Jim Ross Calls Scott Steiner's Failed WWE Run 'Snakebit'

In the early 90s, Scott Steiner brought the Steiner Brothers tag team to WWE, along with his brother Rick, for a couple of years. But it's the former's run in the company between 2002 and 2004 that sticks in the minds of fans — and not for the best reasons. On a recent episode of the "Grilling JR" podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross addressed Scott Steiner's "Big Poppa Pump" stint in WWE, discussing whether or not that stretch was "snake-bit" and what amounted to match limitations. 

"Yeah, he wasn't, Scotty wasn't healthy to the level that he could go out and be the athlete that he was coming out of Michigan," Ross said. "His body was taking a toll and a lot of those big muscle guys have that issue and I just think Scotty wasn't healthy ... His injuries and culmination of injuries simply did not allow him to have his normal, back-in-the-day, athletic match. Plus, he was getting older."

Scott returned to WWE as a singles star at Survivor Series 2002, immediately making an impact by beating up Matt Hardy and Chris Nowinski. While many were excited to see where Scott's career would go in WWE, it wound up amounting to a whole lot of nothing. He never quite stuck around the main event scene he was envisioned for initially and his in-ring skills had deteriorated to the point that his matches were less-than-pleasing to watch. After coming in to much fanfare, he turned heel less than a year after his return, and, after competing in the 2004 Royal Rumble, his time in WWE was done. 

As a tag team though, the Steiner Brothers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022 — inducted by Rick's son, "NXT" Champion Bron Breakker.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.