Steve Williams (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Steven "Steve" Williams (May 14, 1960 – December 29, 2009), better known by his ring name
"Dr. Death" Steve Williams, was an American professional wrestler and former star of collegiate football
and wrestling at the University of Oklahoma
.
career that saw him named an All-America
n. He also competed as an amateur wrestler
, losing in the finals of an NCAA tournament
to future Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner
. Already interested in professional wrestling, Williams had a ready-made nickname which dated back to an incident in junior high where he had to wrestle in a hockey
goalie
's mask and was jokingly labeled "Dr. Death" by one of his school's coaches.
and Buddy Landel
, started wrestling in 1982 in Watts' Mid-South Wrestling. In 1985, he formed a team with Ted DiBiase
and feuded with Eddie Gilbert and The Nightmare. In 1986, Mid-South was renamed the Universal Wrestling Federation
and Williams went on to win the UWF Heavyweight Championship
from Big Bubba Rogers
. When Jim Crockett Promotions
bought the UWF in late 1987, he was one of the few UWF wrestlers to receive an initial push in the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA).
's war with Kevin Sullivan
's Varsity Club
in 1988, often teaming with Jimmy and Ron Garvin
or Ron Simmons
in various matches, including a Triple Cage "Tower of Doom" match at The Great American Bash in 1988. Williams, however, turned heel and joined the Varsity Club in late 1988. He and Sullivan won the NWA United States Tag Team Championship
at Starrcade
. They feuded with the Road Warriors
and he and Mike Rotunda
won the NWA World Tag Team Championship
in the process.
In May 1989, Williams and Rotunda were stripped of the title, and the Varsity Club disbanded. Williams went to All Japan Pro Wrestling
where he formed a tag team with Terry Gordy
called the Miracle Violence Connection
. They went on to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship
from the Steiner Brothers. One week after winning the WCW World Tag Team title, they won the vacant NWA World Tag Team title, defeating Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham
in the tournament final. Their NWA World Tag Team title win, however, went unrecognized by the NWA. They held onto both titles until September 1992, when they lost them to Rhodes and Windham. At Starrcade in 1992, Williams substituted for the injured Rick Rude to challenge Ron Simmons for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
, but lost by disqualification. He left WCW shortly thereafter.
er for the company, making him one of the most successful foreign athletes in Japanese wrestling history. He also sporadically wrestled in the U.S. on the independent circuit
. That run was brought to an end during one of his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW). After defeating Axl Rotten
in approximately 2 minutes, Williams had an impromptu ECW World Title match, but lost to the then champion Raven
. The loss happened in February 1997 at ECW Crossing the Line Again.
(WWF) prior to the "Brawl for All" competition which was set up in legitimate fights. He was expected to win the competition, but after beating Pierre Carl Ouellet
in the first round, he was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Bart Gunn
, suffering a major injury in the process. Following the event, Williams was involved in a brief angle where he was managed by Jim Ross
before Williams was released. During his time with Ross, he would attack people with suplex
es.
In 1999, Williams appeared briefly in World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) again with Oklahoma as his manager in a feud with Vampiro
, as a result of this feud, he wrestled against Jerry Only
from the Misfits on an 1999 episode of WCW Monday Nitro
in a steel cage match. He went back to All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002 and wrestled a couple of matches for WWE in 2003 against Lance Storm
. In late 2003, he was involved with the independent promotion Major League Wrestling
(MLW) and also wrestled for the new NWA Mid-Atlantic, where he won their title in one of the first professional wrestling events in China.
On March 14, 2004, Williams faced Belarus
ian kickboxer Alexey Ignashov
in a mixed martial arts
bout in the K-1
promotion and was knocked out 22 seconds into the fight. This proved to be his first and only professional fight.
and was declared cancer-free the next year. He made an appearance at a SmackDown! brand house show
on March 11, 2006 in Alexandria, Louisiana
, after which he was signed to help train up and coming WWE wrestlers in its Ohio Valley Wrestling
(OVW) developmental territory
. While acting in that capacity he made a few appearances on OVW television "helping out" fellow Oklahoma wrestler Jake Hager
and briefly working as his tag team partner. He also made an appearance at an August 30 Raw
brand house show, sitting ringside, during which he addressed the crowd and announced how happy he was to be "four years cancer free."
In 2007, he appeared at a taping of Harley Race
's World League Wrestling in West Plains, Missouri
, signing autographs and giving a brief speech about his battle with cancer and his newfound Christian faith.
Later, he made appearances for Oklahoma based independent federation
Sooner World Class Wrestling (SWCW). He also worked for Southwest Airlines
in Colorado.
