26. Success, Bust or In Between: Scott Steiner

[It's Damn Real!]

Success, Bust or In Between Series
Brought to you by IDR

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You know the series by now, I'd hope, but for those of you who don't, here's the run down:

• Former talents of TNA are to be critiqued regarding their work with TNA, and only their work with TNA for the basis of these polls.
• Any work from the performer that was not done during his/her tenure during TNA should not factor into your vote.
• You can vote them either a success, a bust or in-between if you don't feel they deserve either extreme.​

In addition to your vote, I'd like to know why you feel the way you do. Why was this particular character a success, a bust or in-between? Remember, these are still NO SPAM threads, so spam replies will not be accepted, and will be warned/infracted over to boot. Take the time to formulate an answer that people can get behind or debate.

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Next in the series is…

Scott Steiner

Years with TNA: 5 (2006-2010, 2011-2012)
Number of titles runs: TNA World Tag Team Championship (x1)​

Notable Feuds:

• Sting, AJ Styles, Ron Killins & Rhino via Jeff Jarrett & America's Most Wanted (2006)
• Sting & Samoa Joe via Jeff Jarrett (2006)
• Angle Alliance v. Christian's Coalition (2007)
• Team 3D via Steiner Brothers (2007)
• Petey Williams (2008)
• Samoa Joe via Main Event Mafia (2009)
• TNA Frontline via Main Event Mafia (2009)
• Bobby Lashley (2009)
• Immortal (2011)
• Rob Terry (2011)
• Matt Morgan (2011)
• Mr. Anderson & Abyss via Immortal (2011)
​

Other Accomplishments:

• Debuted in TNA in 2006 at Destination X (he made his IMPACT debut on March 18th as Jeff Jarrett's bodyguard)
• Was a founding member of the Main Event Mafia
• Reunited the Steiner Brothers in TNA
• Was a member of Immortal​

Previous Polls:

Success

23. Angelina Love – 95.12% Success, 4.88% In Between, 0% Bust
01. Christian Cage – 87.72% Success, 12.28% In Between, 0% Bust
07. Awesome Kong – 82.61% Success, 13.04% Bust, 4.35% In Between
25. Velvet Sky – 82.14% Success, 10.71% In Between, 7.14% Bust
24. Mick Foley – 77.78% Success, 14.81% In Between, 7.41% Bust
22. Alex Shelley – 75.00% Success, 0.00% Bust, 25.00% In Between
08. Christopher Daniels – 68.97% Success, 20.69% In Between, 10.34% Bust
19. Kevin Nash – 67.57% Success, 24.32% In Between, 8.11% Bust
05. Senshi – 66.67% Success, 28.57% In Between, 4.76% Bust
04. Gail Kim – 61.54% Success, 19.23% In Between, 19.23% Bust
20. Ron Killings – 57.58% Success, 6.06% Bust, 36.36% In Between
21. Ric Flair – 44.00% Success, 28.00% Bust, 28.00% In Between
15. Sabu – 43.59% Success, 33.3% Bust, 23.08% In Between
14. "The Franchise" Shane Douglas – 35.90% Success, 35.90% Bust, 28.21%% In Between


Bust

09. Consequences Creed – 80.77% Bust, 19.23% In Between, 0.00% Success
13. Johnny Devine – 79.31% Bust, 17.24% In Between, 3.45% Success
18. Matt Hardy – 67.02% Bust, 26.60% In Between, 6.38% Success
12. Traci Brooks – 61.29% Bust, 25.81% In Between, 12.90% Success
06. Monty Brown – 54.05% Bust, 27.03% In Between, 18.92% Success
11. The Naturals – 48.00% Bust, 28.00% Success, 24.00% In Between
02. Booker T – 46.43% Bust, 33.93% In Between, 19.64% Success


In Between

16. Homicide – 62.50% In Between, 21.88% Success, 15.63% Bust
03. Petey Williams – 52.50% In Between, 35.00% Success, 12.50% Bust
17. Jay Lethal – 52.38% In Between, 38.10% Success, 9.52% Bust
10. Sheik Abdul Bashir – 44.00% In Between, 44.00% Bust, 12.00% Success

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Have a request?

