The Rewind - Hollywood Hulk Hogan Vs. Goldberg (WCW Monday Nitro 1998)
In what would undoubtedly be the most hyped match in the history of WCW's Monday Nitro, two icons of professional wrestling would collide for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The champion going into the event would be the most famous name in the history of wrestling 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan, and challenging him for his world championship was poster boy and brightest star in the WCW galaxy, Bill Goldberg. As was Goldberg's gimmick at the time, he went into the title match with a stellar winning streak under his belt, two deadly finishing moves and a packed out Madison Square Garden chanting his name. Hogan at the time was the leader of nWo Hollywood and received a reception fit for a man who had turned his back on the fans. As he graced the ring, spectators at the Garden threw cups and food and other garbage at the Immortal one while his opponent paced the ring, snorting and spitting as he fired up for the biggest match of his life.
The crowd was raucous on this hot summer night and a huge roar went up over the tens of thousands of fans in attendance as the ring bell sounded, indicating that the most anticipated match in professional wrestling at the time, was underway? two of the game's biggest icons were about to clash. The match was opened with a series of traditional moves and holds as 'Goldberg' chants continued to ring through the Garden. More than the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was on the line in this match, it was pride, not only for Goldberg but for the WCW faction who at the time, was fiercely undermined by the two other nWo factions and it required the World Heavyweight Championship to balance the power back into World Championship Wrestling's favour.
After control of the match being exchanged back and forth between the two, Hogan would challenge Goldberg to a test of strength that he would not only accept, but embarrass Hogan with as he forced Hollywood to his knees before he backed off to the sanctuary of the ropes. Hulk quickly retaliated, taking off his weight lifters belt and attacking Goldberg with it, cracking the leather into his spine until Goldberg would catch the belt mid-swing and throw it out of the ring, challenging Hogan to take him on in a real wrestling match. Hogan stepped up to the challenge, taking the ex-NFL player to the ground with a series chokes and clotheslines on to spur on a fight back by the challenger that found the two of them on the outside of the ring. Hogan took advantage of his opponents fatigue on the outside of the ring and smashed Goldberg's head into the guardrail before unleashing on him with a series of chair shots.
'Ol Hulkster believed he had the match in the bag as he hit a fallen Goldberg with not one, but three leg drops only to be interrupted by Curt Henning making his way to ringside before being attacked by DDP and Malone of the World Championship Wrestling faction. Goldberg kicked out of the pinfall following the three Hogan patented leg drops sending the crowd into a frenzy. A distracted Hogan then got to his feet to check on Henning, only to see him Diamond Cutter-ed by Malone? what he didn't see however was Goldberg lining him up on the other side of the ring for what would be a thunderous spear. The roof came off Madison Square Garden as Goldberg signalled for the Jackhammer staring at the crowd with a look of intensity and aggression. As he dragged the Immortal one to his feet, Goldberg locked him in, lifted the legend high in the air to the eruption of the New York audience, only to slam him down, completing the Jackhammer as well as Hogan's long title reign with a 1-2-3.
The Outlaw's Opinion
This match makes me miss the Monday Night Wars so so badly! It brought out the best in both organisations! I mean, turn on Raw and you have DX and Stone Cold and then change the channel to Nitro and it's Goldberg Vs. Hogan for the world title. Ahh good times? We can only hope that we see some shred of them again one day. But oh well, looks like we're going to have to work with what we've got at the moment. What do we have at the moment by the way? Well in the 'Outlaw's' trusted opinion, I've been liking Edge's spot at the top of the food chain and I think there's potential there to really build Smackdown up to be something special. It took the Rated R Superstar a while to get his ultimate push, but I think it was a while definitely worth waiting. So that brings me to thinking, who do I think will be the next big thing in the WWE? (Other than of course The Great Khali who commandeered Edge's world title at Tuesday's Smackdown taping) My number one pick is Matt Hardy? I love seeing that he's getting a push and I think that if they don't keep pushing him all the way up to the world title rung they're absolutely crazy. Mattitude is on fire at the moment at it would be incredibly dumb not to take advantage of that, ESPECIALLY given the explosive personal history between him and Rated R.
On the RAW end of things I believe that the sooner we see Orton stop beating old guys and start kicking Cena's ass the better! It would be a dream match of sorts for me to see Cena Vs. Orton for the WWE Championship because god knows, someone needs to shut that idiot Cena up. Lashley I believe has the talent, but as an entertainer he made an absolute fool of himself on RAW? maybe that needs some time to develop?