With an explosive spear and a bone-crunching Jackhammer finisher, Bill Goldberg dominated the wrestling industry for well over a year, racking up a 173-0 winning streak and a WCW heavyweight championship reign before suffering his first defeat in December 1998 at Starrcade. Even after that loss blemished his record, Goldberg continued to ride a wave of momentum into the new Millennium, starring as WCW's biggest home grown talent of the decade. His image was all over merchandise and media while his name was chanted in arenas across the countries. Like Steve Austin and The Rock, Goldberg crossed the line between wrestling stardom and mainstream recognition. He became a star bigger than the wrestling industry could have imagined. His July 1998 victory over Hulk Hogan for the WCW Championship on Monday Nitro ranks as one of the biggest and best moments in the history of the show. In front of his hometown fans in Atlanta, Goldberg hoisted Hogan high in the air and dropped him with the Jackhammer, much to the delight of the fans tired by Hogan's seemingly endless reign atop the WCW mountain. It was a triumphant moment, one that would take Hogan out of the title picture for the remainder of the year. Though he proved reckless in the ring at times, injuring Bret Hart and necessitating his retirement from the ring (something this writer has never forgiven the man for), and he only had a reign that stretched some two years on top, Goldberg established himself as one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
