Original subtitles

[MUSIC]

THROUGHOUT THE 1990S MONDAY

NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIMETIME

BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTINCTION, AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

TWO MOVES.

THE SPEAR, THE PRELUDE TO THE

JACKHAMMER.

ONE NAME...

GOLDBERG COMPLETELY DECIMATES

ANOTHER OPPONENT.

BILL GOLDBERG EMERGED FROM

OBSCURITY TO BECOME AN

UNDEFEATED MONSTER.

[MUSIC]

AND WITH THE FATE OF WCW ON

HIS BACK, BECAME THE MOST

DOMINANT FORCE IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHO'S NEXT?

[MUSIC]

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT IN THE--WHAT'S HE DOING

HERE?

WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MONDAY NITRO.

[MUSIC]

OH, WHAT DOES--HE IS BROKEN

IN HALF.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR -- .

[MUSIC]

[INDISTINCT]

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER.

LET'S DO THIS, SUCKER.

[MUSIC]

WE ARE AT WAR.

[MUSIC]

YOU CAN CALL THIS THE NEW

WORLD ORDER OF WRESTLING,

BROTHER.

THESE TWO MEN RIGHT HERE CAME

FROM A GREAT BIG ORGANIZATION UP

NORTH.

WELL, WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT THAT

ORGANIZATION THAN ME, BROTHER.

[MUSIC]

BY THE SUMMER OF 1996, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HAD

OVERTAKEN WWE FOR THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT THRONE USING TED

TURNER'S CHECKBOOK TO LURE VINCE

MCMAHON'S MAIN EVENT TALENT DOWN

SOUTH.

FIRST, YOU HAD LOST HULK

HOGAN, THEN YOU LOST "MACHO MAN"

RANDY SAVAGE.

YOU REPLACE THEM WITH RAZOR

RAMON AND DIESEL, AND THEN

SUDDENLY, YOU LOSE THESE TWO TOP

CHARACTERS.

IT WAS A BIG BLOW HONESTLY.

HERE'S SCOTT HALL AND KEVIN

NASH, TWO VERY CHARISMATIC

INDIVIDUALS THAT ROLLED INTO WCW

WITH A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE AND

THEN EVERYTHING WE DID AFTER

THAT JUST WAS FLAWLESS.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION NOW,

WHAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL

ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING?

ALL THE BIG SUPERSTARS WERE

MADE BY VINCE MCMAHON.

HULK HOGAN, KEVIN NASH, RANDY

SAVAGE.

EVERYBODY WHO WAS ON TOP SPENT

SOME TIME IN WWE.

WWE'S AUDIENCE FOLLOWED THE

COMPANY'S POPULAR STARS TO WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WITH VIEWERS CAPTIVATED BY THE

REBELLIOUS NEW WORLD ORDER

FACTION, WCW'S MONDAY NITRO

EXTENDED ITS LEAD ON MONDAY

NIGHT RAW IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS.

THE NWO NITRO, I LIKE THE WAY

THAT SOUNDS.

WHEN I WOULD WATCH BOTH

SHOWS, I HAD TO GRUDGINGLY

ACCEPT THAT WCW HAD THE UPPER

HAND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INITIAL

NWO.

I WAS WORKING AT TALENT

RELATIONS AT THE TIME THAT WCW

WAS OPENING THEIR CHECKBOOK AND

THEY WHOOPED OUR -- GOOD, AND

THEY GOT A LOT OF BUZZ AND THEY

GOT LOTS OF GREAT PROMOTION AND

THE STARS THAT VINCE HAD MADE

WERE THEIR STALWARTS.

WCW WAS PROFITING FROM FORMER

WWE MAIN EVENTERS, FORCING VINCE

MCMAHON TO EITHER CREATE NEW

STARS OR FACE EXTINCTION AT THE

HANDS OF TED TURNER.

AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE

BECAUSE STONE COLD SAID SO.

TO REPLACE THE BIG NAMES THAT

HAD LEFT, YOU HAD TO CREATE NEW

STARS.

I THINK THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN

VINCE MCMAHON'S FORTE.

I THINK VINCE COULD TAKE A GUY

OFF THE STREET AND THROUGH HIS

MOLDING AND GUIDANCE, MAKE THIS

GUY INTO A STAR.

HE WAS INVESTING IN THE

FUTURE.

WHEN THEY WERE GETTING THEIR

BUTTS KICKED IN THE RATINGS,

GUYS WHO IN A YEAR, IN TWO

YEARS, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BUY AS

MAIN EVENTERS.

AND THAT'S A LONG TERM STRATEGY.

WE WERE RUNNING A MARATHON,

THEY WERE RUNNING A SPRINT.

BECAUSE EVERYDAY THAT WENT BY,

THEIR TALENT GOT OLD.

AND KNOWING THAT THE SHELF LIFE

OF AN ATHLETE, A SPORTS

ENTERTAINER IN THIS WORLD IS

RELATIVELY SHORT.

AND AFTER A WHILE, YOU'RE GONNA

RUN OUT OF FREE AGENTS.

AND IF WE DO OUR HOMEWORK AND

KEEP OUR STARS UNDER CONTRACT, I

LIKE OUR CHANCES FOR THE LONG

HAUL.

WCW'S FOCUS ON ESTABLISHED

STARS, KEPT THEM AHEAD IN THE

RATINGS.

BUT WWE'S YOUNG TALENT POOL WAS

CLOSING THE GAP IN THE SUMMER OF

1997.

MONDAY NITRO NEEDED TO DEVELOP

THEIR OWN FUTURE PROSPECTS IN

ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE COMPANY'S

CURRENT LEVEL OF SUCCESS.

WCW WAS AT ITS APEX IN TERMS

OF A--OF A COMPANY.

