powerbomb – 1990s
 * Signature illegal weapon
 * Lead pipe


 * With Rick Steiner
 * 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 to the opponent)


 * Managers
 * Major Gunns
 * Ted DiBiase
 * Eddie Gilbert
 * Stacy Keibler
 * Midajah
 * Missy Hyatt
 * Shakira
 * Tojo Yamamoto
 * April Hunter
 * Rhaka Khan


 * Signature Taunts
 * Doing Push-Ups instead of going for a cover.
 * Flexing arms and kissing his biceps.


 * Nicknames
 * The Big Bad Booty Daddy
 * Big Poppa Pump
 * The Genetic Freak
 * Freakzilla'
 * The Man with the Largest Arms in the World (and the Shortest Fuse in Professional Wrestling)
 * The Physical Phenomenon
 * Superstar
 * White Thunder

Amateur wrestling

 * National Collegiate Athletic Association
 * 1983 Division I Big 10 - fifth place
 * 1984 Division I Big 10 - runner up
 * 1985 Division I Big 10 - runner up
 * 1986 Division I Big 10 - runner up
 * 1986 Division I All American - sixth place

Professional wrestling

 * Continental Wrestling Association
 * CWA Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Billy Travis (2), and Jed Grundy (1)
 * Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling1
 * NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Rick Steiner
 * New Japan Pro Wrestling
 * IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Rick Steiner
 * Pro Wrestling America
 * PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rick Steiner
 * Stars and Stripes Championship Wrestling
 * SSCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * United Wrestling Federation
 * UWF Rock 'n' Roll Express Championship (1 time, current) – with Rick Steiner
 * National Wrestling Alliance | World Championship Wrestling
 * NWA United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rick Steiner3
 * NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - with Rick Steiner
 * WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
 * WCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * WCW World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Rick Steiner
 * WCW World Television Championship (2 times)
 * NWA Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament winner in 1990 – with Rick Steiner2


 * World Wrestling All-Stars
 * WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * World Wrestling Association
 * WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jerry Graham, Jr
 * World Wrestling Federation
 * WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Rick Steiner
 * '''Worldwide Wrestling Alliance
 * WWWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
 * Tag Team of the Year award in 1990 – with Rick Steiner
 * Worked Match of the Year award in 1992 – Steiner Brothers vs Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki
 * Best Wrestling Maneuver award in 1989 – Frankensteiner
 * Best Wrestling Maneuver award in 1990 – Frankensteiner
 * Five Star Match – Ric Flair, Larry Zbyszko, Barry Windham and Sid Vicious vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner (WarGames Match – February 24, 1991)

1This Mid-Atlantic promotion, while currently operating out of the same region of the United States and having revised some of the championships used by the original Mid-Atlantic promotion, isn't the same promotion that was once owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. and was sold to Ted Turner in 1988. It is just another NWA affiliated promotion. ²Tournament was won in 1990, after Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling's purchase and renaming. ³This title reign occurred after Ted Turner's purchase of Mid-Atlantic from Jim Crockett, Jr. in 1988 and renaming it World Championship Wrestling but prior to the title being renamed the WCW United States Tag Team Championship.

Personal life
Steiner is married to Christa, with children.

2007 injury
While wrestling Apolo at a TNA house show in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 3 2007, Steiner sustained a stiff kick to the throat. After he began coughing up blood, he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a torn trachea and given five hours to live. Steiner was put into an induced coma for two days, during which time doctors cut through his ribs and lung and repaired the tear, then began draining fluid from his lungs, a process that lasted two weeks. Unable to fly (because the change in air pressure would have caused his lung to collapse) Steiner eventually left Puerto Rico on a cruise ship and arrived back in the United States one week later.

Acting career
Steiner appeared in the television program Charmed on February 1 2001, playing "Mega Man" in the episode "Wrestling With Demons".

Controversy
Steiner's weight gain in the late 1990s led to accusations of anabolic steroid abuse, which he denied. Steiner claims that, upon returning to World Wrestling Entertainment in late 2002 he was asked to undergo a steroid test. According to Steiner, the request was dropped after Steiner insisted that the muscular Triple H, then the World Heavyweight Champion, also undergo a test. On April 21 1998 in Cherokee County, Georgia, Steiner threatened Georgia Department of Transportation employee Paul Kaspereen after Kaspereen informed him that an exit ramp leading off Interstate 575 was closed. He then twice hit Kaspereen with his Ford F-250 pickup truck (Kaspereen was not badly hurt). Steiner was subsequently arrested, and on March 17 1999 he pled guilty to aggravated assault and making "terroristic threats" (felonies carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment). Under Georgian first-offender rules, which stipulates that a first-time offender will be found not guilty if they do not violate the terms of their probation, Judge C. Michael Roach sentenced Steiner to 10 days in the Cherokee County jail. He also placed Steiner on a seven year probation order, ordered him to pay $25,000 USD in fines, restitution, and legal fees and ordered him to perform 200 hours of community service.

Towards the end of his tenure in World Championship Wrestling, Steiner embarked upon a rivalry with wrestler Diamond Dallas Page after insulting Page's wife Kimberly during an interview. Kimberly Page had fallen afoul of Steiner after claiming that drug paraphernalia found backstage belonged to Tammy Lynn Sytch, an accusation that, despite Sytch's vehement denial, led to her being released from the promotion soon after. The acrimony between Steiner and Page eventually descended into violence, with the two men engaging in a locker room fight before being separated by other wrestlers.

On the February 7 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Steiner angered WCW officials when he directed disparaging remarks towards World Championship Wrestling and Ric Flair during an interview. In the course of the interview, Steiner claimed that when Ric Flair appeared on WCW programming, "the people at home, all they did was grab their remote, and change their channel to the WWF, and watch Stone Cold - a person you and your own friends got fired from here, 'cause you're a jealous old bastard." Steiner went on to call Flair an "ass-kissing, butt-sucking bastard" and finished the tirade with the words "WCW sucks!". He was suspended for two weeks with pay for the incident.

In January 2001, Steiner was arrested after inadvertently assaulting Randall Mankins, an emergency medical technician employed by the Kernersville, North Carolina fire department. As part of an episode of WCW Monday Nitro, an EMT was sent to the ring to tend to Michael Modest and Christopher Daniels, who were selling leg injuries ostensibly inflicted by Steiner. As the EMT entered the ring, Steiner struck him twice. Steiner was arrested for assault the following morning as he tried to board a plane.

In 2001, Steiner fought backstage with WCW road agent Terry Taylor.

In December 2005, Steiner, along with Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell, were removed from a flight from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Winnipeg, Manitoba following a disturbance onboard the plane. The three men were detained for several hours before Steiner and Bagwell were released and permitted to continue on their journey (Luger, however, was held without bail and later charged and jailed). Steiner would later invoke the incident in his in-ring interviews, describing himself as a violent criminal with little regard for the forces of law and order.

In 2006, Steiner claimed (perhaps spuriously) to have slept with over 20,000 women and to have broken Wilt Chamberlain's record.