Steve Williams

[10.0] "Some people will never get it, but Steve Williams was one of the best to ever enter the ring. Once he put everything together, he had an immediate impact. He probably had a better career in Japan than the US overall but that should not impact his score. He was a natural talent who clicked with just about anyone who could walk on two feet."

[3.0] "Multiple Edits by now, I have to cut things down and use math to come up with a more realistic score. Some of this I am using from a previous entry: In his early days of in Mid South, he was an attraction and was quite sloppy and ill prepared for a professional environment, he was also out of shape (1). He returned to Mid South leaner (relatively), quicker and smoother but could still be unnecessary rough. He started to develop character work, even if his promos could be unsteady, or even legit hideously bad. He lacked chemistry with most and that always hurts. One can not deny hard work to improve though, and sometimes he was the right person at the right time (5.5). As time progressed and the years turned Mid South into the UWF, him being around meant Jim Ross yelling his gawdamn head off over him and testing my patience with "mute" and "fast forward", I can get the allure (sorta) but there's just so many caveats (4). After JCP purchased the UWF, his short comings truly came to light. He was still far too sloppy, his mic work was usually EXCEPTIONALLY AWFUL and he didn't have great chemistry with any one in particular because he straight up devoured so many. He also could NOT lead a match, with anyone (vs The Italian Stallion at Clash of the Champions 4 is notorious) (2). However, once he entered the Varsity Club steadily his actual ring work improved, he seemed to be a bit more giving and "pro". By 1989 whatever Doc was doing was working. Becoming a face again was wise. His mic work went from lousy and painful to rather silly and he seemed so comfortable being a man child similar to Rick Steiner but it really feels like a shoot. His '89 was his peak in America and I like that stuff. He even began to show *GASP! * chemistry with the Samoan wrestlers (8). He then went to Japan and I don't watch Japanese wrestling (will not impact the overall). When Doctor Death came back to America he and Gordy squashed WCW only to go back to Japan, leaving the tag division in shambles. The burial of The Steiner Brothers to put the shine on Gordy/Williams could only backfire and it's abuncha (pardon my language) BULLSHIT (1). My feelings about the WWF run; don't blindly blame the Brawl for it All, Doc was never meant for that company- not enough of a team player and WAY past his prime (0). After this I lost track but did see him beat up The Misfits... let's do the math: 3.07 Hey look at that, thanks to 1989, he gained 2 points. I will end this with how I somewhat ended the last review: I could give you a laundry list of guys from the same era who were head, shoulders and entire torsos over Steve "OVERRATED" Williams."

[9.0] "One of my absolute favourites, just an absolute beast who played dominant gaijin in AJPW so bloody well, his moves always looked like they had serious power and he sold really well for baby faces to make them look great. Ignore his work in the WWF, he was already old by them and let's not even talk about the brawl for all. His tag team with Gordy was amazing and had one of the all time great tag team names"

[9.0] "'Dr. Death' Steve Williams is one of the toughest wrestlers that ever lived, and the embodiment of a perfect villainous character. The Doc had some good company around, but it's undeniable how cool and how good of a villain he was, always stiff and tough to beat, his presence was always felt in a match, and he never looked less important than the other people that were with him. His theme songs are probably the best ones in wrestling, and exhale badassery, just like his finisher, the Dangerous Backdrop Driver, a move that always made people gasp when he teased, because of how lethal it looked. I have several Dr. Death matches amongst the best matches I've ever watched in my entire life, and it's always a joy to watch him wrestle. He had great chemistry with everyone in AJPW, and it's truly a shame that USA companies never comprehended him and treated him like he deserved, he was always massively underused in America, but it's one of the most iconic Gaijins of all time, fantastic in singles and tag competition."

[7.0] "Not a good promo but a bad ass and had some really good, tough matches. His best work was in Mid South and All Japan. He had a reputation for being a little unsafe and that's valid but he wasn't the only one in that era and I don't think it was enough to take away from his overall body of work."

[7.0] "Doctor Death was a legitimate tough guy in the ring. His work in Japan and early in WCW/ Jim Crockett promotion. was great as his in-ring style fit what was going on their very well. His WWE run was hurt by his lack of a gimmick that stood out other than tough guy and the dumb idea that was the Brawl for All. His career never recovered and throat cancer took him young. Overall he was a good wrestler in the ring."

