Seven Sins of Goldberg

Goldberg’s career has been legendary, but sinful

Almost two decades since his debut, Goldberg is still the biggest babyface in sports entertainment today. Even with his limited in-ring skills, he remains an icon to little kids around the world and is a huge ratings draw to this very day.

Despite his illustrious career, his path to the top hasn’t been as stain-free as one may believe. There are blemishes in Goldberg’s past that we will bring to you in this exclusive feature. Sadly, one of the nicest men inside and outside the ring has a rather colourful history.

Presenting the seven sins of the legend himself, Bill Goldberg!


#7 Wrath: Real life fight with Chris Jericho

Jericho beat up Goldberg in their locker room fight

Chris Jericho, former World Television Champion in WCW, used to constantly call out Goldberg, the World Champion, in an attempt to wrestle a match against him.

However, in WCW there was a distinct line between the Cruiserweights and the Heavyweights, and it was stipulated that Jericho would lose to Goldberg in a squash match in all of 30 seconds. Angered by this, Jericho would quit WCW and move to WWE where he would go on to have a Hall of Fame worthy career.

Soon enough, WCW would fold and Goldberg would head to WWE as well.

Also read: WWE News: Stone Cold Steve Austin recalls pranking Goldberg

Once in WWE, Jericho would hear rumours of how Goldberg was constantly talking behind his back. We already know that Jericho is never afraid to pick a fight (he got in Brock Lesnar’s face too after Summerslam this year), and he, therefore ended up confronting Goldberg about the same.

In the altercation that ensued, Jericho would grab Goldberg in a headlock and completely embarrass him. According to Jericho, “bullies like Goldberg” had never had anyone retaliate against them, so it took him by surprise.

Shame on Goldberg!

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#6 Sloth: Ending Bret Hart’s career

Goldberg’s lack of in-ring experience resulted in this tragedy

While Bret Hart was the personification of technical proficiency, Goldberg was on the absolute other end of the spectrum. Bret Hart had a long and storied career, entertaining WWE and WCW fans through many rivalries. Ultimately a kick from Goldberg would bring his career to a complete halt.

Starrcade 99 was the scene of the sin. At the event, which was like Wrestlemania for WCW, Goldberg and Bret Hart, former tag team champions, would face off against one another.

During the match, Hart sustained this career ending injury when Goldberg kicked him in the head and had further injuries when his head hit the ground since Goldberg wasn’t able to take a figure four leglock properly.

A tragic end to a brilliant career.

Bret Hart has often lamented that it’s sad that someone as good hearted as Goldberg was responsible for hurting him. Bret himself takes great pride about injuring no one all through his Hall-Of-Fame career.

If Goldberg had honed his craft and improved his in-ring skills, this mishap could have probably been avoided.

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#5 Envy: William Regal controversy

Who’s telling the truth?

When WCW was on fire and Goldberg was the hot, new star, he was set to face William Regal in a match. A match that went really, abysmally, terribly wrong because of Bill Goldberg!

Goldberg claims that during his match with William Regal, the latter resented him for his success, and stiffed him with a few legitimate shots to make him look weak (the rest of the locker room resented him too, for getting a monster push without legitimate wrestling skills).

Regal, on the other hand, claims that he had to do what he did because Goldberg had never wrestled a match longer than 90 seconds. This was during Goldberg’s 173-0 streak, where his lack of wrestling skills was hidden by short squash matches.

Regal was told to give Goldberg a competitive match, and so he did. Unfortunately, Goldberg still holds a grudge against Regal to this day!

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#4 Gluttony: Lying about the streak

Goldberg’s streak was fewer than 173 matches

In Scott Hall’s words, Goldberg became a huge mark for himself who didn’t like to lose. His 173-0 match win record is something that will probably never be broken. It also resulted in the best business WCW ever did.

However, here’s the burning question! Did Goldberg really win 173 matches? In reality, the number was significantly smaller.

Long time fans of WCW noticed discrepancies between the number of matches Goldberg was supposed to have wrestled and the ones that he actually did! Goldberg’s desire to win every single match resulted in WCW feeding the audience with some unrealistic numbers.

Even house show numbers did not add up (most top WCW talent never even showed up for house shows). Goldberg’s gluttony led to yet another sin - the sin of telling lies!

Journalists speculate that the actual number was more along the figure of 155-0, and definitely not 173-0.

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#3 Greed: Coming back to WWE

Goldberg returned after burying the company on many occasions

During the time that Goldberg was away from WWE, he didn't have good things to say about the product (and that’s putting it mildly).

Not only has he been critical of professional wrestling itself, he’s often felt that in WWE there were forces working against him to keep him down. In the interview linked below, he was asked if his son would ever join WWE.

Goldberg promptly replied by saying he would rather purchase a company and employ his son than allow his son Gage Goldberg to work for the WWE.

Cut to 2016, when not only is Goldberg back in the company after burying it but his son, too, has been an integral part of his program. There's only one way to explain his newfound love for wrestling - the cash that goes along with it.

Goldberg is earning a fat pocket with his limited appearances and has hence made a complete 360-degree turn about the wrestling business. If this is not greed, we don’t know what is!

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#2 Lust: Going after the WWE Championship

Goldberg wants another run with the championship

If you thought Goldberg only returned for a fat paycheck and one appearance, think again.

Not content with pinning Brock Lesnar and taking away an opportunity from someone else to do so, Goldberg is going after the title this time at the Royal Rumble. As he's made it abundantly clear, he’s only doing so to be a superhero for his wife and son. Of course, it’s also for the millions of kids who are cheering him on.

Lust works in different ways, and in this case, Goldberg is lustful for fame. Having never taken the business seriously in his lifetime, he wants another moment in the limelight. At a time when WWE needs new stars, Goldberg is a hindrance instead of an asset.

Brock Lesnar had been built as a monster who was squashing full-time performers left right and centre. Goldberg, a 49-year-old part-timer, beat Lesnar in all of 1 minute and 26 seconds. In doing so, Goldberg buried the entire full-time roster in a way.

Believe it or not, we are actually Goldberg fans. Despite the fact that he's only egged on by lust these days. Perhaps we lust for the days of the Monday Night Wars one more time.

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#1 Pride: Not wanting to miss a spear

Goldberg almost messed up his best match

Goldberg is known as one of the biggest draws in the history of professional wrestling. At the same time, he’s not known for the quality of his matches.

However, most fans and Goldberg himself agree that his best contest was against Diamond Dallas Page at Halloween Havoc 1998. Goldberg and DDP were the two of the hottest babyfaces at the time. DDP told Goldberg to miss his spear to add an element of drama to the match, but Goldberg didn't want to do so!

During the match, DDP had to sidestep Goldberg to miss the spear. Goldberg carried on and hit the ring post. He was completely knocked out. It still turned out to be Goldberg's best match, but if not for DDP’s brilliant in-ring psychology and quick thinking, it would have been yet another insignificant squash match instead.

Goldberg’s pride is his own worst enemy, at times!

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