Goldberg's Streak

[Troy]

15 Months
173-0
United States Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Taser

​

Goldberg started his career on the 22nd of September 1997 with a debut match against Hugh Morrus. He defeated Hugh Morrus in impressive fashion with a jackhammer and immediately after the pin he faced the camera and said "That's number one". After the match Mean Gene tried to interview him but Goldberg didn't say anything and walked away from the interview. It was an impressive debut but it didn't give any indication of what was to come.

The months following that win featured Goldberg in short squash matches against jobbers but by the end of the year he had progressed to undercard of PPVs where he began to face more notable names. In April 1998 he defeated Perry Saturn at Spring Stampede and it was around that time WCW started to count his consecutive wins, his win over Saturn was his 74th win. The next night on Nitro Goldberg challenged Raven for the WCW United States Championship and he won that match picking up his first title with his 75th consecutive win since his debut. He continued his winning streak defending his US title and by this time had started using his catchphrase "Who's Next".

He was getting more and more over with the crowd and they were completely caught up with his streak. He gradually moved up the ranks and was eventually in the running for the World Heavyweight Championship. On the 8th of July 1998 Goldberg was given a shot at the World champion Hogan after defeating Scott Hall earlier in the night. This monumental match occured on free television rather than on PPV and Goldberg won that match and in turn also vacated the US title. His streak continued as World champion until he had to defend his title against Kevin Nash at Starrcade 27th December 1998. By this time his winning streak, including victories at house shows, tv and PPV had reached an incredible 173-0. In that match at Starrcade Nash picked up the victory after Scott Hall did a run-in and hit Goldberg with a taser.

It was a unique way to finish an incredible streak. It started with his pro wrestling debut match, included a US title reign and a World title reign and it made him into one of the biggest stars in the business.

What are your thoughts on the streak? Did you think that Goldberg was completely out of his depth and did WCW push him too big too soon? What did you think of the way that they ending it with the taser? How would you have ended the streak?

 

[Chriss]

I always thought Goldberg was overrated. Although I wasn't around during the time Goldberg was on a roll I can say he was really overrated. The guy could barely sell a move and him being a dangerous beast was the only way people would like him. As for the streak, I don't mind the idea because it's something people will remember in years and at the time people liked it. Hell, who wouldn't like a muscular guy who beats the shit out of everybody? At the time, it was all some people needed to be satisfied (yes, it's 2013 and there still are people like that).

Also, because of Goldberg and his streak some wrestlers didn't get as much opportunities and they couldn't rise up to the point they could if Goldberg wasn't around so that's a huge minus.

As far the way the streak ended. Many people didn't like it but I for one think it was ended just how it needed to be ended. A typical, cheap victory for a heel superstar, leading to something bigger. There's nothing bad about that.

 

[The Cork]

Love him, probably in my top 3 fave wrestlers of all time.

Can't stand long matches and I love power based giants, so him fitting in all his signiture moves in 2 mins squashing vanilla midgets was perfect for me.

 

[zigglerHEEL]

was definitely captivated by Goldberg when he hit the scene... The streak grew tiresome towards the end of it, but there's no denying WCW had a legit star and they booked him to near perfection during his rise..... Would of rather they had another up and coming superstar end the streak but I'm not sure they really had one at the time... You can only push a certain type of guy in that way, don't get me wrong here, I love the Punks, Guerreros, Mysterios, and Ambroses of the wrestling world. But only a guy of great size and power can be booked in the role that Goldberg filled and what needed to happen for the streak to end was another Big Powerful newcomer that nobody had a gameplan for to come along or what actually did happen, a big time Heel pulling a big time Heel move...

 

[Deezy]

I always thought Goldberg was overrated. Although I wasn't around during the time Goldberg was on a roll I can say he was really overrated. The guy could barely sell a move and him being a dangerous beast was the only way people would like him. As for the streak, I don't mind the idea because it's something people will remember in years and at the time people liked it. Hell, who wouldn't like a muscular guy who beats the shit out of everybody? At the time, it was all some people needed to be satisfied (yes, it's 2013 and there still are people like that).