[8.0] "Steve Williams is one of the best big men to ever grace the squared circle. His athletic background contributes to his in-ring ability, a powerhouse who will make sure you're torn into two by the end of the match. AJPW is definitely where he peaked, winning the Triple Crown Championship. Only thing that prevents him from getting a 10 is the awful Brawl 4 All tournament that Russo booked and how they booked him in 1999 WCW. Besides that, Williams will forever be one of the most badass men to ever become a professional-wrestler. Rest easy."

[10.0] "I cringe really hard everytime a mark goes "oH hE wAs uNsAfE iN dU rInG, hE dRoPpeD pEoPlE oN tHeIr hEaDs", like that's literally what everyone is doing on Japan since the Pillars era, from Misawa to Marufuji, and also nowadays on the US like your little precious Kenny Omega and your lovely Will Ospreay. A guy with only beast mode available, running through all territories in Japan and the United States, collecting belts and even showing loyalty to some of the promoters like Baba and Bill Watts. His ring skills are perfectly matched with him (and no, he's not unsafe, it was the one selling it that made it look unsafe), with the suplexes he hit, from the German to the infamous Backdrop, made the situation look real, only for the guy on the other end walk away from it like nothing, and his promos with him going crazy and all hyped up are exactly what a guy like him should be. WWF messed him and the other guys real good, and sadly, it gave him a critical blow that took time to heal from. A totally misunderstood wrestler that people hypocritically complain about in a field full of guys like him. My sincere 10 points for Dr. Death...TOUGH GUYYYY!"

[10.0] "My personal all time favorite wrestler. A man who should've had more success than he did due to unfortunate setbacks and wrestling politics. We need a return of his sort of it factor in the modern age. Excellent suplexes, an absolute in ring killer. A man ahead of his time."

[6.0] "I've never understood the hype surrounding this guy, especially by Jim Ross, who virtually sucks him off every time he's on TV. He's a serviceable wrestler who has good in-ring skills, but no mic skills, and was never going to be the next big thing. I get some enjoyment out of watching him occasionally, but he doesn't do anything that any other wrestler couldn't do."

[7.0] "One of the toughest guys in the biz, or at least up until he got roped into that brain fart debacle of a boxing tournament put on by Vince Russo and got legitimately brained and injured when they were hoping he would win the thing. Watch his stuff from the 80s-early 90's WCW. His career died with the Brawl For All."

[8.0] "A tremendous tough power wrestler. Had great size thanks to his football background and was rock solid. He was a star from the moment he entered the business, even if his work was a little rough. Really caught fire in Japan where his style fitted perfectly and solidified himself as one of the best gaijin of the 90's."

[8.0] "Dr. Death was a bigger deal in Japan, as one half of the Miracle Violence Connection where they were the dominant team of the early 90s in AJPW. A tough, stiff worker who loved to toss and knock his opponents around the ring. Sure he could not talk much, but he was fun as a big bruiser."

[10.0] "One of my absolute favorite wrestlers of All Time. when I was started watching old All Japan matches awhile back his match with Jumbo Tsuruta was the first one I really took note of and as I progressed what I saw was one of the best brawlers I had ever seen in, one who could surprisingly go hold for hold too. His 1994 match with Misawa is legendary in my eyes, and his matches with Kobashi are the stuff of legend. Also his matches with Toshiaki Kawada are really brutal too. His Backdrop is just insane to see, it's magnificent and disgusting at the same time. Dr. Death really lives up to his moniker not literally but figuratively, he destroyed nearly all in his wake and it's unfortunate what happened in his WWF run which basically ended his peak. But I will say that his peak was still top notch stuff, and that he was a good wrestler despite what some closed minded individuals may think. Dr. Death Steve Williams is what I want out of an American Pro Wrestler and I'm glad he was in the sport of Pro Wrestling."

[5.0] "Being stiff in the ring doesn't make you good. But it makes you a legend. That's what Doctor Death is. But I don't like his work. And he flopped so much in the WWF and WCW. I'm sad that Bart Gunn never got the push that they wanted to give to this guy"

[10.0] "He was a very good wrestler who in my opinion, never got a fair shake as much as he should've. I think the fact that he has been in promotions where guys like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Austin & Rock were all on top didn't really help him in the long run. Plus, the fact that he was thrown into the Brawl for All didn't help either."

[10.0] "He didnt get a push because of the brawl for all, it ruined him. Not because he was 'old', WWE works old guys as much as they do young guys, he would've had a program with steve austin had it not been for Russo's idea of the brawl for all, it completely damaged steve williams rep, he was done for. Outside of that he was amazing, he had the background, he had the insane crazy japan matches, he had all the tools to be a megastar in the WWF, but it just wasn't meant to be. Tragic, and I hate to say it, but it's true!"

