Robert Rechsteiner, better known by his ring name Rick Steiner, is a retired American professional wrestler and real estate broker born on March 9, 1961, in Bay City, Michigan.
He rose to prominence in the world of professional wrestling during the late 1980s and 1990s, establishing himself as a powerhouse competitor with a gritty, no-nonsense style rooted.
Steiner’s career spanned multiple promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW), World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he became renowned for his tag team dominance alongside his brother.
Nicknamed “The Dog-Faced Gremlin” for his rugged, unpolished persona, Rechsteiner transitioned from collegiate athletics to professional wrestling after earning a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Michigan.
Siblings
Robert has a younger brother, Scott Rechsteiner, who is professionally known as Scott Steiner.
Scott, born on July 29, 1962, followed Rick into amateur wrestling at the University of Michigan before joining him in professional wrestling in 1989.
The siblings’ partnership extended beyond the ring, as they navigated the highs and lows of the industry together, including a dramatic on-screen betrayal in 1998 that mirrored real-life tensions but ultimately strengthened their off-screen relationship.
Career
Rechsteiner’s wrestling odyssey began in 1983, immediately after his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, where he set the school’s record for the fastest pin at 15 seconds and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
Mentored by WWE legend George “The Animal” Steele, he debuted under the name Rob Rechsteiner in promotions like the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), quickly forming a notable tag team with Sting to capture the UWF World Tag Team Championship in 1987.
By 1988, Rechsteiner joined Jim Crockett Promotions, soon rebranded as WCW, aligning with the heel faction The Varsity Club alongside Mike Rotunda and Kevin Sullivan, which honed his singles skills before his brother Scott joined him in 1989 to launch the Steiner Brothers era.
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The duo exploded onto the scene, defeating the Freebirds for the NWA World Tag Team Championship in November 1989 and holding it until a loss to Doom in May 1990, all while captivating audiences with their high-impact, amateur-inspired maneuvers.
After a stint in NJPW where they secured the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice, the Steiners jumped to the WWF in 1992, dethroning Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team Championship on two occasions and competing in the 1994 Royal Rumble as entrants numbers one and three.
Feeling undervalued, they returned to WCW in 1996, reclaiming dominance with multiple tag title reigns, though internal strife peaked in 1998 when Scott turned heel on Rick during a title defense against The Outsiders, leading to a bitter on-screen feud.
Post-split, Rick thrived as a singles competitor in WCW, capturing the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and the WCW World Television Championship three times, showcasing his resilience against top stars like Booker T and Raven.
Brief ECW appearances in 1995 added grit to his resume, including matches against The Eliminators and Raven.
The Steiners reunited sporadically for TNA and independent shows into the 2000s, with Rick’s final notable bout in 2019 alongside Kazushi Miyamoto in Tokyo Championship Wrestling.
Retiring from full-time competition around 2004 to prioritize family and real estate, Rechsteiner has since made cameo WWE appearances, including celebrating his son Bron Breakker’s NXT Championship win in 2022.
Accolades
As part of the Steiner Brothers, Rechsteiner secured the WCW World Tag Team Championship seven times with Scott, the NWA World Tag Team Championship once, the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice, and the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice in NJPW, making them one of only two teams to conquer the WWF, WCW, and IWGP tag titles.
Early in his career, he and Sting claimed the UWF World Tag Team Championship, while a brief WCW stint saw him partner with Kenny Kaos for an eighth WCW tag reign.
The Steiners also held the WCW United States Tag Team Championship once, adding to their 11 world tag team accolades overall.
In singles competition, Rechsteiner shone brightly, winning the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship once and the WCW World Television Championship three times, along with the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship.
His contributions earned him induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022 as part of the Steiner Brothers, with his son Bron Breakker delivering the honors, and recognition in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his amateur roots.
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