There was something always something particularly appealing about Bill Goldberg. Though not the most technically-gifted of wrestlers, fans cheered for him nonetheless as he destroyed his opponents in short squash matches. From 1997 to 2001, Goldberg was an unbelievably huge draw for WCW, as the former football players undefeated streak and simple squash matches are an impressive sight to behold. It was also mesmerizing to watch him perform unbelievable feats of strength, such as the time he delivered a Jackhammer to the Giant. This combination of incredible strength and indestructibility led to record numbers at house shows, and a surge in attention for WCW in general. In fact, house shows and episodes of TV that didn't feature Godlderg on them drew significantly less than those that featured him. That's how much of a ratings mover he was. Goldbergs star was shining so brightly during the late 1990s that comparisons were made between him and Stone Cold Steve Austin, in terms of appearance, popularity, and drawing power. Despite the prevalence of the nWo during that period, Goldberg was far and away their biggest draw by the turn of the century. In fact, many fans likened him to WWEs Stone Cold Steve Austin in terms of popularity. Though Austin was still a good wrestler, his success was more driven by storylines and character. The same could be said of Goldberg, whos simple undefeated streak storyline made him an immense draw without him needing to make any significant changes. If WCW never made the critical mistake of ending his streak so unceremoniously, its possible that WCW couldve enjoyed more acceptable ratings during the Monday Night Wars. Thats how crucial a draw Goldberg was for the company.
Alexander Podgorski is a writer for WhatCulture that has been a fan of professional wrestling since he was 8 years old. He loves all kinds of wrestling, from WWE and sports entertainment, to puroresu in Japan.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in Political Studies and French, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. He speaks English, French, Polish, a bit of German, and knows some odd words and phrases in half a dozen other languages.