Known as Dr. Death, Steve Williams was a huge pro wrestling star with an extensive amateur wrestling background.

He was a high school athletic standout at Lakewood, Colorado, before making a huge impact at the University of Oklahoma.

Williams was given his nickname in junior high after he had to wear a hockey goalie mask in a wrestling match to protect a broken nose.

Competing at heavyweight for the Sooners, Williams was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American in wrestling. He reached the finals at the NCAA tournament as a senior dropping a close decision to Bruce Baumgartner, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.

Williams also played football at OU under legendary coach Barry Switzer. Williams was part of two teams that won the Big Eight Conference championship and played in five bowl games, including three trips to the Orange Bowl.

As a pro wrestler, Williams worked for most of the major companies all over the world, and was a huge star in Japan. He won numerous major titles along the way.

In 2004, he faced his biggest battle ever and underwent surgery for throat cancer. He battled back and spoke to groups about his Christian faith and wrote a book, How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life.

He returned 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 Fame in 2021 as part of the Legacy Wing.