After the death of longtime rival and friend Mitsuharu Misawa
in June 2009, Williams made the decision to retire from the ring after 27 years. Williams' final American
match took place August 15 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
for Asylum Championship Wrestling. He defeated Franco D'Angelo for the ACW Heavyweight Championship, which he vacated after the match. His final match was held on October 25 in Tokyo.
, New Jersey
. On December 29, 2009, Williams died at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver from throat cancer. He was 49 years old.
| Loss
| style="text-align:center;"|0-1
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Alexey Ignashov
|KO (knees)
|K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata
|
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0:22
|Niigata
, Japan
|
1Gordy and Williams unifies the WCW World Tag Team Championship with the NWA World Tag Team Championship after winning the NWA title in a tag team tournament. This happens nearly four years after Ted Turner's purchase of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from Jim Crockett, Jr. He renamed the promotion World Championship Wrestling but it remained an NWA affiliate until September 1993. As a result, the two titles were separated once more and Gordy and Williams are now recognized as having two separate title reigns with two different titles rather than one unified reign.
²This promotion, while operating out of the same area and using some of the same regional championships, is not the same promotion once owned by Jim Crockett, Jr.
and didn't begin operating until the mid 1990s.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
"Dr. Death" Steve Williams, was an American professional wrestler and former star of collegiate football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and wrestling at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
.
Early life
Williams attended Lakewood High School in Colorado, graduating in 1978. He was on the track team, played football, and wrestled all four years, so he was a well-respected athlete. Williams graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1981 after a footballOklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
career that saw him named an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. He also competed as an amateur wrestler
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
, losing in the finals of an NCAA tournament
NCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
to future Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner
Bruce Baumgartner
Bruce Robert Baumgartner is a retired American amateur wrestler and current Director of Athletics for the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania....
. Already interested in professional wrestling, Williams had a ready-made nickname which dated back to an incident in junior high where he had to wrestle in a hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goalie
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
's mask and was jokingly labeled "Dr. Death" by one of his school's coaches.
Early years (1982–1988)
Williams, trained for professional wrestling by Bill WattsBill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
and Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
, started wrestling in 1982 in Watts' Mid-South Wrestling. In 1985, he formed a team with Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
and feuded with Eddie Gilbert and The Nightmare. In 1986, Mid-South was renamed the Universal Wrestling Federation
Universal Wrestling Federation (United States)
The Universal Wrestling Federation was owner Bill Watts' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling...
and Williams went on to win the UWF Heavyweight Championship
UWF Heavyweight Championship
The UWF Heavyweight Championship was the premier title in the Universal Wrestling Federation owned by Bill Watts. When Mid-South Wrestling Association changed its name to the UWF, the Mid-South North American title was retired and a tournament was held to crown a new UWF World Heavyweight Champion...
from Big Bubba Rogers
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
. When Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
bought the UWF in late 1987, he was one of the few UWF wrestlers to receive an initial push in the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA).
Teaming with Terry Gordy and Mike Rotunda (1988–1994)
Williams became involved with Jimmy GarvinJimmy Garvin
James Williams is a retired American professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name "Gorgeous" Jimmy "Jam" Garvin and as a member of the legendary Fabulous Freebirds....
's war with Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
's Varsity Club
Varsity Club
The Varsity Club was a professional wrestling heel stable in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling. The stable was formed in 1987 and lasted until 1989...
in 1988, often teaming with Jimmy and Ron Garvin
Ron Garvin
Ron Garvin is a Canadian former professional wrestler and referee most known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance.-Early career:...
or Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
in various matches, including a Triple Cage "Tower of Doom" match at The Great American Bash in 1988. Williams, however, turned heel and joined the Varsity Club in late 1988. He and Sullivan won the NWA United States Tag Team Championship
NWA United States Tag Team Championship
The NWA United States Tag Team Championship is a name used by several championships that were or currently are under the National Wrestling Alliance 's supervision:...
at Starrcade
Starrcade (1988)
Starrcade '88 was the sixth annual Starrcade professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced under the National Wrestling Alliance banner. It was the first Starrcade event produced by World Championship Wrestling , and it took place on December 26, 1988 from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia...
. They feuded with the Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
and he and Mike Rotunda
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
won the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
in the process.
In May 1989, Williams and Rotunda were stripped of the title, and the Varsity Club disbanded. Williams went to All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
where he formed a tag team with Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Terry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
called the Miracle Violence Connection
Miracle Violence Connection
The Miracle Violence Connection was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
. They went on to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
from the Steiner Brothers. One week after winning the WCW World Tag Team title, they won the vacant NWA World Tag Team title, defeating Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
in the tournament final. Their NWA World Tag Team title win, however, went unrecognized by the NWA. They held onto both titles until September 1992, when they lost them to Rhodes and Windham. At Starrcade in 1992, Williams substituted for the injured Rick Rude to challenge Ron Simmons for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
, but lost by disqualification. He left WCW shortly thereafter.