Send me a PM with the wrestler, manager, etc. you want to see in the series and if I feel it'll spark discussion I'll do it.​

 

[AmerikanWolves619]

BUST...unfortunately, Steiner's impact on TNA was not as influential (both in his acolades, wrestling ability, or story angles as an individual wrestler). Like Booker T, as part of the Main Event Mafia, collectively they were a great stable; however, Steiner just seemed like a muscled out freak that provided a roided out promo everytime he took the mike. I am doing my best not to make any comparisons to his WCW days, but he was not as athletic (both in agility and in stamina) nor did he claim many championships during his tenure there. Nowadays, he's been tweeting venom about his time in the industry and at the Hogans/TNA. Pretty sad to see how hard his star has fallen.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

I have to agree with AmerikanWolves619 on this one. By the time Steiner debuted in TNA His best days were far behind him. Steiner had gotten to the point where his body had become such a mess that he struggled to move around the ring that well let alone wrestle. All you ever really got from Steiner were a few clothes lines and a couple of belly to back suplexes before he would drop to the ground for a set of push ups. After that the whole process would be repeated a couple of times before you got the Steiner recliner (WHICH HE NEVER REALLY SOLD ANY MORE) to finish the match.

As far as his promos go they were just terrible. all he ever used to do was shout down the Mic and half the time you could not understand what he was saying and on the odd you could work out what he was going on about, he would be say the same thing again and again. Don't get me wrong it was funny the first few times but after that it just got boring and you found yourself praying for him to stop.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I have to agree with AmerikanWolves619 on this one. By the time Steiner debuted in TNA His best days were far behind him. Steiner had gotten to the point where his body had become such a mess that he struggled to move around the ring that well let alone wrestle. All you ever really got from Steiner were a few clothes lines and a couple of belly to back suplexes before he would drop to the ground for a set of push ups. After that the whole process would be repeated a couple of times before you got the Steiner recliner (WHICH HE NEVER REALLY SOLD ANY MORE) to finish the match.

As far as his promos go they were just terrible. all he ever used to do was shout down the Mic and half the time you could not understand what he was saying and on the odd you could work out what he was going on about, he would be say the same thing again and again. Don't get me wrong it was funny the first few times but after that it just got boring and you found yourself praying for him to stop.

And that's precisely what helped to shape Steiner into the massive career (note, not just TNA) success he was. The in-ring Steiner that dazzled the crowd was predominantly the Steiner as part of the Steiner Brothers' tag team that wow'd the crowd with their power and agility through the late eighties and early nineties. When "Big Poppa Pump" was born around 1997/98, it was a mixture composed something of one part talent, three parts personality that vaulted him to the top, not just his ability to pull off a Steiner-recliner, or Franken-steiner. Ask any WCW fan to name their top-10 best Steiner moments, and I'm fairly certain that a number of his rants and mic promos will make the list — that should tell you all you need to know about why people paid to see him, because the answer is not nearly as rooted in his ability in the ring, as you seem to think. In fact, I'd say, it's a minority when you dice up that pie.

That said, to me, Steiner was an in between in TNA, primarily because of the fact that he never truly built momentum he was able to maintain for long periods of time. When he first came in as Jarrett's muscle, he ran the program for a short time before disappearing again, and that became a bit of a theme with him until the MEM was born. He sustained his longest streak through MEM, and even into it's demise (refusing to accept that they'd been disbanded), but ultimately his career there was a series of peaks and valleys, which makes voting him a success (or a bust) nearly impossible.

All in all though, he was part of too many high profile angles to be a bust, but was shy of the title runs and main event memories to be a success. In between for me.

 

[Ovaltine]

I actually enjoyed steiners time in TNA. His first PPV match against Samoa Joe was pretty awesome (sorry I don't remember what PPV it was) except for the finish. However, aside from that match and the Steiner Brothers vs Team 3-D feud I can't remember much of what he did while his was there. Sure his promos about how the younger wrestlers were video game/comic book reading dorks were great, but he didn't really (IMO) have and long fueds worth mentioning. It's a shame because when he wanted to he could still put on a great match. Still, I can't really call his run a bust, but I can't call it a success either. He was just kind of there and had ome memorable moments and some not so memorable moments.