Also, because of Goldberg and his streak some wrestlers didn't get as much opportunities and they couldn't rise up to the point they could if Goldberg wasn't around so that's a huge minus.

As far the way the streak ended. Many people didn't like it but I for one think it was ended just how it needed to be ended. A typical, cheap victory for a heel superstar, leading to something bigger. There's nothing bad about that.

This statement doesn't make sense to me, hindsight is great and all but this is something you had to be there to get it. Goldberg was under the radar when he started and he was just kicking ass, this guy shot up the card by doing nothing but win. And became a major star off the notion that he could be the guy to stop the nWo0

I hated the loss to Kevin Nash, but I get the reasoning behind it, nWo was back to the core group and Goldberg was the main target and would feud with them for about a year or so, knowing the WCW booking, it would've been stretched out a long time. But it is solid booking 101. The good guy needs bad guys to face, or it is nothing.

 

[The New F'n Show]

I was never a big fan of the guy but they built him up wonderfully. He was entertaining and the people really got behind him kicking ass and taking no prisoners. While the thought process behind the end of the streak was good (cheap heel tactic) the execution, I thought anyway, was really poor. Most people didn't even know what really happened when it went down. It took replays and an explanation the next night if I remember correctly.

 

[Keith]

You could say Goldberg was out of his depth, but as long as he was booked how he was during that streak, then it didn't matter. The problem was just like the Ultimate Warror you can only relie on that for so long, before expanding and learning to work with others, it was Goldberg's selfish attitude (like someone like Luger) which cost him being one of the greats.

The streak was one of the most exciting pieces of booking in wrestling history.

 

[Troy]

It was amazing how over he managed to get when intially all he was doing was just beating some jobbers in squash matches. He didn't talk, he didn't really do that much other than hit a few power moves. This is a great example of a wrestling company listening to the audience and taking advantage of momentum that had been created. They booked his run up from the midcard to US champion to World champion beautifully. They spaced it out far enough that fans didn't see him as too far out of his depth when he was in the mainevent. They timed it out well but they made a couple of mistakes along the way.

The biggest by far is booking Goldberg vs. Hogan for the World title on Nitro. Yes they got around 40k fans in the arena but if they booked it as a PPV they would still have had that same crowd plus they would have had the huge revenue from PPV buyrates as they would have easily had 500k buys. Ratings was WCW's focus during that time but they missed a trick and tens of millions of dollars by not putting that match and that title change on PPV. I also don't think that the taser shot was the right way to go about ending the streak. It makes sense that the NWO would have to cheat to beat him but it just seems a bit weak to end it that way.

Do you think that we will ever see a streak like this again and if so will it be anywhere as near as successful?

 

[Keith]

It was amazing how over he managed to get when intially all he was doing was just beating some jobbers in squash matches. He didn't talk, he didn't really do that much other than hit a few power moves. This is a great example of a wrestling company listening to the audience and taking advantage of momentum that had been created. They booked his run up from the midcard to US champion to World champion beautifully. They spaced it out far enough that fans didn't see him as too far out of his depth when he was in the mainevent. They timed it out well but they made a couple of mistakes along the way.

The biggest by far is booking Goldberg vs. Hogan for the World title on Nitro. Yes they got around 40k fans in the arena but if they booked it as a PPV they would still have had that same crowd plus they would have had the huge revenue from PPV buyrates as they would have easily had 500k buys. Ratings was WCW's focus during that time but they missed a trick and tens of millions of dollars by not putting that match and that title change on PPV. I also don't think that the taser shot was the right way to go about ending the streak. It makes sense that the NWO would have to cheat to beat him but it just seems a bit weak to end it that way.

