RIP "Dr Death" Steve Williams

[$heriff Tom]

Hearing now that Dr Death Steve Williams has finally lost his long, hard battle with cancer. Its been years and he had fought back time after time, but word is he died today.

Ill have more later. Ill also be pulling out some stuff with him on it for some weekend viewing. May he rest well!

Highly respected in the business, very good grappler, and ive seen so much of him through Mid-South, the Varsity Club, even his appearances in WWE.

Rest in peace!

[$heriff Tom]

Thank you sincerely to www.f4wonline.com for this.

Wrestling legend Steve Williams passes away

We are sorry to report the death of Steve "Dr. Death" Williams, an international star who was considered one of the top wrestlers in the world during the late 80s and early 90s, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Williams, known in his heyday as one of the physically toughest men ever to compete in the industry, was 49. He passed away last night. He had been battling the disease for a number of years, first apparently beating it even with great odds against him. It came back this year and his health had worsened in the last few months.

Williams formed two of the world's best tag teams with the late Terry Gordy and with Ted DiBiase Sr., as well as a notable team with current WWE Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis. He was in particular a major star in the 90s for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was recruited into pro wrestling by Bill Watts and was the 1982 Rookie of the Year.

Watts discovered him at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a star lineman on the football team and a four-time All-American heavyweight wrestler. Many of his peers in wrestling over the years had believed if he had not played college football and concentrated on wrestling, that he would have been a strong candidate for an Olympic gold medal in 1984 or 1988.

[$heriff Tom]

Earlier this year, very moving to watch now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7c3985blvs&feature=related

[rlm6370]

Some YouTube links...

Doc beats Gordy for the Universal title in Watts' UWF:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMjgtqNpQo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV4qFK1DK5I

The Miracle Violence Connection collects the trophies from the 1990 RWTL:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T9RuTz_DdY

MVC lose the tag titles to Misawa and Kawada in '91:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ZTGX72X3g
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxpCg3Qkr7s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6gQow3huXo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGI8CeH2xLM

MVC in the US, clips of winning the WCW tag titles from the Steiners & brief interview:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmmfxQbB9pQ

Doc against Kobashi in '93, I think this was second match where he used the backdrop driver:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AsjhRd9JHU

Against Misawa for the TC in '93:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pnmAt8wz7s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMBPCW0tP4k
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNXKtBK3V98

Defending the Triple Crown against Kobashi in '94:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y96rFEUyj1w
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er0uD0VaNbI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=70mp8PRR48g
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0zql0Bb3Xo

Tagging with Johnny Ace against Misawa & Akiayama. Their WON rated ***** match isn't on YouTube, but their rematch (Dave gave it **** 1/2) from '96 is:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITmCkpTYdJI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXTrrziX_JQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCP9YeqrJyQ

Steve squashing dirtsheet writer Davey Meltzer in Abrams' UWF:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ml1-G6xSW8

[MSBNYY]

He was a wrestler I heard tons about, but my only real experience watching the guy was in the WWE, and my biggest memory is the Bart Gunn thing--which probably taught McMahon that letting these guys fight for real is not the best idea.

[thecaptain15]

Sancho told me yesterday when we were out about this.....Very sad but with his long battle not totally shocking...I actually remember more of his work with Watts and Varsity Club and little about his WWF time...Rest in Peace big man!

Boomer Sooner!

[$heriff Tom]

Balls, you should check out some of the links Rob put up, thought what you would probably enjoy most is his US run with WCW as a member of the Varsity Club. I watched a bit of his stuff in a disc I have of matches from The Patriot in Japan, the two matched up in tag-battles quite a lot. Williams, with his pedigree, could really go.

Cap, you need to send me a # to where i can text you so i can give you all the breaking news I pop to Sancho and Grover and such. Im the one who told Sancho.

I have a great Dibiase set that has their whole run as a tag team together documented, Im going to pull that one out later.

[$heriff Tom]

Thanks to onlineworldofwrestling.com for this chronology.

STEVE WILLIAMS TITLE HISTORY

Mid-South Tag Team titles w/Ted DiBiase defeating the RockNRoll Express (May 3, 1995);
Mid-South Tag Team titles w/Ted DiBiase defeating the Eddie Gilbert & Nitemare (December 26, 1985);
UWF World Tag Team titles w/Ted DiBiase (recognised-March 1986);
UWF Heavyweight title defeating Big Bubba Rogers (July 11, 1987);
United States Tag Team titles w/Kevin Sullivan defeating the Fantastics (Starrcade 1988);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Terry Gordy defeating Stan Hansen and Gen'ichiro Tenryu (March 6, 1990);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Terry Gordy defeating (December 7, 1990);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Terry Gordy defeating Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey (July 6, 1991);
Real World Tag Team Tournament winners w/Terry Gordy (December 6, 1991);
NWA World Tag Team tTitles w/Terry Gordy defeating Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham (GAB 1992);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Bam Bam Bigelow defeating Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada (January 30, 1993);
All Japan's Triple Crown Heavyweight title defeating Mitsuharu Misawa (July 28, 1994);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Johnny Ace defeating Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama (May 23, 1996);
All Japan Tag Team titles w/Gary Albright defeating Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace (July 25, 1997);

STEVE WILLAMS CAREER CHRONOLOGY

University of Oklahoma:

1981: Steve Williams is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where he played football and wrestled..
~~~Steve set a then record for the fastest pinfall by pinning Perr Kaufman in twenty seconds..
~~~Steve Williams was named an All American..
Steve was scouted and trained by "Cowboy" Bill Watts when he was a senior in college..

Mid South:

1982: Steve Williams had his first pro match with Billy Starr in Shreveport, LA..
Steve Williams teamed with Andre the Giant against Big John Studd & Super Destroyer (Scott Irwin)..
May 3, 1985: Steve Williams & Ted DiBiase defeated the Rock'n'Roll Express for the Mid-South Tag Team titles..
December 26, 1985: Steve Williams & Ted DiBiase reclaimed the Mid-South Tag Team titles from Eddie Gilbert & Nightmare..
March 1986: Steve Williams & Ted DiBiase were recognized as the first UWF World Tag Team champions..
July 11, 1987: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams pinned Big Bubba Rogers for the UWF title..

National Wrestling Alliance:

Starrcade 1987: Williams defeated Barry Windham..
R.Warriors/S.Williams/R.Garvin/J.Garvin beat K/Sullivan/M.Rotunda/I.Koloff/A/Perez/R.Assassin #1 in a "tower of doom" match..
Starrcade 1988: "Dr. Death" & "Gamesmaster" Kevin Sullivan beat The Fantastics to win the US Tag Team titles..
Great American Bash 1989: Road Warriors/Midnight Express/Williams beat The Freebirds and The SST in a "War Games" match..

All Japan Pro Wrestling:

March 6, 1990: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams defeated Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu for the All Japan Tag Team titles..
December 7, 1990: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams re-claimed the All Japan Tag Team titles..
July 6, 1991: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams defeated Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey for their 3rd All Japan Tag Team titles..
December 6, 1991: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams won the annual Real World Tag Team Tournament in Tokyo..

World Championship Wrestling:

GAB 1992: Terry Gordy/Steve Williams beat Dustin Rhodes/Barry Windham to win the vacant NWA Tag Team titles..
1992: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams defeated the Steiner Brothers to unifying the NWA and WCW tag team titles..
Halloween Havoc 1992: Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes battled Steve Williams & Steve Austin to a 30 minute draw..

All Japan Pro Wrestling:

January 30, 1993: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams defeated Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada for the All Japan Tag Team titles..
July 28, 1994: Steve Williams defeated Mitsuharu Misawa for All Japan's Triple Crown Heavyweight title in Tokyo..
May 23, 1996: Steve Williams & Johnny Ace defeated Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama for the All Japan Tag Team titles..
July 25, 1997: Steve Williams & Gary Albright defeated Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace for the All Japan Tag Team titles in Tokyo..

World Wrestling Federation:

1998: Steve Williams signed with the World Wrestling Federation at the encouragement of Jim Ross..
The WWF set up a "Brawl for All" tournament for the sole purpose of introducing Steve Williams..
~~~The idea was that Steve Williams would steamroll through the competition and have an instant gimmick..
~~~July 27, 1998: Steve Williams was injured during his first round Brawl For All shoot fight against Bart Gunn..
~~~Due to this 'embarrassment', Steve Williams' push was completely deflated, and eventually released..

World Championship Wrestling:

Steve Williams resurfaces on "Nitro," debuting with Oklahoma (Ed Ferrara), a character mocking Jim Ross..
January 2000: Steve Williams departed for All Japan Pro Wrestling shortly thereafter..

All Japan Pro Wrestling:

June 22, 2002: Steve Williams beat Jimmy Snuka Jr. in Atlantic, NJ..
October 27, 2002 - AJPW PPV: Steve Williams/Mike Rotunda/Johnny Smith beat Yoji Anjoh/Mitsuya Nagai/Ryuji Hijikata..

Semi-Retirement:

May 23, 2003 - WWE Event: Steve "Dr Death" Williams defeats Lance Storm in a rare special appearance..
May 24, 2003 - WWE Event: Lance Storm defeats Steve "Dr Death" Willaims in another special appearance..
June 2003: Steve Williams might be offered a wrestler/trainer position within the WWE to influence a slower in-ring wrestling style..
September 19, 2003 - MLW WAR GAMES: The Funkin Army (led by Terry Funk) beat The Extreme Horsemen (led by Steve Corino)..
~~~Funkin Army = Terry Funk/Sabu/Dr Death/Sandman || Extreme Horsemen = Corino/Diamond/Anderson/Credible/Barry Windham..
December 30, 2003--NWA Mid-Atlantic in China: Steve Williams b Terry Taylor in 32:19 for the NWA Mid-Atlantic HWT title..
April 2004: Steve Williams announced that he has been suffering from throat cancer following his shoot fight at a K-1 event in Japan..
~~~Steve Williams will be having surgery in the coming days to remove a polyp from his throat..
April 17, 2004: Steve Williams was told that his voice box would have to be removed to remove the cancer and seeks additional medical opinions..
October 22, 2004: Steve Williams undergoes another tough operation where they take skin from his leg to patch the hole in his throat..
December 2004: Steve Williams has recovered from his cancer treatments and been added to the January Wrestle Reunion in Tampa..
February 2005: "Dr. Death" Steve Williams has been declared completely free of cancer...
August 27, 2005--WrestleReunion: Steve Williams (first match since has cancer) defeated King Kaluha..
March 11, 2006--Live Event (SD!): Kurt Angle & Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton & Mark Henry with Steve Williams as guest referee..
March 12, 2006--Live Event (SD!): Chris Benoit defeated Booker T to retain the United States title with Steve Williams as the referee..
March 13, 2006--Live Event (SD!): Chris Benoit defeated Booker T to retain the United States title with Steve Williams as the referee..
March 26, 2006--Live Event (SD!): Jim Ross interviewed Steve "Dr. Death" Williams (interrupted by Mr. Ken Kennedy)...
July 26, 2006--Pro Wrestling Unplugged - Caged at the Alhambra in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at ECW Arena..
~~~Helter Skelter & Z-Barr & Danny Demanto beat Steve Williams & Gary Wolf & Ian Rotten in a War Games match.
August 12, 2006--AWA Super Clash: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams & The Patriot defeated Ricky Landell & Steve Corino..
August 26, 2006--Universal Wrestling Federation: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams defeated Prince al-Farat...
October 21, 2006--IWA Mid South: "Dr. Death" Steve Williams defeated "Sweet & Sour" Larry Sweeney...
June 1, 2007--OVW Six Flags: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams & Jake Hager defeated K.C. James & Kassidy James...
June 29, 2007--OVW Six Flags: Jake Hager & Steve "Dr. Death" Williams defeated Los Locos..
August 11, 2007---NWA Legends Show: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams defeated "Hacksaw" Butch Reed...
October 13, 2007--USPW: "Dr. Death" Steve Williams defeated Jeremy Young with the Oklahoma Stampede..
November 2007: The WWE decided to no longer use Steve "Dr. Death" Williams as a trainer at the OVW Camp..
November 2007: Steve Williams started helping to train wrestlers for Fusion Pro Wrestling in Denver, Colorado..
December 9, 2007--Pro Wrestling Syndicate: "The Cold Hearted Playa" Danny Demanto beat "Dr. Death" Steve Williams...
February 2, 2008--Sooner World Class Wrestling: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams defeated Luscious Larry
February 9, 2008--Fusion Pro Wrestling: Steve Williams & Paul Diamond defeated Billy V & Jeff McAllister. ..
February 16, 2008--Sooner World Class Wrestling: "Dr. Death" Steve Williams defeated "Hacksaw" Butch Reed..
September 2008: Steve "Dr. Death" Williams, at 48, has decided to retire from active wrestling...
December 29, 2009: Steve Williams passed away at the age of 49 after a very long battle with cancer..

[rlm6370]

Another note on Steve, he was a great amateur wrestler and those that saw him wrestle at Oklahoma say he had the talent to wrestle in the Olympics. He was a 4 time All American at Oklahoma in wrestling. He also competed in NCAA tournament and lost to future Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner in the finals.

[thecaptain15]

Tom I don't have text messaging on my Blackberry..I either have email (and you have my address) or if you have a Blackberry I have BBM and you can IM me......If you have that I can send you my pin number