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Goldberg is the new Universal Champion. The 53-year-old WWE Hall of Famer defeated 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt to win his second Universal Championship on February 27, 2020, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at Super ShowDown 2020.
That win was Goldberg's fourth World title and his second since he returned to WWE in 2016 after a 12-year hiatus. 'Da Man' first exploded onto the wrestling scene in September 1997 when he speared & jackhammered Hugh Morrus into submission on Nitro. That was the first victory of a reported 173-match winning streak which encompassed a United States and WCW World Heavyweight title reign.
Goldberg's World title victory over Hollywood Hulk Hogan, also on Nitro on July 6, 1998, was one of the most heated and famous title wins ever.
It cemented Goldberg as one of the top players in the industry; a position he would hold until WCW closed its doors in March 2001.
Goldberg then disappeared from view until he re-emerged in Japan in 2002. His performances for All Japan Pro Wrestling and K-1 convinced WWE executives to open talks with him. He signed on the dotted line with the sports entertainment powerhouse in early 2003 and debuted for the promotion the night after WrestleMania XIX.
However, he would depart the organization just one year later, following his victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX. Goldberg then stepped away from wrestling completely and did not wrestle anywhere again until November 2016 when he returned to WWE to face Lesnar once more. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 and is now firmly established as a WWE legend.
This slideshow ranks the five most important title victories in the career of Da Man. 23 years after his debut, Goldberg is still going strong. Maybe there will be more title wins in the Hall of Famer's future. Who's next?!
Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments!
#5 Universal Championship versus Kevin Owens (Fastlane - March 5, 2017)
Goldberg returned to WWE after a 12-year hiatus at the 2016 Survivor Series wherein he shocked the world by defeating Brock Lesnar in under two minutes. That was a rematch of their WrestleMania XX match in which Goldberg had defeated "The Beast."
Da Man next appeared in the 2017 Royal Rumble and subsequently challenged Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at the final stop before WrestleMania at Fastlane.
Owens succumbed to Goldberg's Spear and Jackhammer combination in less than 30 seconds and Da Man had won his first World title in 14 years.
The title win set up a title rematch with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33, wherein Goldberg dropped the belt and lost to Lesnar for the first time.
That match marked Goldberg's last appearance in the ring for WWE until his 2019 bout with The Undertaker at Super ShowDown 2019.
This title loss sparked Goldberg's desire for a return match for the Universal Championship which he eventually got versus The Fiend at Super ShowDown 2020.
#4 Universal Championship versus The Fiend (Super ShowDown - February 27, 2020)
Undoubtedly, Goldberg's most controversial title win was his most recent, which occurred at Super ShowDown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, it cannot be dismissed how significant this victory is.
Although many people expected and wished The Fiend to win the bout and retain the belt, Goldberg's victory marked the first occasion in which a WWE Hall of Famer has won a World title after induction.
Goldberg has also become one of the oldest wrestlers to ever win a recognized World title at 53 years of age. His bout with the seemingly indestructible Fiend was a decent three-minute sprint in which the pair exchanged offense, with Goldberg hitting multiple spears and Bray Wyatt attempting the Mandible Claw on several occasions.
Finally, Goldberg was able to hit the Jackhammer for the pinfall and the Championship.
Rumors abound he will defend that title versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 36 which is sure to be an exciting brawl.
#3 WWE World Heavyweight Title versus Triple H (Unforgiven - September 21, 2003)
Goldberg entered WWE to much fan-fare the night after WrestleMania XIX, where he speared The Rock in the closing segment of the show to set up his first big WWE rivalry. After defeating The Rock in the main event of Backlash 2003, Goldberg segued into a feud with the World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H.
Their first in-ring interaction came at SummerSlam 2003 inside the Elimination Chamber wherein Da Man battered and eliminated Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels in rapid succession.
That just left Triple H. However, Goldberg was downed by a sledgehammer shot by "The Game" after his running body, as Ric Flair had inserted it into the chamber. That disappointment caused Goldberg to put his career on the line in exchange for a one on one title bout with Triple H.
This time, Goldberg smashed through "The Game" to win the World Heavyweight Championship, his first singles title in four years. The reign lasted three months until Da Man dropped it back to Triple H in a triple threat bout also involving Kane, at Armageddon.
#2 United States Title versus Raven (Nitro - April 20, 1998)
Goldberg had only debuted in WCW on September 22, 1997, episode of Monday Nitro but by the time April 1998 had rolled around just seven months later, Da Man had become one of the hottest stars in the entire industry.
His celebrated undefeated streak had taken in 74 victims prior to April 20, 1998. Raven, the new United States Champion was his 75th. In a superheated, violent and exciting Ravens Rules brawl, the US Champion gave Goldberg his sternest test yet in an excellent seven-minute bout.
However, Raven could not stop the juggernaut and he became Goldberg's next victim. Goldberg would reign as United States Champion until July 6, 1998, the date in which he won the WCW World title. He vacated the strap and was never beaten for the strap.
Da Man would also win a second US title when he defeated Sid Vicious at Halloween Havoc 1999 in a memorable match.
#1 WCW World Heavyweight Title versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan (Nitro - July 6, 1998)
Goldberg's most memorable title win was one of the most famous World title wins in all of wrestling history.
Facing off with the New World Order's Hollywood Hulk Hogan in the main event spot of Monday Nitro, United States Champion, Goldberg thrilled his hometown crowd with a sensational win to become the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
The bout between Goldberg and Hogan was originally a non-title dark match but after suffering ratings defeats in the Monday Night War to WWE, WCW decided to upgrade the match to the main show and put the World title on the line. The strategy paid off as Nitro beat WWE's Raw in the ratings, though critics stated the company flushed away millions in pay-per-view revenue by giving the first time marquee match away on free television.
Regardless, WCW made a ton of money at the live gate, as the massive Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia almost sold out at a week's notice as fans piled into the arena to witness history.
The undefeated Goldberg grappled with the legendary Hogan before hitting his trademark Spear and Jackhammer combination to earn the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and kick off a five-month title reign that was a bonafide critical and commercial success.
What a moment that title win was.
