|
This was a cool little thing they have here to celebrate WCW month at WWE Classics.com. This is a collection of a bunch of Goldberg’s early matches that contributed to his famous streak, as well as the match that broke the streak.
-Goldberg vs. Hugh Morrus-
This must’ve been Goldberg’s Nitro debut, taking place on September 22nd. Goldberg drives Morrus to the corner after a lock-up and throws some forearms. Goldberg also reverses a hammerlock in the early goings of this match. Goldberg even attacks the knee trying a submission. Morrus makes the ropes, though. Morrus is sent to the corner but he stops himself by jumping onto the second rope and knocking down the charging Goldberg with a clothesline. Morrus follows with a moonsault for two. Goldberg is up quickly and powerslams Morrus before bodyslamming him. His suplex slam finishes this at 2:25. Well, this totally got Goldberg over as a big, unbeatable threat and the fans instantly popped for him. This was a standard squash match. Okerlund interviews Goldberg post-match, but Goldberg has nothing to say. *.
-Goldberg vs. Steve McMichael-
Excuse me if I don’t know the exact history of Goldberg (I didn’t watch WCW during this time) but this was probably his first PPV match and it occurred at Starrcade, held on December 28th, 1997. The match starts with some brawling at the entrance ramp. Goldberg carried Mongo to the ring and sets up a table against the ringpost. Goldberg gets into the ring and the ringbell sounds. Mongo attacks Goldberg as he enters and hits a side slam for two. Goldberg hits a flying shoulderblock for two. Mongo is dumped and Goldberg tries to send him into the table. It doesn’t work. Mongo blocks and sends Goldberg back in. He tries coming off the top but leaps right into a right hook from Goldberg. Goldberg works the leg of Mongo but that leads nowhere as part of the story of the match. Goldberg spears Mongo before it was really his finisher and covers, but just gets up before two. Goldberg sets up the table at ringside. Goldberg tries to lawn-dart him over the tope rope onto the table but Mongo falls on top for one. Goldberg dropkicks Mongo to the outside. Mongo makes it to the apron (on the side of the table, no less) and Goldberg punches him off and through the table. Goldberg rolls Mongo back in but Mongo is right at him with boots. He tries a Mongo spike but the back is injured. Goldberg finishes with a jackhammer to end this at 5:57. This was beyond boring and neither guy could tell a story in the match. For instance, Goldberg went after the leg for no discernible reason and it had no effect on the outcome of the match. ¾*.
-Goldberg vs. Glacier-
This was the next night’s Nitro. Glacier was WCW’s version of Sub-Zero. That idea came across as stupid as it looks on paper. The announcers spend all of Glacier’s entrance talking about Starrcade which leaves me to believe that this was probably the opening match that night. Schiavone just confirmed it was the opening match, too. Glacier attacks from behind and chops at Goldberg in the corner. That doesn’t help, though. Goldberg does a sort of a chokeslam before spearing him and getting the jackhammer for the pinfall at 0:57. Yeah, Goldberg was totally being set up as just a powerhouse and his undefeated streak was mentioned here. I’ll give it to WCW, they knew what they were doing early on with Goldberg. ¼*.
-Goldberg vs. Saturn-
This is from Spring Stampede held on April 19th, 1998. Saturn has a full head of hair here. Goldberg takes some early chops but blocks a knee and tosses Saturn over. Goldberg gets a single leg take over on Saturn which brings in some Billy Kidman interference. Goldberg casually picks up Kidman and tosses him at Saturn at ringside. Saturn comes in with a kick to the back and a leg-trip. A springboard legdrop precedes a second-rope elbowdrop. That only gets a one. Saturn kicks away at Goldberg in the corner. He tries a suplex but Goldberg reverses it. He goes from a press-slam to a powerslam. Saturn draws Goldberg to the ropes where he stuns him and connects with a slingshot slam. Saturn sends Goldberg to the outside as Mike Tenay mentions that Goldberg’s streak is up to 73. Saturn slams Goldberg’s arm between the steps and the ringpost before rana’ing him off the apron. Saturn tries a springboard back elbow but blows the spot pretty badly. Saturn decides to bring it back to the ring and hits a spinning heel kick off the top rope for one. Saturn starts working the arm but Goldberg just overpowers him into the corner. Goldberg charges but runs into a boot. That has no lingering effects since Saturn walks into a side slam. Saturn dropkicks Goldberg (in another blown looking spot) so Goldberg superkicks Saturn. A short-arm clothesline sets up the Spear and that’s just the prelude to the jackhammer. Kidman interferes so Saturn low-blows Goldberg and sets him up on the top rope. Saturn tries a super-plex but Goldberg press-slams him off the top rope. The rest of the Flock head out to ringside but Goldberg slugs them all away before Spearing Kidman. Saturn applies the Rings of Saturn submission but Goldberg fights it off and jackhammers Saturn for the pinfall at 7:58. This was Goldberg’s first long match shown here and it wasn’t too bad. Saturn blew two big spots which Goldberg didn’t have a hand in and Goldberg was still sold as a huge monster here. **.