OUR VIEWERSHIP WAS AT A PEAK, WE

WERE NUMBER ON IN THE INDUSTRY

AT THE TIME.

WRESTLING, GENERALLY SPEAKING,

BOTH FOR THE WWE AND WCW IS AT

ITS HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE HISTORY

OF TELEVISION.

AND THAT'S WHEN BILL GOLDBERG

WALKED INTO THE PICTURE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

PROTECTION BREAKING DOWN, AND

IT'S GOLDBERG.

THEY CALL BILL GOLDBERG PROBABLY

THE BEST DEFENSIVE LINEMAN IN

THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE AND

HE DEMONSTRATES RIGHT THERE WHY

HE GETS SUCH ACCOLADES.

I PLAYED UNIVERSITY OF

GEORGIA, THEN I GOT DRAFTED BY

THE LA RAMS AND ENDED UP BACK

WITH THE ATLANTA FALCONS.

BILL GOLDBERG'S NFL CAREER

ENDED AFTER THREE SEASONS.

THE FORMER FOOTBALL STANDOUT WAS

FACED WITH THE REALITY OF LIFE

AFTER THE GRIDIRON.

I HAD JUST RETIRED FROM THE

NFL AND ALL I WAS DOING WAS

WORKING OUT.

I WORKED OUT AT LEX LUGER AND

STING'S GYM.

SO, I ALWAYS RUBBED SHOULDERS

WITH THE GUYS.

I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY ONE DAY,

MY ACCOUNTANT CALLS ME AND SAYS,

"YOU KNOW, GOLDBERG, YOU MIGHT

WANNA FIGURE SOMETHING OUT AS

FAR AS WORK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,

YOU WEREN'T AN ALL PRO-PLAYING

FOOTBALL AND YOU DIDN'T BANK

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS."

I SAID, "YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN

WORKING ON MY BODY FOR 25 YEARS.

I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THIS

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT GIG."

WCW THREW EVERYTHING AGAINST

THE WALL.

IF YOU'RE BIG, IF YOU'RE

MUSCLED, IF YOU'RE ATHLETIC, IF

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD DO

ANYTHING, THEY GAVE YOU A

CONTRACT TO TRAIN.

BILL WAS OBVIOUSLY AN AMAZING

ATHLETE.

AND HE'S DONE PLAYING FOOTBALL

AT THAT POINT AND HE DIDN'T WANT

A REAL JOB, SO, HE THOUGHT HE'D

TAKE A SHOT AT THIS.

SO, I'VE BEEN WORKING OUT AT

THIS GYM WITH LUGER AND GOLDBERG

WOULD BE WORKING OUT THERE.

AND WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE

WRESTLING BUSINESS, BLAH, BLAH,

BLAH, BLAH, AND WE INTRODUCED

HIM TO SOME PEOPLE.

I REMEMBER, LIKE IT WAS

YESTERDAY, I PICKED UP THE PHONE

AND I CALLED BISCHOFF AND I

SAID, "ERIC, THIS IS BILL

GOLDBERG AND, YOU KNOW, WE MET

BEFORE.

I THINK I'M GONNA CHOOSE TO DO

THIS PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING GIG

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT

IF I DO IT, THEN I'M NOT GONNA

BE ONE OF THOSE 500-DOLLAR

THROW-AROUND-THE-RING JACKASSES

THAT YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, BEAT UP

EVERY WEEK."

I SAID, "I'M GONNA HOPEFULLY BE

SOMEBODY WHO MAKES A

DIFFERENCE."

OKAY.

GOOD.

NOW, TURN TO THE SIDE, SAME

EXACT POSE.

IN 1997, BILL GOLDBERG WAS

SIGNED TO A DEVELOPMENTAL

CONTRACT WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

THE RETIRED FOOTBALL PLAYER

PROVIDED THE COMPANY'S ROSTER OF

ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY

PERSONALITIES WITH A FRESH

HOMEGROWN TALENT OF THEIR OWN.

IT WAS STRICTLY A

DEVELOPMENTAL DEAL, AND I

TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD TO

GO TO WORK AND LEARN A NEW

PROFESSION.

BUT WITH NO FORMAL TRAINING

TO SPEAK OF, WCW'S NEWEST

PROSPECT, NEEDED TO LEARN THE

ROPES.

I HAD NOTHING TO BUILD ON.

I WASN'T A COLLEGIATE WRESTLER,

I HAD NO BACKGROUND WHATSOEVER.

THE WCW POWER PLANT WILL HELP

YOU REACH YOUR POTENTIAL, TRAIN

YOUR BODY, WORK ON YOUR MOVES,

AND MOTIVATE YOU TO BE YOUR

BEST.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLED THE

POWER PLANT BECAUSE WE'RE ONE OF

COUNTRY.

LET'S GO.

GOLDBERG'S CAREER BEGAN AT

THE WCW POWER PLANT, A TRAINING

GROUND FOR INDUSTRY HOPEFULS.

SO MANY GUYS CAME THROUGH THE

POWER PLANT, ME BEING ONE OF

THEM, GOLDBERG BEING ANOTHER ONE

OF THEM.

IF IT WASN'T ONE RING, THERE WAS

THREE.

YOU COULD BE HAVING A GUY HAVING

A MATCH OVER HERE, SOMEONE COULD

BE WORKING ON MOVES OVER THERE,

BUT IT'S A BIG CAMARADERIE THING

OF GUYS DOWN THERE BECAUSE

THEY'RE ALL AT THE BOTTOM.

AND EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO GET

NUDGED UP AND GET SEEN.

WCW WAS DOING GOOD THINGS AT

THAT TIME AND THEY WERE HAVING

OPEN TRYOUTS.