Do you think that we will ever see a streak like this again and if so will it be anywhere as near as successful?

Doubt it. Does feel like a one off. WWE did quite well with Ryback recently but it was never on the same level.

 

[Deezy]

[/B]

Doubt it. Does feel like a one off. WWE did quite well with Ryback recently but it was never on the same level.

WWE never tried to use a streak with Ryback, Vince McMahon was quoted saying, nobody ever said anything about him being undefeated, during the time he was really getting over and becoming a maineventer. More of the fans comparing him to Goldberg, and still not getting over that.

Anyways, Goldberg being replicated? Nah, the circumstances and the performer were just perfect timing.

 

[GOD]

He was obviously a one trick pony, hence why his career fizzled after the streak was ended. Dude also seems like a dipshit in real life for the way he treated Jericho.

 

[meushar100]

with all due respect to Taker's WM streak (20-0), it doesn't come even close to Goldberg's 173-0 streak.
Taker's streak takes place only in WM, while Goldberg's streak was taking place in all PPV's, Tv (Nitro, Thunder), House shows, etc. I mean, Taker is one hell of a wrestler, no doubt among the top 5 in wrestling's history, but his WM streak is really overrated and hyped. I mean, it's absurd how WWE counts his WM streak, as Taker have wrestled only in WM's and was undefeated for real (while the fact is that he have lost in other shows, every year).
Goldberg was truely undefeated for 173 matches- not just in PPV's, not just Nitro's, not just house shows. he was undefeated for almost one year and a half. THE GREATEST streak ever, of THE GREATEST ever in Goldberg! alongside with Cena, ofcourse .

 

[FalconPunch]

He was obviously a one trick pony, hence why his career fizzled after the streak was ended. Dude also seems like a dipshit in real life for the way he treated Jericho.

How exactly did his career fizzle out? You seem to be a bit brain washed by the WWE, as the winner rewrites history as it always does: they tend to only mention Goldberg in such a capacity as as an emblem for the fall of WCW once the streak ended.

So remind me, why was it Goldberg that main event the top grossing WCW shows of 1999 again?
Why did he have the best match of his career in 2000 against Scott Steiner (and a blinding feud too).
Why did he earn some of Japan's biggest ever payouts in 2002?
Why was his move to WWE in 2003 such a huge deal and talking point?
10 years later his name is CONSTANTLY mentioned despite having NOTHING to do with any wrestling product or promotion.

Yet you claim his career fizzled in 1998?

 

[Deezy]

Best match with Scott Steiner in 00? Now I know you blinded.

Goldberg was gone most of 99, left to do nothing when 00 came around and appeared infrequently in WCW right up til their death. It isn't right saying he fizzled out after 98, but it is just flat out false, claiming he was as big as he was after that year.

Plus he was a shit MMA commentator.

 

[Troy]

with all due respect to Taker's WM streak (20-0), it doesn't come even close to Goldberg's 173-0 streak.
Taker's streak takes place only in WM, while Goldberg's streak was taking place in all PPV's, Tv (Nitro, Thunder), House shows, etc. I mean, Taker is one hell of a wrestler, no doubt among the top 5 in wrestling's history, but his WM streak is really overrated and hyped. I mean, it's absurd how WWE counts his WM streak, as Taker have wrestled only in WM's and was undefeated for real (while the fact is that he have lost in other shows, every year).
Goldberg was truely undefeated for 173 matches- not just in PPV's, not just Nitro's, not just house shows. he was undefeated for almost one year and a half. THE GREATEST streak ever, of THE GREATEST ever in Goldberg! alongside with Cena, ofcourse .

I think that Undertaker's streak trumps it, being undefeated at the biggest PPV in wrestling for over two decades is greater than being undefeated for 15 months. If Taker's streak was say 10-0 then maybe there would be a case but for it to be 20-0 that is just incredible. To remain over for that long and remain a maineventer for that time is pretty much unprecedented.