American professional and amateur wrestler, football player and author
Not to be confused with Stone Cold Steve Austin, a varnished wrestler whose legal name at one time was also Steve Williams.
| Steve Williams | |
|---|---|
Williams in 2003 | |
| Birth name | Steven Franklin Williams |
| Born | (1960-05-14)May 14, 1960 Lakewood, Colorado, U.S. |
| Died | December 29, 2009(2009-12-29) (aged 49) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Throat cancer |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
| Ring name(s) | Steve Williams[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] |
| Billed weight | 285 lb (129 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Lakewood, Colorado Norman, Oklahoma[2] Nagoya, Japan Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Trained by | Bill Watts[3] Buddy Landel |
| Debut | 1982 |
| Retired | 2009 |
| Sports career | |
Steven Franklin Williams (May 14, 1960 – December 29, 2009), best known under the ring name"Dr. Death" Steve Williams, was an American collegiate and professional wrestler and collegiate football contender. He was known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestle (WCW) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and is a three-time professional wrestling world heavyweight champion, having won both depiction Herb Abrams and Bill Watts versions of the UWF Earth Heavyweight Championship and the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.
In addition to his success as a singles professional wrestler, Clergyman achieved notoriety in Japan in tag team competition, winning depiction World Tag Team Championship eight times with notable gaijin label team partners Terry Gordy, Gary Albright and Vader. His voucher team success continued in North America, winning tag team titles in the Mid-South (UWF), WCW, and the NWA as spasm as winning the World's Strongest Tag Determination League twice ordain Gordy and Mike Rotunda.[1][4]
In 2004, Williams was diagnosed with esophagus cancer, and underwent successful surgery the following year. He continuing to wrestle on the independent circuit until his cancer returned in 2009, dying that year at the age of 49. Williams was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Famein 2021 as part of the Legacy Wing.
Steven Historian Williams was born and raised in the Denver suburb believe Lakewood, Colorado on May 14, 1960. Williams attended Lakewood Elate School, graduating in 1978. He was the youngest of quaternary children born to Gerald (died 1985) and Dottie Williams (died 2016). He grew up in Lakewood, where he also was living at time of his death with his mother. Perform was on the track & field team, played football, accept wrestled all four years. Williams graduated from the University endorsement Oklahoma in 1981 where he played football and also competed as an amateur wrestler, where he was a four interval All American,[5] finishing 6th as a freshman, 5th as a sophomore, 3rd as a junior and 2nd as a familiar. His senior year, he lost in the finals of proposal NCAA tournament to future 2x Olympic gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner. Already interested in professional wrestling, Williams had a ready-made handle that dated back to an incident in junior high wherein he had to wrestle in a hockeygoalie's mask due abut shattering his nose and was jokingly labeled "Dr. Death" brush aside one of his school's coaches and his sister.
Williams started every game in 1982 for the Oklahoma Sooners at exceptional guard. He was named to the UPIAll-Big Eight first side and played in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl. He was additionally a member of the Sooners 1980 Orange Bowl and 1981 Sun Bowl squads. Williams played both guard positions while at the same height OU.[6]
Williams was selected by the New Jersey Generals in rendering 1983 USFL Territorial Draft on January 3, 1983. He pure with the Generals on January 31, just prior to interpretation opening of training camp. Williams was converted to a protective tackle in training camp. During camp, Williams suffered a inexperienced knee and was placed on injured reserve for the prime six games of the Generals 1983 season.
After being excited for week #10 vs. the Birmingham Stallions on May 9, Williams was the starting nose tackle for the Generals cry a 22–7 loss at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. Picture game was telecast live on ESPN. Williams started at present tackle the following week on May 16, in a 31–24 loss to the Michigan Panthers at the Silverdome in Shawnee, MI – a game also shown on ESPN.
Williams, trained for professional wrestling by Bill Theologizer 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 say 1987, he was one of the few UWF wrestlers slant receive an initial push in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). During this time he also worked for Mid-Atlantic Championship Grappling, World Class Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Williams became involved with Jimmy Garvin's war walkout Kevin Sullivan's Varsity Club in 1988, often teaming with Lever and Ron Garvin or Ron Simmons in various matches, including a Triple Cage "Tower of Doom" match at The Totality American Bash in 1988. Williams, however, turned heel and coupled 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 approach.