 

[xavyer]

It is a bust, like an earlier poster said, his best days were far behind him, he couldn't even move in the ring, he did a bodyslam and walked for a little bit, a punch and walk around the ring again, and some push ups, that's about it, he couldn't even run between the ropes anymore basicly, as for his promos, not good, and sometimes when the big screen showed a backstage segment, he tried to be funny, but again, not even close, so if he was there to put people over, i don't think Steiner was a good steping stone for someone else's rise or push, sorry, but i go with Bust.......

 

[fenderjapan]

Until I actually read the accomplishments I was leaning toward bust. But he had a pretty good tenure in TNA that brought him through to his late 40's. Having a former WCW champion is good for business in a company like when it comes to getting new talent over. Steiner has the look...whether or not he still has the skills is questionable. But in the realm of TNA I say Success.

 

[Slash-LN]

I'd say he was a bust. He was a well established star when he went to TNA but he didn't do anything of note. I'm trying hard to think of a great feud he had or match or something and honestly I can't come up with a good highlight of his career in TNA. The Main Event Mafia was a decent faction but he didn't make or break it. There's nothing that stands out to me that I can say he did great in the company. If someone I knew was just getting into TNA and asked for some ideas of old matches to watch none of them would be Scott Steiner matches.

 

[CanadianDeviant]

Success.
Scott had a good feud with Samoa Joe and did many of job to put over younger talent. His work rate was good considering his age and the condition of his body after 15+ years in the ring.
Steiner wasn't brought in to be a main event player, he served the purpose as a big name talent that played the role as stepping stone for younger talent.

 

[AzLunchbox]

I would have to say in between.

Steiner was in some pretty big storylines with Jarrett and MEM and Immortal.....But the problem was he was always just kiind of.....there.

He was the background, The hired thug type. He was there to help others but didn't have many memorable moments where he was the focus.

He gave us golden moments on the mic such as this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorC6vCrI-s&feature=share&list=FLxdG-CMGoAinkR4xh9vUuYQ

But in the ring he no longer had "it" Sure he'd bust out a nice looking suplex here and there.....but it always looked like he was going to tear a muscle at any second. By the time he found his way to TNA(Er....Impact wresting) His body had been ravaged by age and stereroid abuse. He looked roided out yet flabby at the same time which just didn't make sense and his stamina was practically non existant as well as not really being able to bump much.

Steiner could have done well but was just too far past his prime and was mainly used as a supporting character.

My Vote is: In Between

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

"I'm doin him an egg, sayin onto ur dumb redneck ass"

Based that quote alone, I will quantify Scott Steiner's TNA run as a resounding success. If you disagree with me, there is a 141 and two thirds % chance that you are wrong.

Hollar, if ya hear me.

 

[HBsam31]

I am going with in between. I agree that his insane promos is what made people want to watch Steiner. He gave us a lot of that in TNA, and he had some decent feuds in the ring too. Namely with Joe, and as a part of MEM. He didn't win many title, and he really didn't need to. He wasn't a bust, but I can't quite rate him a success either.

 

[The Living Receiver]

This is really an easy one in my mind, Scott Steiner was an absolute success everywhere he went.
Sure he his best years came and went by the year 1996, but Steiner was smart (or lucky, depending on how you see it) enough to undergo a drastic enough character change that required a lot less of him in the ring and still managed to make him look great.


In terms of late 80's and early 90's Steiner though, there were few more athletically gifted big men than this man.
One half of one of (if not the single) best tag teams ever, a big part of the last real game changer in pro wrestling, the NWO, world champion, had absolute classic matches with legends like Ricky Steamboat, Booker T and Ric Flair, case made.


Don't get me wrong here, I'm no honk, I actually kinda hate Steiner, but the fact is that he excelled everywhere he went.
So I vote success, even if the poll won't let me yet.

 

[aza1294]

This is really an easy one in my mind, Scott Steiner was an absolute success everywhere he went.
Sure he his best years came and went by the year 1996, but Steiner was smart (or lucky, depending on how you see it) enough to undergo a drastic enough character change that required a lot less of him in the ring and still managed to make him look great.


