8. Gillberg's Losing Streak Ends Before It Really Begins
Long-time WWF "enhancement talent" Duane Gill made a less-than-triumphant return to WWF at the 1998 Survivor Series as the "mystery opponent" for Mankind in the World Championship tournament. Shortly afterwards, Duane was made an official member of the J.O.B. Squad, and his fellow "jobbers" were instrumental in helping Gill win the WWF Lightheavyweight Championship from Christian in November. With the prestigious WWF Lightheavyweight Championship around his waist, Gill transformed himself into a parody of WCW superstar Bill Goldberg, redubbing himself "Gillberg." And Gillberg was a perfect parody of Goldberg, from his security-escorts through the back to the pyro (sparklers and fire extinguishers- to the arm tattoo and facial expressions. The rumor is that WWF Creative was going to parody Goldberg's infamous 173-match win streak by having Gillberg (who's tagline was "
Who's first?") lose 173 matches in a row. And through the end of 1998 and first month of 1999, Gillberg did just that, losing to everyone from Marc Mero to Luna Vachon to being eliminated almost immediately in the Royal Rumble. But in February of 1999, he faced off against Goldust, who was feuding at that time with fellow J.O.B. Squad member the Blue Meanie. Thanks to Meanie's distraction- showing up on the big screen as Bluedust- Gillburg was able to roll-up the Bizarre One for his first victory. Goldust gained a measure of revenge with a Shattered Dreams, but the damage was done. No, not to Duane's pair of little "Gillbergs," but to the angle: Gillberg's losing streak would never reach that mythical 173, and- while it was a petty angle done to mock the competition's biggest star- it cost Duane Gill a run with WWF: he'd leave TV for several months with the Lightheavyweight Title, eventually returning a year later to lose it to Essa Rios.