The Story Behind The White Thunder Nickname Scott Steiner Briefly Used In WCW

WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner has had one of the most prolific careers of any professional wrestler, finding success in WCW, WWE, and TNA/Impact Wrestling while carrying multiple world championships over the years. When he made a return to WCW in the mid-90s, Steiner was looking to differentiate himself from his past gimmicks and stand out among the crowded roster. He most notably did this by attacking his brother and joining the NWO during Superbrawl 8, but the biggest change was in attitude and aesthetic.

Steiner showed up the next night on "WCW Nitro" with his hair and goatee dyed platinum blonde and massive muscles on full display. This was the culmination of an ongoing visual transformation for Steiner, who had previously cut his long hair short, and greatly added to his already impressive physique. It was a far cry from the look fans had become accustomed to for Steiner, who previously wore a collegiate letter jacket and sported an impressive mullet in his natural brown hair color.

To accompany his new look and personality, Steiner claimed the nickname "White Thunder," in reference to his all-white singlet and hair, as well as "Superstar" to pay homage to legendary heel "Superstar" Billy Graham. According to an entry in 2007's The Wrestlecrap Book of Lists! By R. D. Reynolds, the title "White Thunder" began causing a slew of issues for the brand as fans were contacting WCW's parent company AOL Time Warner with complaints that the nickname was connected to white supremacy. Naturally, Steiner was directed to drop the name and rework the character to something more universally appropriate.

Steiner's next step was finding something as memorable and impactful as the classic persona he had shown audiences before the alterations. He would do this by adding signature accessories to his entrance attire, like a chain mail headpiece and dark sunglasses covering his eyes. "Superstar" and "White Thunder" were no more, with Steiner now describing himself as "Big Poppa Pump, "Big Bad Booty Daddy" and "The Genetic Freak." It was a unique approach to an in-ring persona that fans had never seen before, and minus his protégé "Little Petey Pump" (Petey Williams) from his time in TNA/Impact, it's never been duplicated before.

This past April, Scott and his brother Rick were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for their incomparable contributions to tag team wrestling and the industry as a whole. Scott continues making sporadic appearances on the independent circuit, last competing at Big Time Wrestling's Return of the Dragon event. His in-ring career was forced to slow down after it was reported in 2020 that Steiner had collapsed during an Impact Wrestling taping and was rushed to a local hospital in Atlanta, where he had a heart procedure done.

There has since been no reported health scares for "Big Poppa Pump." His nephew, Bron Breakker, is the current "WWE NXT" Champion and intends to keep the Steiner legacy alive within WWE for decades to come. Scott, Rick, and Bron were all present for The Steiner Brothers' 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony this past April.