In terms of late 80's and early 90's Steiner though, there were few more athletically gifted big men than this man.
One half of one of (if not the single) best tag teams ever, a big part of the last real game changer in pro wrestling, the NWO, world champion, had absolute classic matches with legends like Ricky Steamboat, Booker T and Ric Flair, case made.



Don't get me wrong here, I'm no honk, I actually kinda hate Steiner, but the fact is that he excelled everywhere he went.
So I vote success, even if the poll won't let me yet.

TNA only bud. I'd say he was in-between. Like many posters have said before me, Steiner was involved in many major angles such as the MEM & Immortal, however he really was not needed in any of them. TNA played off Steiner's history for his selling point without ever really doing anything major with him. So sure he wasn't used to his full potential, he still did his job well and filled the roles in some of the biggest angles in TNA history.

 

[midgensa]

One of my favorite series on WrestleZone ... keep up the great work IDR.

In the end ... there is only one way to vote on this and that is that Scott Steiner was a success.

He was a member of the Main Event Mafia which was hands down one of the five best things in TNA in its existence. It brought legitimacy to the brand by having top-tier, main-event stars come together and have a presence on television that was not produced by WWE.

Putting together the Steiner Brothers for one more nostalgic run was great for us old folk and good for the youngins to see a couple of greats work together one more time. And, obviously, his near death experience while on the TNA roster oddly adds more to his time there and makes it even more memorable.

I did not love him in Immortal and near the end it was clear that his career just had very little left in the tank ... but for a guy who at one point I couldn't stand ... his TNA run made me respect him immensely.

While working with MEM ... a group that had wrestling MEGA stars and could have easily survived without him ... he went out there in pain on a nightly basis. It is well know that his back is completely fucked up. That his shoulders are completely fucked up. But this guy went out there and performed over and over again and was central to the dominance of MEM and helping put them mega over.

His work rate was better in his time here than at any point in his career ... which is kind of mind boggling because it made me often wonder what he could have been. But he put young talent over on a nightly basis, helped make the MEM a big ass deal and in general was a very recognizable name on the TNA card.

At the point he was in his career, TNA honestly could not have asked for anything more out of him.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

Well, he is one of the few guys in the industry that still has his money. Yes, he had a failed WWE run. But, who hasn't had a failed WWE run. In addition to that, sure he wasn't main event, but he got people over. He made money, he sold merchandise. The fans would boo or cheer him.

Yes, he had backstage antics. Then again... WHO HASN'T!!

He wasn't a bad worker. He knew how to work the crowd. His Big Poppa Pump gimmick was great. It limited his ring work. But he was still effective in the ring.

Now as far as the folks that said his best days were behind in the last part of the career. Well Duh!! Ric Flair's best days were behind him. He got a 250K contract from TNA. He might of worked 5 matches during his time in TNA.

It would always be great to see someone retire at the right time, however... Not everyone is John Elway or in Pro Wrestling standards... Shawn Michaels.

Vote Success. It makes sense.

 

[GameOver]

Im gonna say in between. He had all the gifts but too much contraversy and obvious drug abuse marred his WCW career and beyond.

He was one member of a great tag team, when he went singles he coulda easily gone well beyond the title reigns he had but Rick's mental issues and both of them being apparently addicted to "Freak" he lost any respect he had as a great technician and become nothing but a sideshow freak, and to put the final nail in the coffin he did his back in and all possiblities of his career continuing were stopped dead in there tracks and his ring work suffered as a result

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I voted SUCCESS

Scott Steiner was never going to be the World Champion in TNA. His best days were about a decade behind him at the time he joined the company, but I still think he had a good run in the company, and was very entertaining throughout.

His mental promos made little sense, but a huge number of wrestling fans love that about Steiner, the man is just pure entertainment and during his matches in TNA he didnt occasionally remind us how good he used to be, performing the Frankensteiner every now and again and even more rarely the Steiner Screwdriver.

His body was obviously in poor condition, but Scotty still had the name value to be a valuable part of the Main Event Mafia, have a tag-team title reign and provided us with alot of entertaining moments during his TNA run. It's a shame he is currently doing legal proceedings against TNA, as I would love to see him come back for another short run