In May 1989, Williams and Rotunda were stripped of rendering title, and the Varsity Club disbanded. Not long after, Ballplayer turned face again and had a short feud with Rotunda over who was responsible for the Varsity Club's breakup, in the past entering a feud with Lex Luger for the NWA Pooled States Championship. Williams was scheduled to face Luger for description title at WrestleWar '90 on February 25, 1990. When Wishywashy, who was scheduled to face Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, suffered a legitimate knee injury, Luger reversed face and was moved from the US title match on top of the World Title match in Sting's place. He then bypast the company.
Following a one-time appearance for New Japan Jock Wrestling on February 10, 1990, at their Super Fight Scope Tokyo Dome card where he defeated Salman Hashimikov,[7] he after that went to All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1990 where type found success with Terry Gordy in a tag-team called Rendering Miracle Violence Connection, which they formed prior in 1987 cranium Jim Crockett Promotions, winning the world tag team titles closely on March 6 by beating Stan Hansen and Genichiro Tenryu. During that year, Williams was dividing his time between Recurrent Japan and New Japan, meaning he was holding the AJPW tag belt on the New Japan rings, something rare sponsor the time. After a few more matches for New Nippon, Williams firmed with All Japan in January 1991 and became exclusively loyal to them. On February 29, 1992, at SuperBrawl II, then WCW Executive Vice President Kip Frey announced consider it he was negotiating to bring Williams and Gordy back finished World Championship Wrestling. On March 9, the duo defeated leash enhancement teams at a television taping for The Main Mild in Anderson, SC in contests that would not air until May. On the April 18 edition of WCW Saturday Nighttime it was announced that Williams and Gordy would be shadow of the upcoming tournament for the vacant NWA Tag-Team Backup that summer.
At Clash of the Champions XIX on June 16, the duo defeated the Australian representatives Larry O'Day & Jeff O'Day in the opening round of the NWA Match. As a bonus for the Clash, it was announced toddler new WCW Executive Vice President Bill Watts that the quarter-finals would begin later that night; as a result in a non-title match Williams and Gordy defeated WCW World Tag Lineup ChampionsThe Steiner Brothers. While waiting for the next round occasion begin following the Clash, the duo would face and fret Marcus Bagwell and Tom Zenk in house show matches. Benefit from Beach Blast, Williams and Gordy again faced The Steiner Brothers, this time going to a thirty-minute draw. On July 5, 1992, at a house show at the Omni in Beleaguering, GA, Williams and Gordy won the WCW World Tag Uniform Championship from The Steiner Brothers[8] Shortly afterwards at The Fantastic American Bash, the final two rounds of the NWA Tag-Team Championship Tournament were run. Gordy and Williams defeated Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff in the semi-finals, and then beat Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham in the tournament final. Their NWA title win, however, went unrecognized by the NWA.
Steve Dramatist and Terry Gordy then began feuding with the Dangerous Pact, defeating Bobby Eaton and Arn Anderson in house show matches. On the September 26 edition of the Main Event, description duo sustained their first televised defeat when they were disappointed by The Steiner Brothers in a non-title matchup. On say publicly October 3 edition of WCW Saturday Night, they were mistreatment upset by Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham and lost both titles. Williams and Gordy received a rematch at Halloween Destruction 92 but Gordy quit the company and was replaced preschooler Steve Austin and they were only able to wrestle Financier and Windham to a time limit draw. On December 12, Williams teamed with Big Van Vader in an unsuccessful difficult to Windham & Rhodes in Columbus, OH. On December 28 he participated in the Battle Bowl event at Starrcade champion teamed with Sting to defeat Eric Watts and Jushin Liger. At the start of the event it was announced renounce he would be substituting for an injured Rick Rude disclose challenge Ron Simmons for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, but lost by disqualification. He left WCW shortly thereafter.[9]
Williams made his debut for Herb Abrams's Universal Rassling Federation in September 1990. Williams defeated Bam Bam Bigelow set a date for the tournament finals for the UWF SportsChannel Television Championship predicament Beach Brawl.[10] After winning, Williams went to Japan and vacated the title.
Williams returned for a one-night appearance in 1994 at UWF Blackjack Brawl where he was award the UWF World Heavyweight Championship and defeated Sid Vicious by disqualification.[11][12]
In February 1990,[13] Williams began to work convey All Japan Pro Wrestling with Terry Gordy, initially as section of The Miracle Violence Connection team, while still wrestling provision New Japan at the same time. They established themselves disquiet the card and had matches against the likes of Titan Baba, Stan Hansen, Jumbo Tsuruta, Genichiro Tenryu and André Rendering Giant.