YOU KNOW, ANYBODY COULD COME IN,

YOU PAY A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS AND

YOU GET TO TRY OUT.

MAYBE YOU'D BE A PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLER.

BE A MAN.

BE A MAN.

TO SAY IT WAS LIKE A BOOT

CAMP WOULD BE A COMPLIMENT.

MOVE.

GET YOUR -- DOWN.

POWER PLANT WAS PRETTY

INTIMIDATING WHEN I WENT DOWN

THERE.

I MEAN YOU GOT GUYS THROWING UP

ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND I'M

THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE

HELL IS SO HARD ABOUT THIS

STUFF, MAN?

WHY ARE THESE GUYS JUST YAKKING?

I PUT MY BOOTS ON AND I FOUND

OUT HOW HARD IT WAS.

[MUSIC]

CREATING A PERSONA FROM THE

GROUND UP, WCW AND THE POWER

PLANT HELPED BILL GOLDBERG

INCORPORATE HIS REAL LIFE

EXPERIENCES INTO THE CREATION OF

HIS CHARACTER.

IT WAS A GREAT PROVING GROUND

FOR ME AND MY CHARACTER

DEVELOPMENT.

I CAME UP WITH THIS MIXED

MARTIAL ARTS KIND OF CHARACTER

THING THAT I WANTED TO DO WITH,

MORPHED IT WITH THE PROFESSIONAL

FOOTBALL PLAYER, OUT CAME

GOLDBERG, THE CHARACTER.

HE HAD A GREAT LOOK, YOU

KNOW, A GREAT PRESENCE ABOUT

HIM, AND HE WAS A GREAT ATHLETE.

I MEAN, JUST LOOKING AT HIM, HE

LOOKED LIKE A CLYDESDALE HORSE.

WCW WAS DEVELOPING A

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER TO HELP

MONDAY NITRO STAY AHEAD OF WWE'S

MONDAY NIGHT RAW IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS.

ALTHOUGH THE VISION FOR THE

FUTURE WASN'T CLEAR ON ANYBODY'S

MIND AT THAT TIME, WE KNEW WE

HAD SOMETHING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT, BUT WE KNEW

THAT THERE WAS JUST AN INNATE

NATURAL CHARISMA THERE.

IT'S THE GREATEST SPECTACLE

ON SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

TELEVISION, IT'S MONDAY NIGHT

RAW.

WHILE BILL GOLDBERG WAS STILL

FINDING HIS WAY, WWE WAS GAINING

ON WCW IN THE RATINGS.

FEATURING EDGIER CONTENT AND

CHARACTERS.

YOU CAN KISS MY --.

[CROWD CHEERING]

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN HAD

BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

THE TIME HAD COME FOR WCW TO

RESPOND, INSERTING THEIR OWN

FRESH FACE INTO MONDAY NITRO.

WE WATCHED HIM FOR A PERIOD

OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HE HADN'T BEEN IN THE POWER

PLANT VERY LONG.

LET'S JUST PUT HIM ON TV, SEE

WHAT HAPPENS.

AND WE PUT HIM ON A LIVE NITRO.

[BELL RINGING]

A NEWCOMER HERE IN BILL

GOLDBERG, A MAN WE KNOW

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT, BUT HE

IS MAKING HIS DEBUT HERE, AND

FROM THE LOOKS OF HIM, HE'S VERY

DETERMINED.

THE FIRST GUY THAT DID THE

FIRST JOB THAT GOLDBERG STARTED

WAS BILL DEMOTT BECAUSE I KNEW

HE COULD CARRY HIM.

HUGH MORRUS.

KEVIN SULLIVAN PULLED ME

ASIDE AND SAID, "THIS IS YOUR

THING.

WE HAVE TO GET THIS GUY OVER.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

LET'S SEE WHAT HE'S GOT."

I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT

BILL GOLDBERG, BUT WE JUST HAVE

TO WATCH HIS MOVEMENT.

I MEAN, THE GUY LOOKS STRONG,

GOOD SHAPE.

I REMEMBER HOW NERVOUS I WAS,

AND I REMEMBER WHAT A GOOD GUY

HE WAS.

I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT

HUGH.

IT'S LIKE A DANCE.

HUGH MADE ME LOOK GREAT THAT

NIGHT.

A BACK ELBOW PUTS HIM DOWN

AGAIN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HOW ABOUT THAT BACK FLIP?

AND A GREAT POWERSLAM.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE CAME OUT, AND WHEN HE WAS

WORKING I SAID, "OH, MY GOD.

WE FOUND THE DIAMOND."

HE'S GONNA PICK HIM UP GAIN.

SCOOP SLAM, PUT HIM DOWN.

FROM THE MOMENT BILL WALKED

OUT, THE FIRST TIME WE'RE JUST

DOING A TV MATCH IN TWO MINUTES

AND NO ONE ANTICIPATED WHAT BILL

WAS GONNA BECOME THAT I COULD

TELL.

I COULD FEEL THE BUZZ.

VERTICAL SUPLEX HERE, GOT HIM

UP.

OH, YEAH, IT IS.

MUSCLES HIM OVER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

COMBINATION SLAM, ONE, TWO,

THREE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

BILL GOLDBERG, OUT OF

OBSCURITY, COMES TO NITRO AND

PULLS A MAJOR UPSET.

GOLDBERG JUST HAD THIS

INTENSITY FROM THE SECOND HE

LEFT THE CURTAIN TO THE SECOND

UNTIL HE WENT BACK.

AND YOU ABSOLUTELY GOT IN

THERE AND MANHANDLED HIM

TONIGHT.

SIR, I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE

THAN THAT.

THIS GENTLEMAN IS JUST WALKING

AWAY FROM ME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT, TONY.

