The destroyer of 173note The exact number is up to debate, as Goldberg beat some guys more than once, and WCW seemed to lose count along the way wrestlers in a row!
Bill Goldberg was one of the most popular professional wrestlers in WCW during the Monday Night WarsGoldberg became famous for having the longest winning streak ("The Streak" as it was known) in WCW history, having won 177 consecutive matches, and in the process, winning the WCW United States Heavyweight Title, and later, the WCW World Heavyweight Title before the streak came to an end at Starrcade 1998; he also became infamous for being the man responsible for retiring Bret Hart, giving him a concussion with a kick to the head that - coupled with other concussions suffered around the same timeframe - forced The Hitman out of the ring for good. (At least until 2010.) Nowadays, Goldberg has retired, and spends time doing television shows centered around motorcycles and automobiles, as well as serving as an MMA commentator.You can learn more about his career at The Other Wiki.
Early Installment Weirdness: Goldberg didn't start using the spear until after his first two dozen or so matches, and some of his early matches were back and forth rather than the squashes he'd become famous for.
Enforced Method Acting: Completely by accident. In his Halloween Havoc '98 match with Diamond Dallas Page, at about the midpoint of the match, there was a spot where DDP was in the corner and Goldberg tried to spear him, only for Page to duck out the way and have Goldberg hit the steel post behind the turnbuckle. The problem was Goldberg ran all out and his the post with his shoulder like a goddamn missile! The result was an injured shoulder, leading to some memorable offence by DDP and the first genuine signs of vulnerability in Goldberg's career. The highlight of the match was a spot where Goldberg was meant to lift up Page in the Jackhammer, which Page would counter with the Diamond Cutter and a near fall. But with a hurt shoulder, Goldberg couldn't lift him up! The crowd went insane at the idea that Goldberg couldn't apply his finisher and the thought that this might be the match he loses. He tried again and this time the counter spot went through, which combined was an accidental piece of Wrestling Psychology that couldn't have turned out any better if they planned it that way. The only problem was that Goldberg was so loopy from the hit by that point that he kicked out at the instant of "2" rather than a planned "2 9/10ths", but the overall result was by far the best critically received match in Goldberg's career.
Face Heel Turn: Had a very ill-advised one late in his WCW career thanks to the typical booking of Vince Russo. Goldberg was the one last wrestler fans could count on to cheer for. When he shortly turned heel, WCW fans just gave up altogether and it was, in some respects, the final nail in the company's coffin.
Quite literally eating Scott Hall's contract certainly didn't help, either.
Implacable Man: This is his shtick, really. Generally, the worst parts of Goldberg's career are when he's doing anything else but this.
Invincible Hero: Averted. Despite having all the trappings of an Invincible Hero, the fans mostly couldn't get enough of him.
For the first year, anyway, when WCW still had a roster and tasers weren't yet conceived as wrestling moves...
Not to mention that, after two years of Hulk Hogan and the nWo making chumps of the entire WCW roster, Goldberg was a fresh face with an aura of invincibility. By this point, wrestling fans were dying for a person who could finally end Hogan's long-past-its-expiration-date title reign. He did, and for a short while, it was good.
Last Name Basis: Though referred to as Bill Goldberg on numerous occasions, he's mostly known by his last name alone.
Lightning Bruiser: Agile enough to do a backflip (which he did against Hugh Morrus), was also a pro football player, so he had explosive speed and power. Could lift The Giant and Jackhammer him with one arm, and was able to tear a limo's glass with his bare hands, although it cut his flesh.
Made of Iron: Kicked out of a sledge hammer shot from Triple H, though the first time Triple H did this he did get a three count.
Money, Dear Boy: He has made no secret of the fact that his involvement in wrestling is entirely dependent on how much money he makes from it.
No Sell: Particularly memorable were his no sells to Glacier and Gillberg.
Wrestling/Steven Regal got fired from WCW for daring to no-sell Goldberg. Regal decided to make Goldberg wrestle a back and forth match instead of letting him squash him
Oh Crap: Just hearing his music could have this effect on opponents.
Pet the Dog: He may have a mercenary, selfish attitude towards the wrestling business, but he's extremely devoted to charities, particularly the Make A Wish foundation.
I wouldn't say selfish. Read his books or watch this, pretty much who he is...
Real Life Writes the Plot: Chris Jericho feuded, and lost, with Goldberg only weeks after fighting with him backstage. It should be noted Jericho won that backstage fight by getting Goldberg in a front facelock (a fight-ender in real life) twice. Accounts vary on whether Goldberg had gotten out of it himself, Jericho had let him go, or whether other wrestlers broke it up, but at the bell, Jericho was definitely ahead on points.
Signature Move: Canadian fans generally disliked him for a mule kick they claim ended Bret Hart's career. Also, a gorilla press slam in WWE with no controversy surrounding it.
Soft Glass: Apparently, Goldberg was supposed to smash several limousine windows with a pipe concealed in his hand, and he lost the pipe. He decided to punch through the window with his bare hands. He seriously injured himself, and Goldberg was out of action for nearly six months.
Squash Match: What the majority of his matches in WCW were during his first streak.
Take That: At WCW Fall Brawl 98, Chris Jericho brought out a midget version and easily "defeated" him.
On the January 11, 1999 Raw, WWF World Light Heavyweight Champion Duane Gill was reintroduced as "Gillberg," complete with similar mannerisms, guided entrance, his J.O.B. Squad stablemates the Blue Meanie, Too Cold Scorpio and Bob Holly holding little sparklers around his head as he choked on the smoke. Gillberg entered the ring and said, "Gillberg doesn't wanna know who's next - Gillberg wants to know WHO'S FIRST?" Luna Vachon answered and promptly squashed Gillberg in 1:04.
Throw It In: Almost his entire gimmick and storyline, according to Eric Bischoff. According to him, a meeting to decide his name ended with "Let's just call him Goldberg" and everyone rolling with it. His famous "Who's next?" came from a waitress who asked "Who's next" to pay their bill. And his trademark spear came from an on-the-spot improvisation by Goldberg in one of his first matches.
The Worf Effect: Goldberg served as the Worf for Meng, Naoya Ogawa and Batista. None of them were actually able to beat him, but simply being able to beat up Goldberg a little was enough to get them over.
Wrestling Monster: One of the more mundane examples but also one of the most famous
, and later, the WCW World Heavyweight Title
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