Add another title for the Steiner Brothers.
The professional wrestling sensations out of Bay City are now WWE Hall of Famers.
Rick and Scott Steiner joined the all-time elite stars of their profession Saturday with induction to the Hall of Fame, fittingly going in together as a capper to their illustrious careers in the wrestling ring.
“One person, most of all, I want to thank my brother,” Rick Steiner said during the acceptance speech. “He always set the standard high. He always kept me on the pace to be the best I could be. You go do something you love in your life, it’s icing on the cake when you get to do it with your brother.”
First excelling on the mat at Bay City Western as Rob and Scott Rechsteiner – with Scott winning a state championship in 1980 – they went on to star at the University of Michigan. Both were Big Ten runners-up and NCAA national qualifiers for the Wolverines.
When they joined forces as a tag team in professional wrestling, they rocketed to stardom. Competing on a number of circuits, such as WWF, WCW and WWE, they became fan favorites as the ultimate 1-2 punch.
When they were presented at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony by Rick’s son – and current NXT wrestling star -- Bron Breakker, he called them “The greatest tag team of all-time,” to the roar of a packed American Airlines Center in Dallas.
They joined the 23rd induction class to the Hall of Fame that included The Undertaker, Vader and Queen Sharmell. Rick and Scott each addressed the audience, then closed with their signature bark of “Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”
The Steiner Brothers were international showstoppers, traveling the world while becoming seven-time WCW Tag Team champions and adding two world tag team titles with the WWE.
With Rick known as “The Dog-Faced Gremlin” and Scott known as “Big Poppa Pump,” they enjoyed lasting success individually as well. Rick was the WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion and three-time WCW World Television Champion while Scott was a two-time WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion and two-time WCW World Television Champion.
They were inducted into the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014.