BOY, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING

LIKE THAT, VERY IMPRESSIVE, BUT

WHO IS THIS GUY, GOLDBERG?

[CROWD CHEERING]

GOLDBERG--THERE'S THE SPEAR.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

THE FIRST TIME I SAW GOLDBERG

AND HE HITS SOMEBODY WAS

SPECTACULAR.

AND I SAW HIM ALMOST BREAK THE

GUY IN HALF.

I WAS, "OH, MY GOD.

THIS GUY IS UNBELIEVABLE."

THE CREATION OF GOLDBERG WAS

A REALLY FANTASTIC EVENT FOR

TELEVISION.

IT CERTAINLY MADE PEOPLE WANNA

WATCH, THEN WHEN HE WAS OUT

THERE DOING THAT RISE.

[INDISTINCT]

WHAT WE WERE PUTTING OUT THERE.

WCW'S PROMOTION OF THE

GOLDBERG CONTRACT ACCENTUATED

HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE AND

DISGUISED HIS LIMITATIONS.

WELL, HE WAS A NO BRET HART,

SHAWN MICHAELS, BUT HE HAD WHAT

HE HAD AND THEY DIDN'T EXPOSE

HIM.

IT WAS A MINUTE OF GOLDBERG.

HE WAS INTENSE AND THEN PEOPLE

FED OFF OF HIS LOOK AND HIS

INTENSITY.

BILL NEVER REALLY HAD A

CHANCE TO LEARN THE BUSINESS,

BUT FOR WHAT HE HAD TO DO, HE

PULLS IT OFF, MAN.

IT WORKED.

AND GOLDBERG--OH, SPEARS HIM

DOWN.

JUST PLASTERED HIM.

I THINK EVENTUALLY OF COURSE,

GUYS LIKE THAT HAVE TO HAVE A

20, 30-MINUTE MATCH.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PAYOFF

SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S NOT JUST A

MINUTE SQUASH MATCH.

HE COULDN'T DO THAT.

HE COULDN'T GIVE YOU THAT

25-MINUTE MAIN EVENT MATCH THAT

YOU NEED TO SELL PAY-PER-VIEWS.

THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.

GOLDBERG HAD THE POTENTIAL TO

BE A BE BREAKOUT STAR, BUT IN

FEBRUARY OF 1998 IN A MATCH

AGAINST SEASONED VETERAN,

WILLIAM REGAL, HIS LACK OF RING

TRAINING THREATENED TO DERAIL

HIS MOMENTUM.

AND THIS HAS TO BE AMONG THE

STIFFEST TEST YET FOR GOLDBERG.

I WAS TOLD TO HAVE A

COMPETITIVE SIX-MINUTE MATCH

THAT I'D NEVER HAD BEFORE WITH

HIM.

AND THE EXACT WORDS GIVEN TO ME

WERE, PHYSICAL STYLE MATCH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I GET OUT THERE AND BILL JUST

FROZE, COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY

FROZE.

WATCHING IT FROM SOMEBODY WHO

KNOWS HOW TO WRESTLE'S POINT OF

VIEW, IT WAS CLEAR, GOLDBERG

DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO

WRESTLE.

GOLDBERG.

I AM TRYING TO GET HIM

THROUGH THIS MATCH BECAUSE AS A

PRO, IF I'M TOLD SIX MINUTES,

YOU'LL GET IN SIX MINUTES.

NOW, I CAN'T HIT MYSELF.

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH I CAN DO.

AND SO, THE MATCH WENT DOWN THE

WAY IT WENT DOWN.

INTO THE ROPES.

LEG TRIP AND GOLDBERG GOES DOWN.

GOLDBERG WASN'T A MAT

TECHNICIAN.

REGAL WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY

DIFFERENT.

GOLDBERG TRYING TO FIGHT

BACK.

TRIED A SPINNING NECKBREAKER,

DID NOT REALLY CONNECT THE WAY

HE WANTED TO, BUT HE SUCCEEDED

IN BRINGING REGAL DOWN.

AND...

HE GAVE HIM A WRESTLING

LESSON WITH A GUY WHO WAS A

BRAWLER.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WENT, "OH,

HEY, MAYBE HE'S NOT READY."

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE HAS FOUGHT THROUGH THIS ON

SLOT BY REGAL AND HE JACKHAMMERS

HIM DOWN.

IT IS OVER.

[BELL RINGING]

ANOTHER WIN FOR MR. GOLDBERG.

AN ANOTHER TEST WITH A

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF

WRESTLER.

GOLDBERG HAD CONNECTED WITH

THE WCW AUDIENCE AND PROVIDED A

NEW SPARK FOR MONDAY NITRO, BUT

HIS INEXPERIENCE HAD BEEN

EXPOSED ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.

WCW NEEDED TO FIND A WAY TOP

OVERCOME BILL GOLDBERG'S

LIMITATIONS, IF HE HAD ANY

CHANCE OF BECOMING THE

SUPERSTAR, THEY NEEDED.

OH, WHAT A SPEAR.

SPEARED HIM DOWN.

THEY ERUPT HERE AT THE

SPECTRUM.

DESPITE HIS IN-RING

SHORTCOMINGS, GOLDBERG'S FIRST

FEW MONTHS ON NITRO WERE A

SUCCESS.

INSTEAD OF HIDING HIS

DEFICIENCIES, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING EMBRACED THEM.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS

EXTENUATING YOUR STRENGTHS AND

HIDING YOUR WEAKNESSES.

GOLDBERG WAS WHAT HE WAS.

THE MAN WAS VERY LIMITED.

SPEAR, JACKHAMMER, THAT'S WHAT

IT WAS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,

PEOPLE PAID MONEY TO SEE HIM.