-Raven(c) vs. Goldberg for the US Title-
This was the following night on Nitro. Raven drapes the US title in front of Goldberg to play some mind games before spearing Goldberg into the corner. He follows with a dropkick and dumps Goldberg. He tries to whip Goldberg into the barricades but Goldberg reverses and Raven goes flying back first into the unforgiving steel. This is Raven’s rules, which I assume is just No-DQ. Goldberg brings Raven inside and rolls through an ankle lock. Raven makes the ropes and Goldberg hits his Hart-breaking superkick. Raven took a sick shot there, too. Raven bails and takes some plunder. A chairshot follows to the back of Goldberg before Raven brings him in and drop toe-holds Goldberg into the open chair for two. Raven locks Goldberg in a sleeper. Goldberg gets to his feet so Raven sends him to the corner and follows with a clothesline. Goldberg starts the no-selling and spears Raven. The rest of the Flock interferes and they fall very quickly. The Flock was dispersed via spears and jackhammers as Raven bails through the crowd. The “fans” actually lift Raven up and throw him back to ringside where Goldberg brings him to the ring. Spear, jackhammer, goodbye. Goldberg becomes the US Champ at 4:56. I have to say, it’s a lot of fun to see a powerhouse like this just built to destroy the competition and basically running roughshod through the WCW roster. *.
-Hulk Hogan(c) vs. Goldberg for the WCW Title-
-Taken from my WWE: Monday Night Wars DVD review-
This was a PPV quality match that WCW gave away for free on live television. Side headlock starts things for Goldberg. They really do every resthold in the book, from a test of strength to a full nelson is involved and even choking. Hogan bodyslams Goldberg, but twice misses an elbow drop. Goldberg responds by sending Hogan outside. More stalling. Now Goldberg is sent outside, and Hogan uses a chair in one of the most boring matches I’ve seen in a long time. Hogan with a slam, hits the leg drop not once but twice. Curt Henning walks out for reasons unknown, as well as DDP. While they were walking out, we missed Goldberg kick out of Hogan’s finisher. Hogan watches in shock as DDP’s friend, Karl Malone, hits the diamond cutter on Henning. Goldberg spears Hogan, then hits the jackhammer for the pin and the title at 8:10. The crowd goes wild, and I am just happy this match is now over. ¼*. There was no wrestling at all. I mentioned before that this was a PPV quality match. To clarify, Goldberg was the biggest star in WCW at the time and this could’ve pulled a gigantic number if WCW built this up to one of their PPV’s. Heck, keep it until Great American Bash or one of their big PPV’s. No, instead WCW was so desperate to beat WWE in the ratings that this was put on television for free for all to see. I think the craziness of the Monday Night Wars led a bit to PPV’s not being special anymore. Why spend money on a PPV when you could watch it for free on the Monday night programming? It continues to this day and I really prefer back in the earlier days (the late 80’s and early 90’s) where you would have to wait to see a big match. Oh well, such is the way things are now.
-Goldberg(c) vs. Curt Henning for the WCW Title-
This is from the Bash at the Beach from July 12th, 1998. Goldberg goes right to a side headlock before shoulder blocking Hennig down. Hennig looks to be in full over-sell mode tonight. Perfect chops away at Goldberg in the corner but doesn’t get too far with it. He’s taken down and Hennig bails to the outside. Goldberg pulls him to the apron and forearms him into the corner. A blind charge misses not once but twice. Some guys never learn. Hennig heads upstairs but is caught and powerslammed down. Hennig takes Goldberg down and starts working the knee as the audio and video start going all wonky. Hennig goes to the Perfect-plex (or the Hennig-plex) but Goldberg kicks out and spears Hennig. The Jackhammer follows and this one is over at 3:50. Wow, Hennig looked like a chump here. I hope this wasn’t the main event. Now WCW had a bit of a problem. You had an unstoppable champ and you didn’t want him wrestling 4-minute squash matches on a PPV. ½*.
