Remembering "Dr. Death" Steve Williams

I first heard about Steve Williams in the February 1987 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Back before Youtube and internet news sites, the only way to learn about a wrester who did not work for the WWF or the NWA was in wrestling magazines. Pro Wrestling Illustrated was THE source for wrestling news in the 80’s and 90’s. The February 1987 issue of PWI featured seven wrestlers from the UFW on the cover. PWI and the UWF were sponsoring a tournament called the “$50,000 Challenge Tournament” to determine the best wrestler in the UWF. I thought it was really impressive that PWI was sponsoring this tournament. The fact that the leading source of wrestling news at the time was putting together this tournament meant to me that these wrestlers must be really special. Steve Williams went on to win this PWI sponsored tournament, giving him instant credibility in my mind.

Steve Williams left the UWF a year later and joined the NWA. He had a brief run as a member of Kevin Sullivan’s “Varsity Club”. But he did not catch my interest until he started teaming with Terry Gordy in 1989. Williams and Gordy defeated the Steiner Brothers for the WCW Tag Team Championship. This made me take notice of how great a wrestler Steve Williams was. The Steiner Brothers were two of my favorite wresters at the time and one of the best tag teams I had seen. For Steve Williams to be able to defeat the Steiner Brothers meant to me that was truly a great wrestler.

Williams spent some time in All Japan Pro Wrestling before stepping into the spotlight by signing with the WWF in 1998. Steve Williams competed in the “Brawl for All” competition. This was a bad idea by the WWF in which wrestlers would compete in legitimate fights. Williams was knocked out by Bart Gunn in the second round of the tournament. This destroyed Williams’s reputation as a tough guy and ended a promising career in the WWF.

Despite the disappointing way his WWF career ended, I will always remember Dr. Death Steve Williams as a great wrestler. His victory over the Steiner Brothers for the WCW Tag Team Championship is still one of the most impressive accomplishments I have ever seen in professional wresting.

But when Steve Williams’ in ring career was winding down, his biggest battle was only beginning. In 2004, he underwent surgery for throat cancer. In 2005, he was declared cancer free. In this battle with cancer, Steve Williams found a new tag team partner-a deeply personal Christian faith. In one of the blogs on his Myspace page, Steve Williams said “The greatest part is that you’ve got the toughest, baddest guy in pro wresting who is now preaching. Instead of taking my big hands to slap somebody, I’m telling people to put their hands together and pray.”

Sadly, the cancer returned and Steve Williams passed away on December 29, 2009 at 49 years of age. There are many ways to remember the life of this great wrester. We can watch his matches. We can use his card when playing Legends of Wrestling by Filsinger Games. But the best way to remember Dr. Death Steve Williams is by doing something that was very important to him. Take some time today, put your hands together, and pray for somebody. Pray for your family members. Pray for your friends. And pray for your enemies. If you do this, then Steve William’s legacy will live on and you will touch lives!