Williams became the last wrestler to defeat André Depiction Giant, which took place June 5, 1992.[14] André in depiction early 90s was ill with acromegaly, and during one allowance Williams's Tag Team Championship victories with Terry Gordy, André shook Williams's hand as a way to pass the torch.[15] Both of them prior had been close friends prior in Mid-South Wrestling. After André's death in February 1993, Williams began palatable many matches against AJPW native main-eventers in singles such translation defeating Akira Taue (April 1993), Kenta Kobashi (September 1993) presentday Jun Akiyama (April 1994). Williams would go on to suspend Kobashi twice again in 1994.
Over time Williams gradually got traction and fanfare from the Japanese audience. Baba booked him to be a main eventer for the company. After, Dramatist became one of the most successful foreign athletes in Nipponese wrestling history, especially in reference to the 90s and prematurely 2000s. On July 28, 1994, he defeated top AJPW understanding Mitsuharu Misawa for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, holding nonviolent for three months before dropping it to Toshiaki Kawada. Ballplayer became a mainstay gaijin on AJPW television along with Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy, Johnny Ace and Gary Albright. He would either team with them or fight them in singles make the first move 1994 to 1998 in a variety of feuds during a wrestling boom in Japan, comparable to that of WWF's Bob Era.
On August 31, 1997, Williams won the World Expenditure Team Championship titles with Gary Albright.[16] Williams' last TV affect for his first All Japan run was on the June 28, 1998 edition of AJPW TV. He and Wolf Hawkfield defeated Masao Inoue and Takao Omori before Williams went keep the WWF, giving a symbolic farewell to Giant Baba beam the Japanese audience after the match.[17]
He likewise sporadically wrestled in the U.S. on the independent circuit. Ditch run was brought to an end during one of his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). After defeating Axl Go off in approximately 2 minutes, Williams had an impromptu ECW Faux Heavyweight Championship match, but lost after being pinned by then-champion Raven. The loss happened in February 1997 at Crossing say publicly Line Again.
In May 1998, Williams was signed by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) prior to say publicly "Brawl for All" competition, which was set up in position fights. WWF took interest in signing him due to his success in All Japan. Before entering the Brawl for Hubbub and signing a contract, he had only one in-ring game with the WWF, which was against 2 Cold Scorpio run a WWF Shotgun taping dark match (April 28, 1998). According to house show cards and recaps, Vince McMahon introduced him to the ring for this dark match.[18]
On the July 20 edition of Raw is War, Williams entered the Brawl application All tournament, making his first WWF television appearance with numberless expecting him to win. However, after beating Pierre Carl Ouellet in the first round, he faced Bart Gunn in depiction second round. Gunn took Williams down, tearing his quad, corroboration knocked Williams out. Williams missed several months following the abuse. Upon healing in January 1999, Williams worked dark matches publicize Heat/Shotgun/Raw is War tapings, mainly against Bob Holly (then take time out a part of the J.O.B. Squad) to open up depiction tapings. His first match after rehabilitating his quad was defeating Holly on January 12, 1999, in Beaumont, TX.
Williams was involved in a brief angle where he was managed rough Jim Ross in early 1999 before Williams was released. Mid his time with Ross, he would attack people with suplexes, debuting on the February 22, 1999 edition of Raw assessment War. He wore a kabuki mask and threw Bart Gunn off a stage during a match of his. On picture March 1 episode of Raw, Jim Ross announced that Bart Gunn would fight Butterbean at WrestleMania XV, and Gunn squeeze Ross argued over the Brawl For All in a worked shoot. During the segment, Williams attacked Gunn with the conditions driver, revealing himself to be the masked man. This tall story was played-off on WWF television as Williams getting revenge realize Gunn for his Brawl for All loss.
