Bill Goldberg

File:Goldbergportrait.jpg

Bill Goldberg.

Bill Goldberg (born December 27, 1966 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a former football star turned wrestler. Until recently, he starred in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) on the Monday Night RAW program.

Pre-Wrestling

He played college football at the University of Georgia, and then played pro football with the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams, and then was signed by the Carolina Panthers, until his football career was ended by an abdominal injury, when he tore all his abdominal muscles from his pelvis, and had them surgically reattached.

Wrestling history

World Championship Wrestling era

Goldberg became a wrestler, training in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Power Plant wrestling school and entered the ring professionally on September 22, 1997. He then started on the path of what make him a wrestling superstar, his undefeated winning streak. WCW said that he had one hundred and seventy-four wins before wrestler Kevin Nash handed him his first loss. However, the actual count was lost around the 20th match. WCW just made up 174 out of nowhere. The number is believed to be closer to 140 though.

He would become the WCW United States Champion on April 21, 1998, by defeating Raven. He would vacate the title when he gave it up after winning the World Heavyweight title (from Hulk Hogan) on July 6, 1998.

He became the WCW World Heavyweight Champion on July 6, 1998 when he defeated the at the time NWO leader, Hulk Hogan. He would hold the title until wrestler Kevin Nash handed him his first loss in the WCW on December 27, 1998. Of course, it took wrestler Scott Hall getting involved with a tazer gun for Kevin Nash to win.

He would become a second time holder of the WCW US Championship on October 24, 1999 but would be defeated by Bret Hart the next day, losing the title.

Amazingly enough, he would later team with Bret Hart to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship on December 7, 1999. They would hold the title for only a week, losing the titles to the Outsiders (who were Kevin Nash and Scott Hall).

Goldberg suffered only six official losses in his WCW career in singles matches. Three of those losses were against Bret "Hitman" Hart. Including an un-official loss when Bret made his own three count which makes 4 losses.

The WCW was bought out by the WWE (at the time, the WWE was known as the WWF), and the WWE did not sign him at that time.

Post WCW era

Goldberg would travel the independent wrestling circuit after he run in the WCW. He would make his biggest splash in Japan, becoming one of the biggest pulls in the country. This would finally prompt the WWE to sign Goldberg.

World Wrestling Entertainment era

Goldberg would make his World Wrestling Entertainment debut on the RAW immediately following the 2003 WrestleMania (WrestleMania XIX), on March 31, 2003. He would immediately start a feud with The Rock, which would culminate at the 2003 Backlash PPV event. He won the match, which became his first win in WWE.

Later in the year, he would defeat WWE RAW World Champion, Triple H, winning the title. This match took place at the Unforgiven PPV Event on September 21, 2003.

He would hold the title until December 14, 2003, when he would lose the title back to Triple H in a triple threat match which included Kane, during the 2003 Armageddon PPV event.

On February 15, 2004, Goldberg attended the No Way Out PPV, as an "audience member". He would be taunted by Brock Lesnar and approached the ring. He would proceed to give Brock a Jackhammer and was then promptly arrested by security (via orders from Paul Heyman, Smackdown!'s General Manager). He would come back during the WWE Championship Title Match and cause Lesnar to lose the match. This led into a match to play out at Wrestlemania XX.

The match at Wrestlemania XX featured Goldberg taking on Brock Lesnar with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the match's special guest referee. The match would end with Goldberg winning, but he and Brock Lesnar would both receive a Stone Cold Stunner from Austin. This was Goldberg's last match in WWE, as his contract ran out immediately following Wrestlemania.

Post WWE Era

Reportedly, Goldberg will continue his wrestling career in Japan, where he remains a major draw.

Goldberg also has aspirations to do work in film. He co-starred in the movie Universal Soldier II, with Jean Claude Van Damme, and is slated to have a role in the re-make of The Longest Yard.

Title History

World Championship Wrestling

April 20, 1998 – WCW United States Title (1)

Defeated Raven - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Vacated on July 6, 1998 after winning World title

July 6, 1998 – WCW World Heavyweight Title

Defeated Hulk Hogan - Atlanta, Georgia

Lost to Kevin Nash on December 27, 1998

October 24, 1999 – WCW United States Title (2)

Defeated Sid Vicious - Las Vegas, Nevada

Lost to Bret Hart on October 25, 1999

December 7, 1999 – WCW Tag Team Title

Teamed with Bret Hart

Defeated Creative Control - Madison, Wisconsin

Lost to the Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) on December 13, 1999

World Wrestling Entertainment

September 21, 2003 – WWE RAW World Heavyweight Title

Defeated Triple H - Hershey, Pennsylvania

Lost to Triple H on December 14, 2003

Miscellaneous information

Movies

Goldberg has starred in several movies.

His first role in The Jesse Ventura Story and it was followed by an appearance in Universal Soldier: The Return. Both movies would be released in 1999.

His next movie would be in 2000 in the WCW movie, Ready to Rumble, in which he would play himself.

During his time in the WWE, he would star in the Warner Brothers movie, Looney Tunes: Back in Action. This would be in 2003.

He has a brand new movie coming, that is due to be released later this year (2004). The name of the movie is Santa's Slay.

Steadfastly kept his real last name as his wrestling moniker against the advice of many. Goldberg has stated that he does so as a show of pride in his Jewish ancestry.

His character was criticized by some (including Vince McMahon as being a copy of that of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Similarities include both men wearing short black tights, sporting bald heads and goatees, using similar wrestling styles, and uttering similar catchphrases.

He is an advocate for animal rights and a vegetarian.

Trademark moves and sayings

His favorite catch phrase is “Who’s Next?” or “You’re Next!”. He also recently used “Believe the Hype” coming into the 2003 Unforgiven PPV Event.

He has two of the most famous wrestling moves in recent wrestling history; the Spear and the Jackhammer. He often uses these moves as finishing moves.

He leads with the Spear. He waits on the opposite side of the ring, waiting for his opponent to get up and turn around. When they do, he charges at them like a linebacker in football, tackling them to the ground. Then, in a move called the Jackhammer, he picks his opponent up over his head, legs up in the air, then slamming them to the ground, covering immediately for the pin. Very rarely has anyone kicked out of a pin following this combo of moves.

Misc

He used to be a bouncer. It is unknown where this was however.

He has a degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia.

He was the first man to simultaneously hold the WCW United States and World Heavyweight Championships.

Goldberg pretty much is the one person responsible for ending of Bret Hart's career. Goldberg had delivered a mule kick to Bret Hart while in WCW. The injuries Bret suffered due to this kick essentially put an end to his career.

External links

• http://www.billgoldberg.com – The Official Bill Goldberg website
• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004966/ IMDB.com's Bill Goldberg page
• http://www.billgoldberg.net – A popular fansite/message board dedicated to Bill Goldberg

World Heavyweight Championship
Preceded by: Hollywood Hogan	First reign (WCW Champion)	Followed by: Kevin Nash
Preceded by: Triple H	Second reign	Followed by: Triple H