-Goldberg(c) vs. Sting for the WCW Title-
This is a Nitro match from September 14th, 1998. Goldberg still hadn’t been in the WCW for a full-year yet and as of now he’s undefeated and the world champion. Sting is quickly powerslammed before ducking a charging Goldberg in the corner. Sting slams Goldberg into the corner, hanging him into a tree of woe. Sting suplexes Goldberg but Goldberg pops right back up. Sting sees this and bails to the outside. Sting comes back and dropkicks Goldberg which again has no effect. Goldberg rolls through with his ankle-lock before Sting makes the ropes. Sting tries going to the headlock but doesn’t go too well. Goldberg corners Sting and knees away. Goldberg tries a Tombstone but Sting reverses it into one of his own. Goldberg staggers up and into the corner where Sting connects with two Stinger Splashes. Sting hits a third one but Goldberg no-sells and tries a Spear. Sting wisely evades and Goldberg hits the ringpost. Sting takes down Goldberg and puts him in a Scorpion Deathlock. Goldberg powers out of it and Sting sort of just uses a really crappy looking deathlock. Hogan sneaks out and kicks Sting in the head and amazingly the referee doesn’t see this. Goldberg gets up first since Hogan must’ve been using a loaded boot or something. Goldberg spears Sting and the Jackhammer finishes things at 8:04. Hogan attacks Goldberg from behind after the match, too. Bret Hart comes out chase Hogan away. Man, Goldberg’s matches have this really weird ability to get WORSE as they go along. ¼*.
-Goldberg(c) vs. The Giant for the WCW Title-
This is another Nitro match and this one is from November 23rd, 1998. The Giant is actually Paul Wight aka the Big Show. The Giant shoves Goldberg to the corner but Goldberg fights out of it. The Giant comes back with a clothesline in the corner before chokeslamming Goldberg for two. Goldberg comes back with a Spear before hitting a jackhammer on the Giant for the pinfall at 1:33. That was impressive. Bam Bam Bigelow runs out to attack Goldberg. I mean c’mon, if Goldberg could Jackhammer THE GIANT, what could Bigelow really do? Kevin Nash walks out and goes after Goldberg. ½*.
-Goldberg(c) vs. Scott Hall for the WCW Title-
This would be the final match before Goldberg defended the title at Starrcade against Kevin Nash. Goldberg shoves Hall down. Hall comes back by going to work on the arm. Goldberg has none of that and fireman carries Hall over. Hall decides to try a headlock but that gets nothing done. Nash makes his way to ringside to help out his Kliq buddy. Goldberg slams Nash and tells him, “that’s for you, Nash!” Goldberg is too distracted and this allows Hall to attack from behind. Hall hits the fallaway slam but Goldberg no-sells. Goldberg spears Hall but Nash pulls him out of the ring and Goldberg is attacked from behind by Bam Bam Bigelow for the DQ at 2:56. Wow, Goldberg’s last victory came via DQ. That is pretty lame, just like this match was. ¼*.
-Goldberg(c) vs. Kevin Nash for the WCW Title-
-Taken from my WWE: Best of Starrcade DVD review-
This was the main event from the 1998 Starrcade, held on December 27th. This was a big turning point in WCW’s history and not necessarily for the right reasons. Let’s build this up, shall we. Goldberg was the champion and hadn’t lost a match in the WCW at this point in time. He was at the peak of his drawing power and popularity with the fans. Kevin Nash was two years past the biggest angle in wrestling history, an angle he was still dragging around by 1998. Popular opinion would say, why have Goldberg lose to a guy who was already old and already past his drawing power. Nash works in a side headlock so Goldberg backdrop suplexes him. Nash bails but comes back and works over Billy boy in the corner. Goldberg powers out of it, leading to Nash trying for an armbar submission that Goldberg gets out of and puts on the ankle lock. Nash makes the ropes and break the hold but Goldberg is up quickly and slugs Nash down. Nash misses the big boot and Goldberg spears him. He wants to use the jackhammer but Nash low blows him. Nash drops an elbow on Goldberg for two and proceeds to work on his back. Goldberg mule kicks Nash but walks into a short-arm clothesline for two. Goldberg does a bad spinning neckbreaker, then an underhook suplex for two. Goldberg superkicks Nash and powerslams him for two. A spinning heel kick by Goldberg draws out Disco Inferno, who is quickly speared. Bam Bam Bigelow comes out and attacks Goldberg to little effect. Finally Scott Hall comes out with a tazer and tazers Goldberg. Nash hits the powerbomb and pins Goldberg to end the streak and win the WCW title at 11:18. This was a huge mistake on WCW’s part, though with hindsight it is a lot easier to say that now. The match was pretty bad, though, which never helps. *1/2.
-The Bottom Line- Well, don’t look here for any excellent match because you will be looking for a very long time. Truth be told, the matches sucked with the best one topping out at **. What’s cool about this is that you could relive the one shinning light from 1997-98 WCW and that is Goldberg’s streak. To see Goldberg just destroy some of the biggest names in WCW (and just destroy some jobbers, too) was great and with each victory shown you could see his popularity start to rise. Of course, this is WCW we’re talking about and you knew they had to blow it and blow it they did, as you can see with the last match. This is a great look at the legendary streak of Goldberg and really the last time WCW was relevant in the Monday Night Wars.
|