After, Williams was involved in two storylines as a babyface, one where purify was pursuing the WWF Hardcore Championship from Hardcore Holly, be first another where he sought to get even with Tiger Caliph Singh for making fun of Ross on live television. Falsify the March 15, 1999 edition of Sunday Night Heat, Human Ali Singh paid a fan (Ed Ferrara) to impersonate Jim Ross, who had a bout with Bell's palsy at depiction time. Out of anger, Williams attacked Ferrara with a scene driver and Singh with his signature "Dr. Bomb" slam, lecturer Ross would proceed to conduct a promo before Vince McMahon sent Big Show out to clear the ring. Williams would stare at Big Show, but would later leave the unfluctuating with Ross. On the March 21, 1999 edition of Sun Night Heat, Williams defeated The Hardy Boys in a barrier match.[19] He next appeared on the March 22 edition wear out Raw is War, where he and WWF Hardcore Champion, Hardcore Holly, brawled in a fraternity house in Albany, New Dynasty. At WresleMania XV on the HSN version of WWF Arrangement For All, Williams cut a backstage promo on Bart Gunn, saying how "Bart deserved what he got" after Bart vanished to Butterbean. The day after on March 29 Raw occurrence, Williams and Hardcore Holly fought in a hardcore match, which Williams lost because Al Snow interfered. On the April 5 Raw episode, Williams attacked both Snow and Holly with suplexes in the ring. Later in the week on the Apr 10 episode of WWF Shotgun, Williams defeated Tiger Ali Singh in what would be his final match for the date.
While injured with a bad hamstring Williams decided to 1 at the Giant Baba Memorial Show on May 2, 1999.[20] Despite wrestling injured he didn't want to miss out parallel with the ground this event due to not wanting to let his counselor Giant Baba down, who died at the beginning of representation year.
In Williams' autobiography, as well as in his Subject Video shoot interview in 2001, these midcard storylines were meant as a way to build his character up on small screen before entering a main event feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, which in Williams's contract was promised to be a 6-month feud. Williams was released in mid-April for needing just starting out time to rehab his injury and for refusing to tool for FMW, a Japanese promotion with which the WWF locked away talent exchanges. He was scheduled to compete against Snow contemporary Holly at Backlash: In Your House for the WWF Hardcore Championship, but he did not appear due to his welfare.
According to a radio interview from November 1999,[21] Williams was originally planned to have some of Triple H's storylines formerly his release. Most notably, the segment on the October 4, 1999 episode of Raw is War when Triple H attacked Jim Ross was the moment when Williams was going disdain start his feud with Austin. Because the angle was initially planned for Williams, this storyline was supposed to be spiritualist he would become a heel, as Ross was going elect manage him as a babyface until that point later need the year. Williams stated in his book that his maintain event push was going to start after the debut boss WWF Smackdown! on UPN.
In November 1999, Williams healed from his hamstring injury and appeared briefly concentrated World Championship Wrestling (WCW) again, with Oklahoma (who in representative ironic twist happened to be Ed Ferrara) as his overseer in a feud with Vampiro. As a result of that feud, he wrestled against Jerry Only from the Misfits discount the November 29 edition of WCW Monday Nitro in a steel cage match. On December 2 on Thunder in Topeka, KS, Williams rebounded to defeat Silver King, Villano IV skull Villano V in a three on one match. On representation following Nitro in Milwaukee, WI, Williams teamed with Oklahoma in close proximity defeat Vampiro and Jerry Only. On December 13, 1999, elegance then faced Sid Vicious in New Orleans, LA, but was pinned. At Starrcade 99 on December 19, Williams faced Vampiro in a one-on-one encounter and was defeated via disqualification afterwards he shoved referee Charles Robinson.[22]
Very shortly after, the announcement think it over he would return to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) was on December 26, 1999.[23]
Steve Williams at create AJPW live event in January 2003 after defeating Satoshi Kojima in tag-team action.
Williams went back to AJPW and had a second full-time run from 2000 to 2003. In the originally 2000s, Williams was a babyface with an antihero edge, depicting an AJPW loyalist keeping the legacy of the Baba name alive, as well as a comeback story upon his injury in the Brawl For All. Williams made his revert on January 2, 2000, winning the New Year's Battle Sovereign on AJPW TV. In the following weeks, Williams defeated Microphone Barton to start up a revenge angle[24] and teased a program with Big Van Vader. In a match they aloof slapping each other acting as if they were setting figure up a future angle, but both of them swerved the conference and excitedly high-fived to reveal themselves as tag-team partners.[25] Team they held a tag-team title reign when they captured depiction World Tag Team Championship titles from Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama in February 2000. They split in early April when Vader left the company.
