"I've never forgotten" - 10-year veteran says Scott Steiner punched him in the off-script moment during a match [Exclusive]
Scott Steiner has been one of the most impactful stars in professional wrestling over the last three decades. While he has a few world titles reigning to his name, he is mostly remembered for his eccentric personality in and out of the ring. Current Impact Wrestling star and decade-long veteran Shera shared an incident when Steiner legitimately punched him during a match in an off-script moment.
Scott Steiner was with Impact Wrestling fka TNA between 2006 and 2010, and again between 2011 and 2012. Since then, he has made sporadic appearances. During the second run in 2011, he took part in TNA's Indian project known as "Ring Ka King" that aired between January and April 2012.
The final world champion in Ring Ka King's brief lineage was Mahabali Shera, then known as Mahabali Veera. Veera, who was getting his career started, had to get involved in a locker room with some big-time veterans, including Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner. Speaking to Dr. Chris Featherstone on the latest episode of UnSKripted, Shera revealed his first impression of Steiner and when he was punched by him as well:
"When I was in Pune, for 'Ring Ka King', we started the show. When Steiner came, everyone made me scared, and I had no clue. He's very aggressive, bad, and I was getting nervous, and I had a match with him. I asked him many times, and he said, 'You can ask me a million times.' I did ask him any question a million times. I was scared because he was in great shape at that time. Something happened, I f***ed up. He gave me a punch, and I see stars in the ring. And I've never forgotten that." (20:20-21:45)
While admitting it was his fault, Shera stated that he was still new to everything:
"I'll take it, whatever happened - it was my fault. But I was scared and nervous because Scott Steiner was a big guy." (21:45-21:54)
Is Scott Steiner formally retired?
I never would have thought of seeing Rick Steiner and especially SCOTT STEINER in a WWE show again, but IT’S HAPPENING
THIS IS A WHOLESOME MOMENT
#WWEHOF https://t.co/aqr2XzCqzQ
Scott Steiner suffered a collapse backstage right before the global lockdown in March 2020 while with Impact Wrestling. He stopped breathing, requiring a defibrillator shock.
He was seen recently in the WWE Hall of Fame, being as professional as possible when many worried that he would go unhinged. However, he took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame along with his brother Rick Steiner.
He wrestled in his last match against Jerry Lawler, losing to "The King" in an event in September 2021. He was much more active in 2019 and has now slowed down while not formally announcing his in-ring retirement.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit UnSKripted on YouTube and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription