Darkseve: Do you still remember Skinner?

Early days

Steve Keirn spent much of his early wrestling career as part of a tag team. While wrestling in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), he held the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship with Bob Backlund, Jimmy Garvin and Brian Blair. Keirn enjoyed enjoyed his greatest success in the promotion when he teamed up with Mike Graham, together the duo won the tag titles 9 times. In addition, the pair won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship together 3 times.

In 1980 and 1981, Keirn focused on his career as a singles wrestler. He won many titles in Florida and Georgia, including the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship by defeating Chavo Guerrero. Keirn also won the NWA National Television Championship twice, defeating Terry Funk and Kevin Sullivan.

The Fabulous Ones

In 1981, Keirn began wrestling with the Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA). He was successful as a singles wrestler, winning a tournament to claim the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. He also held the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship on two occasions.

Keirn found his greatest success in the tag team division. He held the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship for astonishing 17 times, including 14 of which as a member of the famous tag team of The Fabulous Ones with Stan Lane. The team is considered one of the first teams to adopt the “Funloving Pretty Boy” gimmick later used by teams such as The Rock 'n' Roll Express, The Fantastics and the Rockers. Keirn and Lane also combined to win the CWA World Tag Team Championship twice.

Keirn continued to team with Lane in various promotions over the next decade. In 1984, the team won the Southwest Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship while wrestling in Australia. In the United States, Keirn won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship twice more, both times with Stan Lane as his partner. In 1991, the pair wrestled in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), defeating Tony Anthony and Doug Gilbert to win the USWA Tag Team Championship.

WWF

In the summer of 1991, Keirn signed for WWF and debuted as Skinner, an alligator hunting, mountain man from the Florida Everglades. He was portrayed as a generally nasty individual, always chewing on tobacco and sometimes spitting it on his opponent. He also always carried an alligator claw with him, which he would often use as a weapon against his opponents.

He competed in the 1991 King of the Ring tournament, defeating Virgil in the 1st round but lost to Bret Hart in the 2nd round. Bret went on to win the tournament. Skinner then challenged Bret Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at This Tuesday in Texas on December 3, 1991 but lost by submission when Bret locked him in the sharpshooter. At WrestleMania VIII, Skinner was defeated in 1 minute and 11 seconds by Bret's brother, Owen Hart.

While in the WWF, Keirn also portrayed Doink the Clown. At WrestleMania IX, Keirn helped the original Doink defeat Crush by dressing as another Doink and attacked Crush during the match.

WCW

Without much achievements, Keirn left WWF and signed for WCW in 1994. Along with Bobby Eaton, Keirn wrestled in a tag team known as "Bad Attitude". They enjoyed little success, losing dark matches to Brian (B.G. James) and Brad Armstrong at Bash at the Beach 1994 and Fall Brawl 1994. While in WCW, Keirn was also involved in an angle in which masked men attacked Hulk Hogan. Several times in October 1994, Keirn wore a black mask to attack Hogan during and after his matches.

Retirement / WWE

On May 24, 2004 he was re-hired by WWE as a Producer for the SmackDown! Brand. Since the early 1990s, Keirn has run a wrestling school to train wrestlers. Originally located in Tampa, Florida, Keirn's "School of Hard Knocks" is now located in Brandon, Florida. Keirn has worked with many wrestlers, including Mike Awesome, Dennis Knight (Mideon), Diamond Dallas Page and Dustin Rhodes (Goldust). The school has since been incorporated into the WWE's developmental territory, renamed Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). Keirn oversees as head trainer along with Dr. Tom Prichard & Dusty Rhodes.

As for Skinner, he was named the 9th wildest superstar in WWE history by WWE.com. On the WWE Raw 15th Anniversary Spectacular special on December 10, 2007, Skinner participated in the 15 men Battle Royal featuring wrestlers from the past 15 years. He was one of the final 3 competitors before being eliminated by Sgt. Laughter.

Links:

1) The Fabulous Ones vs. The Road Warriors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFQPyQSEUQ (Thanks to surefoot1970)

2) Skinner vs. The Ultimate Warrior

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/wwf%2Bskinner/video/x4v4ig_the-ultimate-warrior-vs-skinner_sport (Thanks to TSteck160)

3) Skinner vs. Owen Hart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akA7NysL2Uk (Thanks to IRS1995)

4) Bad Attitude WCW debut match

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/steve%2Bkeirn/video/x774nb_bad-attitude-in-action_sport (Thanks to Stinger1981)

5) RAW 15th Anniversary Legends Battle Royal part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-fWXf1LhX4 (Thanks to rockyrack1)

6) RAW 15th Anniversary Legends Battle Royal part 2