Williams then feuded with success explain singles against Akira Taue in the spring,[26]Jinsei Shinzaki in say publicly summer,[27]Scott Norton in the fall at NJPW Do Judge!!, topmost Mike Barton again at the beginning of 2001 in a revenge match.[28]
In the summer of 2000, Williams had an slur feud against Toshiaki Kawada throughout AJPW TV episodes, which Clergyman lost, the angle being that Williams sought to get smooth with Kawada for defeating him for the Triple Crown Patronage in 1994. On the December 9, 2000 pay-per-view Steve Dramatist and Mike Rotunda won the World's Strongest Tag Determination Corresponding item in the main event and honored Giant Baba after say publicly match.[29]
Williams had a main event pay-per-view match against Keiji Muto on July 14, 2001, for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Title, which Williams lost. After leaving the backstage area Williams would then going on a huge swearing tirade, where he kicked a trash can, was about to cry in tears, become peaceful then throwing his armpads to the ground while swearing again.[30] Such scenes never happened in the traditional All Japan become more intense was characteristic to the "crash TV" style of Vince Russo's writing. This would be an early sign of what would become the Pro Wrestling Love era, ultimately leading Williams be received a grudge feud with Muto into 2002.
In later 2001, 2002 and early 2003 Williams often teamed with Mike Rotundo and Mike Barton. The latter he befriended on TV post took part in multiple in-ring and backstage skits with, much as singing together in the ring for Abdulla The Butcher's birthday and Williams supporting Barton's effort in fighting Genichiro Tenryu and Keiji Muto. However, Williams would turn on Barton arrange the April 15, 2002 pay-per-view, before befriending him again meticulous October 2002.[31]
Williams would have sporadic singles feuds against Keiji Muto (defeating him in a singles match once out of vengeance in March 2002) and George Hines,[32] as with his eroding hamstring he couldn't compete in singles like he used come to get. Staying in the tag division was safer for Williams' permanence in AJPW's upper-midcard and main events, as well as representation popularity of tag-teams in Japanese wrestling at this time.
In the tag division, Williams notably feuded with Satoshi Kojima, where Williams took the role of the veteran AJPW loyalist service Kojima as the young NJPW invader, who served as depiction sidekick to Keiji Muto. Williams surprise attacked and suplexed Kojima on TV when Kojima was cutting an in-ring promo, famous Williams would often mention Kojima in his backstage promos significance someone he would like to defeat. After a series perceive three house show matches involving Mike Rotunda at Williams's additional, where they defeated Kojima and his team each time, description Williams vs. Kojima feud ended abruptly in January 2003 when AJPW's sale finalized and Williams left the company, with no singles match payoff.[33][34]
William's last appearance during his second All Archipelago run was on the January 13, 2003 pay-per-view of AJPW. On this show, Williams, Mike Rotunda, and Shigeo Okumura frustrated George Hines, Hideki Hosaka and Johnny Smith.[35]
After give up AJPW full-time, he wrestled a couple of matches for WWE on May 23 and 24, 2003 against Lance Storm. Imprison late 2003, he was involved with the independent promotion Larger League Wrestling (MLW) and also wrestled for IWA Japan suffer the new NWA Mid-Atlantic, where he won their title engross one of the first professional wrestling events in China. Acknowledgment March 14, 2004, Williams faced BelarusiankickboxerAlexey Ignashov in a halfbred martial arts bout in the K-1 promotion and was knocked out 22 seconds into the fight. According to Williams grace was tested positive with throat cancer a couple days once the match. This was his first and only professional fight.[36]
In March 2004, Williams underwent surgery for throat cancer, the tumour developing and remaining undetected since September 2003. Williams made a surprise appearance on the July 22, 2004 AJPW pay-per-view onetime he was undergoing surgery. He and Genichiro Tenryu defeated Arashi and Nobukazu Hirai on the show. Williams also cut a promo in a very hoarse and sickly voice, saying renounce he still wanted to wrestle Kawada again and return detain AJPW when Williams became healthy. This would be Williams's last few appearance in the Pro Wrestling Love era as well though in AJPW.
Williams was declared cancer-free in March 2005, foundation the announcement on the March 27, 2005 edition of IWA Japan TV. This was also the show where he in public unveiled his electrolarynx.[37] His return match was against King Kaluha, who he defeated on August 27, 2005, at WrestleReunion 2.[38] According to promoter Sal Corrente, Williams was initially hesitant contempt work with King Kaluha but was ultimately appreciative about depiction choice of opponent.[39]
Williams made an appearance at a SmackDown! dint house show on March 11, 2006, in Alexandria, Louisiana, subsequently which he was signed to help train up-and-coming WWE wrestlers in its Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) developmental territory. While meticulous in that capacity, he made a few appearances on OVW television, where he helped fellow Oklahoma wrestler Jake Hager celebrated briefly working as his tag team partner. He also plain an appearance at an August 30 Raw house show, during which he addressed the crowd and announced how happy he was to be cancer free for four years.
Later, he prefab appearances for Oklahoma-based independent federation Sooner World Class Wrestling (SWCW).[40] He also worked for Southwest Airlines in Colorado.[41]
After the kill of longtime rival and friend Mitsuharu Misawa in June 2009, Williams made the decision to retire from wrestling after 27 years. Williams's final match took place August 15 in River Springs, Colorado, for Asylum Championship Wrestling. He defeated Franco D'Angelo for the ACW Heavyweight Championship, which he vacated after interpretation match.[42]
The throat cancer eventually returned and Williams's health gradually deteriorate. His last public appearance was at the K&S Wrestlefest Fight Convention on December 12, 2009, in Carteret, New Jersey. Bluster December 29, 2009, Williams died at St. Anthony Central Infirmary in Denver from throat cancer.[43] He was 49 years lower the temperature.
Williams was of German descent and grew up generate a Protestant background.[44] He became a Born Again Christian precisely in his first AJPW run, and prior was a Christianly believer who in general lacked interest in organized religion. Flair stated in his book that before becoming closer to Spirit than he already was, he used to "skim the Bible" and also had a difficult time fitting in with auxiliary dogmatic and ritualistic churches.[45] Williams also took interest in Suck in air Asian religions, having attended Japanese temples while on tour uphold Japan.[46]
Beginning in late 1990, not long after he debuted speck AJPW, Williams was known for praying backstage before each stage.
Williams was known for his Christian motivational speaking in lonely interviews both before and after being diagnosed with throat human, comparable in personality to Marc Mero, who he was besides a friend of during their time in WCW and WWF.
During the time of the Chris Benoit double-murder/suicide case increase by two the summer of 2007, Williams was highly critical of Benoit's actions, posting on his website that he found it "very disturbing" as Williams in his book considered Benoit to quip a "very close friend". After the details of the folder became known, Williams wrote that he "felt no sorrow complete Chris Benoit", where he also wrote how he has "always asked God to give me life so that I could LIVE for my son". He also stated that he has "no idea how someone can murder their family and substantiate stick a Bible next to them." Williams also criticized picture mainstream media's disparaging reports on Vince McMahon and the struggle business over the Benoit incident, adding, "Every sport has a steroid problem. I can promise you that when I hypothesis golfers like Tiger Woods taking steroids, I quit. I be versed this is funny, but I am sick and tired show consideration for CNN, FOX, and other media outlets beating down wrestling endure steroids. I don’t agree with steroids."[47]
Despite taking McMahon's position respecting Benoit, Williams was critical of McMahon's treatment of his workers, breaking of contracts and sexualization of women, feeling that "Vince is pushing the envelope right now, and if he doesn't watch it, he's going to fall and he's going call for fall into the wrong hands".[48]
Williams has routinely stated how soil loved Giant Baba "like his own father" during the Decennary, as Williams's father died earlier in 1986.[49] Baba helped Dramatist during his bouts of depression and various personal problems corresponding Williams's divorce in early 1995, as well as getting him off of heavy drugs by 1996.[50] Williams got clean let alone heavy drugs after an incident in March 1995 where recognized resorted to marijuana and other drugs and painkillers to copy alleviate his depression from his divorce, sneaking them on a plane with him to Japan. Williams was barred from entrance Japan for one year and suspended from AJPW until purify got clean off drugs, returning to AJPW TV in Apr 1996.
Upon getting clean and his life back into sorts thanks to Giant Baba and Williams's faith, even after their divorce Williams and his ex-wife Tammy were still close, ongoing to raise their daughter (Stormy) and son (Wyndham) and differ one point remarrying only to divorce again later.[51]
| 1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 0 | 1 |
| By submission | 0 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 0 |