[9.0] "Williams was awesome. He wasn't a high flyer or someone with a particularly versatile style, he was just a big bruiser who had one of the nastiest backdrops around, but was also surprisingly crisp in ring and could work a good match as a dominant force and make a great babyface look even better. Mic work was not a strong point for him, but honestly, he was the type of wrestler that didn't need to do to get over as a solid worker. Everything he did made sense from a in ring perspective, and he had the look and background that gave him real legitimacy against anyone, regardless of how tough they were."

[9.0] "Dr Death is one of my all time favourite wrestlers. Surprisingly good on a technical level for someone his size and just had that special aura to him to make him feel like a badass."

[10.0] "Great wrestler especially for his size. He was very technical with his work. Great at submission and is best remember in Japan and teaming up with Terry Gordy. In WWF he did not get a big push probably because of his age. WCW he was horrible and not treated right. Sad that this career ended with him having cancer and died a few years later. He was undefeated and never pinned for 10 years. Amazing record."

[9.0] "Bad ass, and always was fun to watch in the NWA/WCW and UWF. Really enjoyed him teaming with Terry Gordy"

[7.0] "Steve Williams excelled as a tag team wrestler, especially when in AJPW he was booked together with other physically powerful foreign workers such as Terry Gordy to maul fan favorites such as Kawada to help getting them over as never-say-die babyfaces. That was Giant Baba's genius at booking, and Williams was wise enough to stick to AJPW where he was always presented as a formidable, almost immune to pain rival for local talents. Williams' decline coincided exactly with AJPW's: after Misawa left to found NOAH taking most of the roster with him, Williams stuck around for the disaster that was the Motoko Baba/Keiji Muto Era. Basically he fizzled away as his health started declining, mimicking the promotion he had served so faithfully. A very sad end for his career."

[7.0] "A solid worker, Steve Williams excelled in Japan, where his poor interview skills didn't hamper his ability to get over."

[5.0] "Dr. Death fought the Misfits. How insane is that? Actually, it kind of makes sense given how bizarre the guy's career was. Little known fact, he actually was a co-star of a 1980's Canadian sitcom. The sitcom was about a teacher who would moonlight as a masked wrestler. When the character was in the ring, Steve Williams was the guy under the mask. I loved that show. The Oklahoma gimmick was horrible, and I can't help but judge Williams for not walking out on that."

[8.0] "Bill Watts selling the UWF to Crockett pretty much cut short Dr. Death's push in the US. His style didn't really fit into what the soon to be WCW was pushing but it fit in very well in Japan. Williams was a great tag team wrestler in my opinion being part of two of the best tag teams I ever saw. Early in his career teaming up with Ted Dibiase was a great fit for the young Williams, and later on his teaming with Terry Gordy was legendary."

[10.0] "Bar none my favorite brawler in the business. Dr. Death had a very heavy build that made him look like a tank, but he sure as hell didn't move like one. He was quick, dangerous, and hit hard (maybe not as hard as Stan Hansen or Vader but I'd bet its pretty close). He knew how to work his character and he worked it exceedingly well no matter who he stepped in the ring with. His only real drawback, and really the ultimate downfall of his career, was that damned brawl for all but I hold reservations in blaming the man in this case. That was all on Russo and his desire to make Bradshaw look bad. Anyways the man had a long career with a lot of great moments and matches from his work in UWF to his tenure in AJPW."

[10.0] "A great worker that I enjoy tremendously in NWA, WCW, AJPW, and pretty much anywhere else he pops up. Powerful and intense, he is one of the few who could compete at the level of the famous All Japan "4 Pillars"."

[9.0] "Such a beast in the ring. I have only seen his stuff in Japan and it is fantastic especially his matches with Kobashi and his tag bouts when teaming with Johnny Ace and they made a formidable tag team. This man made the Backdrop Driver look so freaking deadly that everyone he faced did everything they could to avoid taking the move cause if Dr. Death hit you with it, it was lights out. He's had HUGE success in AJPW as a Triple Crown Champion and numerous time World Tag Team champion. Simply a fantastic athlete and one of the best in my view."

[8.0] "Didn't have the promo skills to main event a huge American promotion but was extremely convincing as a killer brawler. Ideal for a top tag team or as an upper mid-card support guy for any promotion... But more valuable in Japan where they live the big brawling american heels that can work"

[8.0] "One of the toughest men in the business. A predecessor to the archetype of "large men with amateur wrestling credibility" (Brock Lesnar, his student Jack Swagger). Sorely missed."