Say Goodbye to Goldberg With His 5 Greatest WWE Grudge Matches
Celebrate this wrestling icon with his most awesome matches ever…
Was Goldberg’s Wrestlemania 33 loss to Brock Lesnar the final match of his intense career? It sure sounded that way when he addressed the crowd in Orlando after Monday night’s Raw.
Though he didn’t appear on the show, Goldberg showed up in the ring with his son after Raw ended and delivered a speech to thousands of adoring fans. The 50-year-old wrestling icon thanked them and the WWE for allowing him back on to the stage for the last few months and added that “this could possibly be the last time you ever see me in a ring.”
But because this is the WWE and everything must be dramatic, he added: “Never say never.”
We’ll go ahead and say “never.” Goldberg has been absolutely miserable since he rejoined the WWE. He’s made that abundantly clear. Now that his arc with Lesnar has ended, he can cash those last few checks and take a break from the bench press.
As fans, there’s no reason to mourn. Goldberg was a ferocious wrestler who was never known as a skilled wrestler, but always brought the intensity. As he steps away from the WWE for what appears to be the final time, here are five gloriously Goldberg grudge matches worth remembering.
1. Winning the U.S. Championship
Goldberg had to win 74 times in a row before he got his shot at a belt. It came in April of 1998 on an episode of Nitro and Goldberg did not disappoint. Like a runaway semi, he ran over Raven and all the members of his flock on the way to capturing his first belt.
2. Jackhammering Big Show
Before Big Show was known as Big Show, he was a member of the nWo with the rather simple nickname, The Giant. In October of 1998, with Goldberg at the height of his fame, he met up with The Giant in a match that made him look nearly invincible. The match, which included plenty of displays of Goldberg’s raw power, ended with him jackhammering the 550-pound Big Show, a move that cemented him as the most powerful force in wrestling.
3. Winning the WCW Championship From Hulk Hogan
At the height of the WCW’s run, Goldberg may have been the most dominant wrestler on the roster, but “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan was the most popular. So the match between these two men on a Monday night had the makings of a classic. It lived up to the hype when Goldberg, thanks to an assist from Karl Malone, hit Hogan with a spear and a jackhammer, winning the WCW heavyweight title.
4. Putting on a Show at Halloween Havoc
Goldberg has always been known more for his beast-like ferocity than his in-ring skills. But in this match against DDP in 1998, he came close to delivering a truly excellent match. And of course, he won.
5. Beating Former UFC Champ Brock Lesnar
After more than a decade away from the squared circle, Goldberg returned last October and spent a month building up a match with former UFC champ Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. It culminated in a brief burst of violence that saw Goldberg defeat The Beast with two spears and a jackhammer.