Real Name: Bill Goldberg Nickname: Goldberg Birthdate: 6/9/75 Height: 6' 4" Weight: 283 lbs Signature Moves: Jackhammer
Biography:
Bill Goldberg followed in the paths of many wrestlers who have made the transition from the gridiron to the squared circle to become wrestling stars - he just did so faster and to a greater magnitude than anyone else in history. In only his second year in the business, Goldberg became one of the biggest names the wrestling business has ever seen.
Bill Goldberg was not a typical wrestling fan growing up, but instead focused most of his attention on football. An excellent player in high school, Goldberg starred as an All-SEC and All-American Nose Guard at the University of Georgia. When his career as a Bulldog was over, he eyed stardom in the National Football League. After spending time with the Los Angeles Rams and then winning the World Bowl with the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football, Goldberg signed on with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991. After three years with the team he suffered a torn abdominal muscle, which put him out for the 1994 season. Goldberg was signed by the Carolina Panthers in 1995, but could not rebound from the injury sufficiently enough to play. He was thus forced to retire from football.
Goldberg never planned on becoming a professional wrestler. He crossed paths with many World Championship Wrestling stars while living in Atlanta. Though the world of wrestling was intriguing to him, joining the ranks of professional wrestlers was not an option that Goldberg seriously considered at the time. Later, Goldberg was working out in a gym owned by Lex Luger and Steve Bordon (Sting) and was convinced by Bordon to take a chance in the squared circle. After months of training in the WCW Power Plant, Goldberg made his official professional debut in WCW against Hugh Morrus, pinning the 300-pound wrestler. The next year and a half would be among the most remarkable periods in professional wrestling history.
Goldberg began quickly mowing down his opponents with his patented Spear and Jackhammer combination. Eventually he got his chance at the gold when he wrestled Raven for the WCW United States title. Showing little nervousness in his first title match, he quickly overpowered Raven and pinned him for the title belt.
With his reputation and winning streak growing, everyone looked forward to a showdown between Goldberg and Hollywood Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight championship. In front of 40,000 fans in Atlanta, Georgia on July 6, 1998, Goldberg speared Hogan and then hit the Jackhammer to obtain the pinfall. With the championship belt around his waist, he was now the biggest name in the sport and finished the year as the PWI Rookie of the Year.
Over the next year, Goldberg found himself battling members of the New World Order and other wrestlers striving for his title. Finally, Kevin Nash, after interference from Scott Hall (who used a tazer on Goldberg), was able to pin the champion. Goldberg subsequently placed himself in a hunt to reclaim his gold, often taking on various factions of the NWO. During one of these confrontations, Goldberg ran out into the parking lot of an arena and punched his fist through the windshield of a car. In doing so, he suffered a cut to his arm that took almost 190 stitches to close and which almost hit a nerve, seriously placing his career in jeopardy.
For almost six months he was forced to the sidelines and relegated to making publicity appearances and participating in the many charities he supports. Finally, after a great deal of speculation that he might not be able to make it back to the ring, he did so in June 2000 to a great ovation from his fans.
Goldberg became one of the biggest names in professional wrestling and was able to utilize his notoriety to obtain roles in Hollywood films and appearances on various television shows.
At one of the biggest Pay Per Views of 2003, Goldberg video's amped up on the big screen in Safeco Field in Seattle at WrestleMania XIX, which ended all speculation as to if Goldberg were to ever return to the sport that made him the icon, he is today. But just as Goldberg was returning, The Rock was planning to make his hiatus from the WWE after finally pinning Steve Austin on a WrestleMania card. But without anymore waiting entered the man that the WWE so loosely put it as "2 years in exile", which led to a match no one would ever thought they would see and that was the Rock verses Goldberg.
And just like in WCW, Goldberg reigned supreme against "The People's champion", after that match The Rock had left to do his movie career and the competition started getting fierce. First Jamal of 3 Minute Warning who got speared into the security barricade at a RAW show then came Chris Jericho who had Lance Storm try to run him over outside a RAW show as the competitor's got fierce so did Goldberg.
As I write this bio on Goldberg, he has won the World Championship from none other than Triple H at Unforgiven and is once again at the top of the wrestling food chain.
As a writer and a wrestling fan I have been to all Pay Per View events and live television show tapings in the NY tri State Area and Jersey (WrestleMania IV & V included). I have yet to see Goldberg in action and I will be at WrestleMania XX 4th row and I will be grateful to see Goldberg triumph as World Champion.
This is Tommy "Sugaz" Needham saying follow your dreams and swallow the victory to bigger and better things. Rugged Ways One Love.
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