FANS GRAVITATED TOWARDS HIS

INTENSE NO HOLDS BARRED PERSONA,

BUT WCW PUT ALL OF THEIR ENERGY

INTO BUILDING THE SPECTACLE OF

GOLDBERG OUTSIDE OF THE RING.

[CROWD CHEERING]

YO, BILL.

I'LL BE DAMMED IF I DIDN'T GO

OUT INTO THE RING AND I HEARD

THIS CHANT GOING ON.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEY WERE SAYING GOLDBERG.

AND THAT WAS THE MOST FLATTERING

AND THE COOLEST THING THAT I HAD

EVER BEEN BESTOWED IN MY ENTIRE

LIFE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS

AWESOME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE FIRST THING THAT STRUCK

ME WAS THE GOLDBERG CHANT.

AS SOON AS THE AUDIENCE WAS

ALLOWED IN THE ARENA, THEY WOULD

START TO CHANT, AND THE CHANT

PLAYED INTO THE ENTRANCE.

THERE'S A RHYTHM IT.

WE ARE WALKING WITH GOLDBERG

AND SECURITY FROM GOLDBERG'S OWN

LOCKER ROOM AREA FOLLOWING WITH

HIM ALL THE WAY TO THE RING.

WHY WOULD A GUY AS TOUGH AS

GOLDBERG NEED AN ESCORT OF

SECURITY?

IT WASN'T ABOUT WHAT HE NEEDED,

IT WAS JUST ABOUT THE LOOK OF

IT.

BACK THEN, YOU DIDN'T SEE A

LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE TAKING

PLACE IN THE BACK.

AND SO, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'D

SEE THAT LONG WALK.

AND THEN SOMETIMES, HE HAD

WALKED AND THEN WE GO TO A

COMMERCIAL TO REALLY HOOK THE

PEOPLE TO GO, YOU KNOW WHAT, OH,

MY GOSH, I WAS GONNA FLIP OVER

TO THIS BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I

DON'T WANNA MISS HIM COMING TO

THE RING BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA

MISS ANYTHING.

HE'D HAVE THE WALK, THE MUSIC

WOULD BLAST AND PLAY, THE PYRO

WOULD GO OFF.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE BECAME AT ONE POINT, LIKE

A FIRE-BREATHING MONSTER, LIKE A

BULL.

HE'D COME OUT AND ALL THE PYRO

WOULD BE SHOOTING HIM.

SO, IT WASN'T AN ILLUSION, IT

WASN'T GOING OVER HIM, IT WASN'T

GOING UNDER HIM, IT WAS SHOOTING

ON HIS SKIN AT THAT MOMENT.

AND AS HE'D STEP THROUGH, HE'D

(MAKES NOISE) BREATHE OUT AND

THE SMOKE FROM ALL THE PYRO

WOULD COME OUT OF HIS MOUTH LIKE

A FIRE BREATHING DRAGON.

IT'S LIKE, THIS IS NOT A MAN,

THIS IS AN ANIMAL.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE IS IN THE HOUSE.

COMPLETELY INDESTRUCTIBLE.

YOU CAN'T PIN HIM, YOU CAN'T

BLOW HIM UP, YOU CAN'T SET HIM

ON FIRE, AND WE PROVED THAT.

[MUSIC]

GOLDBERG'S SHORT, PHYSICALLY

DESTRUCTIVE MATCHES FED INTO THE

PERSONA WCW WAS COPING.

THE GROWING MONDAY NITRO

AUDIENCE EMBRACED THE

AGGRESSION.

I LIKE TO TAKE ALL OF THE

CREDIT FOR FINDING BILL

GOLDBERG, CREATING HIS

CHARACTER, DEVELOPING HIS

STORYLINE.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL

OF THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T, BECAUSE

BILL GOLDBERG IS A PERFECT

EXAMPLE OF SOMETIMES HOW

SOMETHING JUST WORKS BECAUSE THE

AUDIENCE WANTS HIM IT WORK.

BILL GOLDBERG CAME ALONG AT A

PERFECT TIME.

IT'S WHEN THE STARS, THE MOON,

YOU KNOW, THE SUN, AND THE REST

OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM WAS ALL

ALIGNED PERFECTLY FOR HIM.

HE IS AN INSTANCE WHERE THEY

TOOK A GUY WHO WAS BUILT RIGHT

AND WHO HAD INTENSITY,

UNCOACHABLE INTENSITY AND PUT

HIM IN SUCH A LIGHT WHERE HE

BECAME A MONSTER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE'S AWESOME.

AND IT JUST BECAME LIKE YOU

WANNA SEE HIM.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE

RELEASING THE KRAKEN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WOW.

HE SPEARED HIM ON THE TABLE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GOLDBERG ASCENT CAME AT THE

RIGHT TIME FOR WCW.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW HAD BEGUN

GAINING ON NITRO IN THEIR WEEKLY

TELEVISION RATINGS BATTLE.

WWE'S SUCCESS WAS LARGELY DUE TO

THE RISING POPULARITY OF STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN WHOSE

ANTI-HERO PERSONA MADE HIM THE

COMPANY'S SIGNATURE STAR.

[MUSIC]

GOLDBERG LOOKED LIKE A BAD --

AND IT WAS NO SMALL COINCIDENCE

THAT HE LOOKED LIKE STEVE AUSTIN

A LITTLE BIT.

AUSTIN HAD ALL THIS PUBLICITY

AND ALL THE HYPE, AND IF SOMEONE

SAID TO ME, "HEY, THIS WRESTLING

WARS ARE REALLY A COOL THING.

THERE'S TWO SHOWS GOING ON SIDE

BY SIDE.

YOU SHOULD SEE THIS GUY AUSTIN,

HE'S GREAT."

