When brothers decide to take their bond into the ring, history has shown the decision to be a fruitful one. Harlem Heat, the Hardy Boys, and most recently the Usos are all great examples of brothers who took their natural connection and parlayed it into success career as a tag team.
Although there have been many successful brother tandems throughout history, one that always stood out for me was the pairing of Rick and Scott Steiner. Although Rick had a solo career before bringing younger brother Scott into the fold, the two quickly gained a reputation for being one of the hardest hitting and most talented tag teams to hit the National Wrestling Alliance in quite some time. Rick and Scott would capture their first NWA World Tag Team Championship by defeating the Fabulous Freebirds in November of 1989 and from there greatness would follow with 11 World Tag Team Championship reigns in multiple promotions. In fact, The Steiner Brothers hold the record of being the first tag team to ever win the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, and International Wrestling Grand Prix Tag Team Championships
The Steiner Brothers in ring style was a mixture of amateur throws, brutal clotheslines, and take no prisoners attitude. While Rick would incapacitate opponents with clubbing blows and throws, Scott would add a little finesse to their matches by adding in a number of moves quite impressive for a man of his size – including the Franken-Steiner, a variation of the Hurricanrana brought into the consciousness of American wrestling fans thanks to the man from Michigan.
If the Steiner Brothers are tanks in the ring, then the Rhodes Brothers (Dustin and Cody Rhodes A.K.A Goldust and Stardust) are Ferrari’s. Not only are they blood brothers, but second generation wrestlers, sons of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, meaning their bond may even be more powerful than that of the aforementioned Steiners. Ironically enough, it was their father that brought these long estranged siblings together, united for the common cause of the common man. When WWE’s Authority faction fired both Rhodes brothers, it was father Dusty who convinced Triple H and Stephanie McMahon to give his sons one last chance. They received that chance on October 6, 2013, during the Battleground event when The Brotherhood defeated WWE Tag Team Champions The Shield to get their jobs back. It was one of the most emotional matches in WWE’s history. Only eight days later they defeated the Shield once more to capture their first WWE Tag Team Championship.
Goldust and Stardust are an odd combination in both appearance and logistics. Goldust has been wrestling since 1991, while his younger brother has only been active since 2006. The age and experience gap between the two would be considered a disadvantage by most, but instead, the Brotherhood has capitalized on that difference, with Cody learning from his wise older brother while simultaneously invigorating the veteran Goldust with energy. Their bond as brothers comes into play often as the two have a synchronicity only seen from most tag teams after they have been teaming together for years.
So what happens we put these two teams against each other in a massive family feud between Dusty’s dynasty and Michigan’s favorite sons? Here’s what I believe would happen.
The Match
In recent months, Goldust and Stardust have amped up the theatrics in their act in an attempt to psych out their opponents. It has proven to be a smart move as the bizarre brothers have captured a second WWE Tag Team Championship since making the change. Although the tactic has proven successful against inexperienced teams such as the Usos and Los Matadores, the Steiner Brothers have faced everyone from the Road Warriors to the Dudley Boys. They don’t get intimidated by anyone. Because of this, I would expect the Steiners to take an early advantage against The Brotherhood, using their size and power to bully the less experienced and smaller Stardust.
Of course, something else the Brotherhood has added to their repertoire over the last few months is a change in attitude towards rule breaking. Once proud fan favorites, the face painted duo has since traded in their cheers for jeers, and the eldest Rhode boy Goldust certainly knows a thing or two about bending or even breaking the rules in order to end the night victorious. Rick and Scott on the other hand, have at times been virtuous to a fault, allowing more ruthless teams to take advantage of them. With that in mind, Goldust would find a way to turn the tables in favor of his brother, perhaps in the form of a well placed knee into Rick’s back while the dog faced gremlin runs the ropes? This would allow for a needed distraction while Cody took advantage and hit Rick with a picture perfect dropkick to the face, allowing the bizarre Brotherhood to take control.
From there, Goldust and Stardust would have firm control of the match, using both their speed to keep Rick off balance, as well as their newly developed rule breaking skills to help shift the balance of power whenever Rick begins to fight back. Once Dusty’s boys were confident that they had the match in their grasp, they would begin to develop their strange personalities, allowing Rick small moments of clarity in which to gather his thoughts. One reversed Irish whip and a thunderous powerslam later and Rick would be reaching for his younger brother Scott in the corner.
With a hot tag, Scott would come in like a ball of fire, knocking Goldust off the apron and hitting a signature tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on young Stardust. After a flurry of offense, it might appear to be all over for the Brotherhood, but with Rick recovering still, the wily veteran Goldust would take advantage of the situation to prevent Scott from performing a Steiner Screwdriver, then execute a double suplex with the artist formerly known as Cody Rhodes.
Sensing victory, Stardust would set up for Cross-Rhodes, only to see the horrifying sight of Rick Steiner’s arm coming straight for his jaw. One vicious Steiner-line later and Stardust would be on dream street, courtesy of Rick Steiner, who had recovered in enough time to yank Goldust out of the ring and clock him on the outside.
At this point the match would be academic. With Rick guarding Goldust on the outside, Scott would pick up a dazed and confused Stardust, whip him across the ring, and turn his world upside down – literally – with a Franken-Steiner for the victory!
Winners: The Steiner Brothers
Although a very accomplished team in such a short span of time, the Brotherhood just can’t match up to the Steiner Brothers when it comes to accomplishment and experience. The added theatrics of Goldust and Stardust serve as a distraction to their opponents, but it can also cost them, whereas the Steiner Brothers have a focus possessed by few in the wrestling industry, and no matter your genetics, will trumps skill most of the time.
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