Bill Goldberg a.k.a. Goldberg will wrestle tonight on Saturday Night's Main Event against Gunther, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Whether Goldberg wins or loses and if as rumors suggest, this is his last match I just want to use this platform to say Thank you to one of the most intense, and polarizing personalities to step into a pro wrestling ring.
On September 22, 1997 Bill Goldberg debuted on WCW Monday Nitro and was a relative unknown to the wrestling fans in the arena as well as the TV audience. Standing at 6 foot 4 inches and weighing 285 pounds, the former football player, certainly had an impressive look and presence. That night he would go on to defeat his opponent, using two moves that would become his trademark, the spear and the jackhammer.
After that night, Bill Goldberg went on a winning streak that catapulted him to the top of the wrestling industry. Fans were captivated by his intensity and the fact that it seemed that he could destroy anyone. Goldberg was also a man of few words, like Clint Eastwood in the spaghetti westerns. After winning a match he would look into the camera and ask one question: "Who's Next?"
With over 100 wins he faced Hulk Hogan for the World Heavyweight Championship on July 6, 1998 less than a year after he officially debuted. Goldberg would defeat Hulk Hogan that night and win the World Championship. After that night Goldberg was thrust into the national spotlight appearing on talk shows and tv commercials.
In 2001 WCW was sold to the WWE. Goldberg would not appear in WWE until 2003 due to his contract with WCW. In WWE, Goldberg would have feuds with stars like The Rock, Triple H, and Brock Lesnar in WWE from 2003 to 2004. Goldberg would leave the WWE in 2004 after winning a match against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 20.
Goldberg would return to the WWE in 2016 after being challenged to a match by Brock Lesnar at that year's Survivor Series event. He would defeat Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series and make sporadic appearances in WWE for the next 9 years facing stars like Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, Dolph Ziggler, and Kevin Owens. In 2018 Goldberg was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Thank you Bill Goldberg for your contributions to the wrestling industry. You were a superhero to many fans around the world including myself and I hope you enjoy this last run.
Class Dismissed,
THE POP CULTURE PROFESSOR