WELL, WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE?

WELL, BALD HEAD AND A GOATEE,

AND HE KICKS -- .

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, GOLDBERG

CAME ON AND HE SAID, "OH, THIS

MUST BE THE PROGRAM."

GOLDBERG WAS OUR AN ANSWER TO

STEVE AUSTIN BECAUSE WE NEEDED

THAT ONE PERSON THAT HAD THAT

LITTLE EDGY TYPE, KICK-BUTT TYPE

CHARACTER THE WAY STEVE IS.

OKAY.

IT'S A BALD GUY WITH A GOATEE

AND BLACK TIGHTS.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING FOR HERE WCW?

OH, I GET WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO

DO.

BUT GOLDBERG EVOLVED MORE

ORGANICALLY.

AND HE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN NIGHT

AND DAY MORE DIFFERENT THAN

STEVE AUSTIN.

[INDISTINCT]

HE WASN'T A STONE COLD CLONE

BY ANY STRETCH OF IMAGINATION.

WITHOUT A RING, HE'D SPEAR HIM,

HOIST HIM, BEAT HIM.

THE MATCH WOULD BE OVER IN 45

SECONDS TO A MINUTE.

AND HERE WE GO RIGHT NOW.

NOT GONNA TAKE HIM LONG, IS IT?

NO.

THAT SPEAR CAUGHT VINCENT OFF OF

THE ROPES AND GOLDBERG WASTING

NO TIME.

THEY'RE STANDING HERE AT THE

BUCKEYE STATE FOR GOLDBERG AND

HERE COMES THE JACKHAMMER.

LOOK HOW HIGH HE'S GOT HIM UP IN

THE AIR.

OH, MAN.

THIS ONE'S OVER.

[BELL RINGING]

WELL, PUT ANOTHER MARK IN

THAT WIN COLUMN FOR THAT MAN

RIGHT THERE, THE MAN.

I JUST WANTED TO BE THAT

CHARACTER, MAN.

I WANTED TO BE THAT GUY.

I WANNA BE THE BEST THAT I COULD

I GO INTO WORK, I GRAB MY TIME

CARD, I PUNCH IT, WHEN I GOT OUT

OF THE RING, I PUNCHED IT AND I

GO HOME.

WHEN I GOT DONE WITH WHAT I WAS

DOING IN THE RING, PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING WAS NOT PART OF MY

LIFE ANYMORE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE

CHARACTER CAME OUT THE WAY IT

DID BECAUSE I WAS JUST ALL

BUSINESS.

I WANTED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, NO

QUESTION ABOUT IT.

BUT WAS IT SOMETHING TO WHERE I

ENVISIONED MYSELF BEING THE NEXT

STEVE AUSTIN?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD TAKEN ON

THIS NEW JOB AND I WANTED TO BE

THE BEST AT IT THAT I COULD BE.

I WASN'T EVER COMPARING MYSELF

WITH ANYBODY.

[MUSIC]

I DIDN'T HAVE HIM TALK

BECAUSE HE COULDN'T TALK LIKE

AUSTIN.

[BELL RINGING]

BUT HE COULD DO OTHER THINGS

THAT WWE WAS NOT IN THE POSITION

TO DO.

MY AUSTIN DIDN'T HAVE TO LOSE, I

COULD KEEP FEEDING HIM, FEEDING

HIM.

[CROWD CHEERING]

MUCH LIKE MONDAY NITRO IN THE

RATINGS, GOLDBERG WAS UNDEFEATED

THROUGHOUT HIS FIRST FEW MONTHS

AS A PROFESSIONAL.

FANS BEGAN TO ANTICIPATE WHO

GOLDBERG'S NEXT VICTIM WOULD BE.

THE STREAK WAS BORN.

NOBODY ENVISIONED THE STREAK.

THE STREAK JUST HAPPENED.

BILL WOULD COME OUT.

HE'D SNORT, HE'D SPIT, HE'D STEP

INTO THE RING, HE HITS YOU, HE

HITS YOU AGAIN, HE'D SPEAR YOU,

HE'D JACKHAMMER YOU AND HE'D BE

IN A LOCKER ROOM SEVEN MINUTES

LATER, AND THE CROWD WAS GOING

NUTS.

OKAY.

THAT WORKS.

BAM, LET'S DO THAT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

IT'S OVER.

HAMMER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH.

[BELL RINGING]

IT IS OVER.

HE'S AT 56-0.

ONE DAY, HE WOULD HAVE LIKE

FIVE WINS, THEN THE NEXT WEEK,

HE'D HAVE LIKE 15 WINS.

THE NUMBER WOULD JUST GO ON AND

ON AND ON TO WHERE IT WAS LIKE,

WAIT A SECOND, HOW DID THEY GET

THESE MANY WINS IN SUCH A SHORT

TIME?

BUT YOU BELIEVED IT.

I BELIEVED IT.

NOT GONNA TAKE LONG.

[CROWD CHEERING]

JACKHAMMER, GOLDBERG.

ONE--IT'S OVER.

SIXTY.

[BELL RINGING]

HE TIED, BABE RUTH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE IS 4-0, HE'S 25-0.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF

FUNNY, AFTER THREE WEEKS, HE HAD

WON 40 MATCHES.

HOW MANY TIMES HE WRESTLED

TODAY, 15?

[CROWD CHEERING]

THAT'S HIS PAL, JACK.

AND HERE'S THE HAMMER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE'S GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY.

[BELL RINGING]

76-0, GENTLEMEN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE MAIN THING THAT STUCK

WITH ME WAS HIS FACE.

YOU JUST SAW ON HIS FACE THAT,

"NOT TODAY, I'M NOT GETTING BEAT

TODAY.

