Steven L. Olsonoski (born July 3, 1953), better known by the

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...

Steve O, is a retired American

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

from

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. He was considered one of the top junior heavyweights during the 1980s.

Professional wrestling career

Steve Olsonoski, purportedly from

Edina, Minnesota Edina ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States and a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis. The population was 53,494 at the 2020 census, making it the 18th most populous city in Minnesota. Edina began as a small farming and mil ...

, began his wrestling career in the late 1970s in the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...

. He was often described as an up-and-coming star. He briefly teamed with Evan Johnson in the AWA, but his career progressed substantially as a solo wrestler. He wrestled off and on for the AWA through the 1980s. Olsonoski, also known as Steve O., also wrestled for the

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA ...

in the early 1980s in the

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades before, the National W ...

territory. While in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

he won the

NWA Georgia Junior Heavyweight Championship The NWA Georgia Junior Heavyweight Championship was a championship in the NWA's Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia. The promotion was affilia ...

, the

NWA National Heavyweight Championship The NWA National Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the U.S.-based, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The current champion is Cyon, who is in his first reign. The championship was established in January ...

, the

NWA National Tag Team Championship The NWA National Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986. The championship was introduced in November 1980 when Georgia Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Freebirds ...

and twice won the

NWA National Television Championship The NWA National Television Championship was a secondary singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Georgia Championship Wrestling territory. It started as the NWA Georgia Television Championship before becoming the National Televis ...

. He later returned to worked for

Verne Gagne Laverne Clarence Gagne (February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling ...

in the American Wrestling Association.

Championships and accomplishments

**AWA Rookie of the Year Award (1978) *

( 1 time) **

NWA Georgia Television Championship The NWA National Television Championship was a secondary singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Georgia Championship Wrestling territory. It started as the NWA Georgia Television Championship before becoming the National Televi ...

(

2 times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...

) **

( 1 time) **

(1 time) – with Ted DiBiase * Pro Wrestling Illustrated **PWI ranked him #249 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991 *

Pro Wrestling This Week ''Superstars of Wrestling'' is a nationally syndicated professional wrestling television program that aired throughout the United States from 1986 to 1992. Created and produced by Joe Pedicino, the series broadcast eight hours of wrestling from ...

**Wrestler of the Week (March 20–26, 1988) tied with Greg Gagne

References

External links

Steve O at Cagematch.netSteve O at Wrestlingdata.com
* American male professional wrestlers Living people Professional wrestlers from Minnesota 1953 births 20th-century professional wrestlers NWA National Heavyweight Champions NWA Georgia Junior Heavyweight Champions NWA National Television Champions NWA National Tag Team Champions {{US-prowrestling-bio-stub