Unbeaten for a decade (1987–1997)
It was during the 1990s that Williams arguably had his most success. He continued to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling and became a main eventMain Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
er for the company, making him one of the most successful foreign athletes in Japanese wrestling history. He also sporadically wrestled in the U.S. on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. That run was brought to an end during one of his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW). After defeating Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
in approximately 2 minutes, Williams had an impromptu ECW World Title match, but lost to the then champion Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
. The loss happened in February 1997 at ECW Crossing the Line Again.
Later years (1998–2004)
In 1998, Williams was signed by the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) prior to the "Brawl for All" competition which was set up in legitimate fights. He was expected to win the competition, but after beating Pierre Carl Ouellet
Carl Ouellet
Carl Joseph Yvon Ouellet is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He has worked for, among other promotions, the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Beginnings:Carl Ouellet debuted in 1987...
in the first round, he was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Bart Gunn
Mike Plotcheck
Michal Burton "Mike" Polchlopek, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, also known by the ring names Bart Gunn and Mike Barton...
, suffering a major injury in the process. Following the event, Williams was involved in a brief angle where he was managed by Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
before Williams was released. During his time with Ross, he would attack people with suplex
Suplex
A suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
es.
In 1999, Williams appeared briefly in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) again with Oklahoma as his manager in a feud with Vampiro
Vampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson , better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working as a wrestler and a consultant for Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Hodgkinson is semi-retired and is a member of the citizen crime patrol organization Guardian Angels, acting as...
, as a result of this feud, he wrestled against Jerry Only
Jerry Only
Jerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
from the Misfits on an 1999 episode of WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
in a steel cage match. He went back to All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002 and wrestled a couple of matches for WWE in 2003 against Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
. In late 2003, he was involved with the independent promotion Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion that markets its presentation around hybrid wrestling, which encompasses and showcases many different forms of wrestling. MLW's mission is to present itself as an alternative to sports entertainment...
(MLW) and also wrestled for the new NWA Mid-Atlantic, where he won their title in one of the first professional wrestling events in China.
On March 14, 2004, Williams faced Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian kickboxer Alexey Ignashov
Alexey Ignashov
Alexey "The Red Scorpion" Ignashov is a Belarusian Super Heavyweight kickboxer. He is a four-time Muay Thai World champion, K-1 World GP 2003 in Paris and K-1 World GP 2001 in Nagoya tournament champion...
in a mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
bout in the K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
promotion and was knocked out 22 seconds into the fight. This proved to be his first and only professional fight.
Battle with cancer, return to wrestling, and death (2004–2009)
In 2004, Williams underwent surgery for throat cancerHead and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
and was declared cancer-free the next year. He made an appearance at a SmackDown! brand house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
on March 11, 2006 in Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, after which he was signed to help train up and coming WWE wrestlers in its Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW) developmental territory
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
. While acting in that capacity he made a few appearances on OVW television "helping out" fellow Oklahoma wrestler Jake Hager
Jake Hager
Jacob "Jake" Hager, Jr. is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he works under the ring name Jack Swagger on the Raw brand....
and briefly working as his tag team partner. He also made an appearance at an August 30 Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand house show, sitting ringside, during which he addressed the crowd and announced how happy he was to be "four years cancer free."
In 2007, he appeared at a taping of Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
's World League Wrestling in West Plains, Missouri
West Plains, Missouri
West Plains is a city in Howell County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,866 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howell County. The West Plains Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Howell County.-Geography:...
, signing autographs and giving a brief speech about his battle with cancer and his newfound Christian faith.
Later, he made appearances for Oklahoma based independent federation
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
Sooner World Class Wrestling (SWCW). He also worked for Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
in Colorado.
After the death of longtime rival and friend Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
in June 2009, Williams made the decision to retire from the ring after 27 years. Williams' final American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
match took place August 15 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
for Asylum Championship Wrestling. He defeated Franco D'Angelo for the ACW Heavyweight Championship, which he vacated after the match. His final match was held on October 25 in Tokyo.
Death
The throat cancer eventually returned and Williams's health gradually worsened. His last public appearance was at the K&S Wrestlefest Wrestling Convention on December 12, 2009, in CarteretCarteret
Carteret may refer to:*George Carteret, 1st Baronet , one of the first proprietors of New Jersey*George Carteret, 1st Baron Carteret...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. On December 29, 2009, Williams died at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver from throat cancer. He was 49 years old.
Mixed martial arts record
|-| Loss
| style="text-align:center;"|0-1
|
Alexey IgnashovAlexey Ignashov
Alexey "The Red Scorpion" Ignashov is a Belarusian Super Heavyweight kickboxer. He is a four-time Muay Thai World champion, K-1 World GP 2003 in Paris and K-1 World GP 2001 in Nagoya tournament champion...
|KO (knees)
|K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata
|
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0:22
|Niigata
Niigata, Niigata
is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Backdrop Driver (High-angle belly to back suplex)
- Doctor Bomb (Gutwrench powerbomb pin)
- Oklahoma Stampede – innovated
- Signature moves
- Elevated powerbomb
- Military press into a drop or a slam
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Release dragon
- Release German
- Release tiger
- Scoop powerslam
- Three-point stanceThree-point stanceThe three-point stance is a stance used by offensive and defensive linemen in American football as well as running backs. This stance requires one hand to touch the ground with the other arm cocked back to the thigh/hip region...
shoulder block
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Jim RossJim RossJames William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
- Oklahoma
- Kevin SullivanKevin Sullivan (wrestler)Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
- Skandor Akbar
- Jim Ross
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "Dr. Death"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "I Love It LoudI Love It Loud"I Love It Loud" is a song by the American rock band Kiss, released on their 1982 album Creatures of the Night. The song was written by bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and guitarist Vincent Cusano, although some versions of the album mistakenly credit the song as written by Paul Stanley and Cusano...
" by KissKISS (band)Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
(AJPW)All Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- "I Love It Loud
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(8 times) – with Terry GordyTerry GordyTerry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
(5), Gary AlbrightGary AlbrightGary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
(1), Vader (1), and Johnny AceJohn LaurinaitisJohn Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
(1) - World's Strongest Tag Team LeagueWorld's Strongest Tag Team LeagueThe , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually run on the first weeks of December...
(1990, 1991, 2000) – with Terry GordyTerry GordyTerry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
(2) and Mike Rotundo - January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1995, 2000)
- Asylum Championship Wrestling
- ACW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- International Wrestling Association of JapanInternational Wrestling Association of JapanInternational Wrestling Association of Japan, more commonly known as IWA Japan, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion operating from 1994 to 1996....
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ryo Miyake
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
²- NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship contested for in Jim Crockett Promotions , a territory-promotion governed by the National Wrestling Alliance . The title was only contestable by male individual wrestlers...
(1 time)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship
- Mid-South Wrestling Association / Universal Wrestling Federation
- Mid-South Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ted DiBiaseTed DiBiaseTheodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
- UWF World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- UWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ted DiBiase
- Mid-South Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ted DiBiase
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1985)
- PWI Tag Team of the Year (1992) with Terry Gordy
- PWI ranked him # 8 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1991.
- PWI ranked him #78 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling AssociationThe United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
- USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)The Universal Wrestling Federation was an American wrestling promotion based out of Marina del Rey, California.-History:Herb Abrams founded the UWF in 1990 with hopes of returning professional wrestling back to its roots...
- UWF SportsChannel Television Championship (1 time)
- UWF World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- NWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA United States Tag Team Championship is a name used by several championships that were or currently are under the National Wrestling Alliance 's supervision:...
(1 time) – with Kevin SullivanKevin Sullivan (wrestler)Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:... - NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time) – with Mike Rotunda - WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time) – with Terry Gordy
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Kenta KobashiKenta KobashiNot to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
on August 31 - 5 Star Match (1995) with Johnny AceJohn LaurinaitisJohn Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
vs. Mitsuharu MisawaMitsuharu Misawawas a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
and Kenta Kobashi on March 4 - 5 Star Match (1996) with Johnny Ace vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
on June 7 in Tokyo, Japan - Match of the Year (1996) with Johnny Ace vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on June 7 in Tokyo, Japan
- Most Improved (1985)
- Rookie of the Year (1982)
- Tag Team of the Year (1992) with Terry Gordy
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2011)Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
- 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Kenta Kobashi
1Gordy and Williams unifies the WCW World Tag Team Championship with the NWA World Tag Team Championship after winning the NWA title in a tag team tournament. This happens nearly four years after Ted Turner's purchase of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from Jim Crockett, Jr. He renamed the promotion World Championship Wrestling but it remained an NWA affiliate until September 1993. As a result, the two titles were separated once more and Gordy and Williams are now recognized as having two separate title reigns with two different titles rather than one unified reign.
²This promotion, while operating out of the same area and using some of the same regional championships, is not the same promotion once owned by Jim Crockett, Jr.
Jim Crockett, Jr.
Jim Crockett, Jr. is a former professional wrestling promoter. From 1973 to 1988, he owned Jim Crockett Promotions , a wrestling company affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance...
and didn't begin operating until the mid 1990s.