THE STREAK IS GOING TO

CONTINUE."

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE GOLDBERG PHENOMENON WAS

THE LIFT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING NEEDED TO HOLD OFF THE

SURGING WWE.

I WAS WATCHING WWE AND WCW

FOR PURE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE.

HIS RAMPAGE THROUGH THE WCW

ROSTER KEPT VIEWERS TUNING IN TO

MONDAY NITRO IN RECORD NUMBERS,

HEADING INTO THE SPRING OF 1998.

WE WERE GOING TO SOMEONE'S

HOUSE AND WE WERE POPPING SOME

CANS AND WATCHING GOLDBERG

SPEARS SOME -- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M

SAYING?

LIKE, THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS ALL

ABOUT.

NO ONE IS THAT DESTRUCTIVE,

PERIOD.

IT'S LIKE AN NFL TEAM GOING, YOU

KNOW, 500-0.

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

SO, TO SEE THAT, THIS DUDE'S

UNSTOPPABLE, I WANNA SEE WHERE

THIS GOES.

ONE HUNDRED AND CLIMBING.

ONLY WRESTLER I'VE EVER HEARD

OF THAT HAS GONE 100 MATCHES

WITHOUT A DEFEAT.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE FASCINATED

BY GOLDBERG BECAUSE IT DIDN'T

SEEM LIKE HE WOULD SHOVED DOWN

OUR THROATS.

HE'S BEATING GUYS, THE HUGH

MORRUS'S, THE GLACIERS.

AND YOU WOULD EXPECT HIM TO BEAT

ALL THOSE GUYS.

AND IT WAS A VERY SLOW MOVING

PROCESS.

IT WAS SLOW BUILD WHICH, AT A

TIME WHERE EVERYTHING WAS QUICK

AND FAST, KNOCKING ESTABLISHED

GUYS OFF, AND BOOM, UNITED

STATES CHAMP, HE TOOK OUT THE

ENTIRE FLOCK.

IT WAS DONE RIGHT.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE

IS THIS GIANT BEAST IN THE ROOM

THAT EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

EVERYBODY WAS ECSTATIC, MAN.

WE WERE HAVING A GREAT TIME, WE

KNEW WE WERE HAVING SELLOUTS

EVERYWHERE WE WERE GOING.

BUT AS MUCH AS GOLDBERG'S

POPULARITY WAS SOARING, WWE WAS

SOARING HIGHER.

IN APRIL OF 1998, MONDAY NIGHT

RAW DEFEATED MONDAY NITRO IN THE

NATIONAL TELEVISION RATINGS FOR

THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY TWO

YEARS.

NO LONGER INVINCIBLE, WCW NEEDED

A RESPONSE AND ERIC BISCHOFF

LOOKED TO HIS RISING SUPERSTAR

TO PROVIDE IT.

I REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE I

WAS.

I WAS COMING OUT OF MARINA DEL

REY ON LINCOLN AVENUE WHEN MY

CELL PHONE RANG AND IT WAS HULK

HOGAN ON THE OTHER END.

AND HE SAID, "BROTHER, I GOT AN

IDEA.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ON

NITRO."

AND YOU KNOW, I ALMOST WRECKED

MY CAR.

I DID CALL ERIC UP.

I SAID, "DUDE, GOLDBERG'S SO

HOT.

WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT.

WE GOT TO FLIP THE SCRIPT, WE

GOT TO DO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE

AREN'T EXPECTING."

HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN, THE WCW

CHAMPION IS CONTRACTUALLY

OBLIGATED TO BE IN THE GEORGIA

DOME THIS COMING MONDAY NIGHT

FOR NITRO TO DEFEND THE WCW

HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BELT AGAINST

WHAT I FEEL IS THE NUMBER ONE

CONTENDER, GOLDBERG.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

LESS THAN A YEAR EARLIER,

BILL GOLDBERG DECIDED TO TRY HIS

HAND AT SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

NOW, THE STAGE WAS SET FOR HIS

CORONATION AS THE NEW FACE OF

WCW.

NITRO IS ON THE AIR, AND YOU

ARE LOOKING LIVE AS WE COME TO

YOU ON THE PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD,

ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

WHERE OVER 40,000 FANS ARE

JAMMED IN THE GEORGIA DOME IN

WHAT WILL GO DOWN AS THE BIGGEST

NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF THIS

GRAND SPORT.

IT WAS CRAZY WHEN ATLANTA

FOUND OUT THAT GOLDBERG, THEIR

HOMETOWN GUY WAS GONNA WRESTLE

HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN ON LIVE TV

AT THE GEORGIA DOME WHERE

GOLDBERG USED TO PLAY FOOTBALL,

THAT WAS HUGE.

THIS WAS LIKE THE SUPER BOWL.

IT WAS LIKE WRESTLEMANIA.

A HUNDRED AND SIX HAVE FALLEN

TO GOLDBERG'S FEET.

HOGAN, AFTER A SPEAR AND A

JACKHAMMER, YOU'RE GONNA BE 107.

GOLDBERG.

AND GOLDBERG WHO HAD MORE

MOMENTUM THAN ANYBODY ELSE AT

THE TIME THAT HOGAN WHO WAS JUST

SUCH A RECOGNIZABLE, ICONIC

FIGURE, IT'S EVERYTHING OUR

INDUSTRY CINCHED ON.

IT'S MAKING PEOPLE WANNA SEE

SOMETHING SO MUCH, THAT THEY

WILL PART WITH THEIR HARD-EARNED

MONEY TO GO SEE THE OUTCOME.

I WAS DYING TO SEE THE HOGAN

MATCH AT GEORGIA DOME.

I WAS LIKE, "NO, THERE'S NO WAY

HULK HOGAN'S GONNA LOSE TO BILL

GOLDBERG."

I MEAN, THERE IS JUST NO WAY.

HULK HOGAN'S EGO WILL NOT ALLOW

THIS TO HAPPEN.

I AM GONNA KICK GOLDBERG'S

BUTT.

THE INTENSITY THAT NIGHT WAS

ELECTRIC.

I THINK THE FANS CAME THERE

KNOWING WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN,

AND THEY REALIZE THAT THEY WERE

GONNA WATCH THIS GUY THAT THEY

HAD SEEN FOR SO LONG BECOME A

BIG STAR, FINALLY GET HIS DUE.

IT WAS QUITE A MOMENT.

IT REALLY WAS A BIG MOMENT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HERE I AM SCARED --.

THE REALITY IS, I WAS IN A

PRETTY GOOD SITUATION.

THE ANTICIPATION IS NOW OVER,

LET THE MATCH BEGIN.

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR

ENGINES.

THE FANS ERUPT AT THE BELL.

THIS MAN'S ON A ROLL, HE'S

GOT MOMENTUM.

YOU CAN SEE THE CONFIDENCE IN

HIS FACE.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT SLIPPING AWAY

FROM HOGAN.

I WAS GOING OUT, FOLLOWING

THE LEAD OF THE BEST GUY IN THE

BUSINESS.

AND HE'S BACK, AND HOGAN'S

DOWN.

HOGAN MADE ME LOOK LIKE A

MILLION BUCKS.

AND LOOK AT GOLDBERG, HE'S

READY.

HE IS POISED, HOGAN IS DOWN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OKAY.

THERE'S PART ONE.

NOW, FINISH HIM OFF--FINISH HIM

OFF.

FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE

GOING ABSOLUTELY INSANE.

YOUR CAREER'S ON THE LINE

HERE.

DO IT, DO IT.

IT WAS LIKE WATCHING OF THESE

SOCCER CLIPS WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW

THE FANS ARE GOING TO RIOT OR

THEY'RE JUST GOING TO ALL HAVE

THIS MASSIVE ORGY OF HAPPINESS.

THIS PLACE WILL ERUPT WHEN HE

PICKS HIM UP.

HE'S GOT HIM UP.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, HELL YEAH.

ONE, TWO, THREE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

OH, GOLDBERG, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU.

WE GOT A NEW HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

THE FIRST UNDEFEATED MAN IN THE

HISTORY OF THIS SPORT TO EVER

WIN THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP AND

HAVE A RECORD OF 107, 108, WHO

CARES?

THERE ARE SEVERAL ON THE OTHER

SIDE.

WE'VE GOT A NEW CHAMPION.

LISTEN TO THIS.

SO WE PUT BILL GOLDBERG IN

THE RING WITH HULK HOGAN IN

FRONT OF 45,000 FANS IN ATLANTA.

AND BILL GOLDBERG DEFEATED HULK

HOGAN, AND, YOU KNOW THAT WAS

IT.

HE WAS A MADE MAN AFTER THAT.

THAT WAS SORT OF THE FINAL

TOUCH TO THE BUILDING OF

GOLDBERG.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS HIS

GRADUATION CEREMONY SO TO SPEAK

WITH HOGAN.

THAT WAS A BIG NIGHT FOR BILL

AND FOR ALL OF US, REALLY,

BECAUSE WE ALL FELT THAT WE'RE

TAKING A PART IN HELPING CREATE

BILL, AND THAT WAS SORT OF THE

CULMINATION.

A MAN WHO UNDENIABLY WILL

LEAD PRO WRESTLING INTO THE NEXT

MILLENNIUM STANDS IN FRONT OF

MORE THAN 39,000 FANS.

GOLDBERG'S VICTORY SIGNALED A

CHANGE AND DIRECTION FOR WCW,

AND MARKED NITRO'S FIRST RATINGS

VICTORY OVER RAW IN 11 WEEKS.

HOWEVER, GOLDBERG'S CROWNING

MOMENT WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS

CRITICS.

THIS WAS MY CALL, AND, YOU

KNOW, AND LOOKING BACK AT IT

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A

GOOD CALL OR A BAD CALL.

I SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE

TELL ME IT WAS A BAD CALL.

THE STANDARD PROTOCOL WOULD'VE

BEEN TO BUILD A MATCH, TO DO IT

ON A PAY-PER-VIEW, TO MAKE MONEY

WITH IT.

AT THE TIME, WE WERE JUST

RUNNING OFF INSTINCT, YOU KNOW,

TRYING TO KEEP THINGS ROLLING SO

AS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, AND ON THE

SPOT CALL.

THIS WAS A REGULAR SHOW ON

MONDAY AND IT HAD BEEN

ADVERTISED THREE DAYS BEFORE.

SO I MEAN, JUST THINK IF WE HAD

LIKE TWO WEEKS BEFORE AND IT WAS

A PAY-PER-VIEW, WE COULD HAVE

PUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE IN

THAT PLACE.

MORE PEOPLE WILL SEE THIS IF

IT AIRS ON LIVE TELEVISION THAN

IT WILL ON PAY-PER-VIEW, AND

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE GEORGE

DOME WAS FILLED, IT WAS AWESOME.

IT REALLY MADE A STATEMENT.

THAT WAS A LOT OF WCW'S

PROBLEM WITH PAY-PER-VIEWS.

BISCHOFF WAS SO

RATINGS-ORIENTED, ALL HE CARED

ABOUT WAS BEATING WWE EVERY

WEEK.

THAT WAS THE CLOSEST THING WE

HAD TO A WRESTLEMANIA EVER.

IT'S 40,000 PEOPLE IN THE

DOME.

IT WAS OUR BIGGEST SHOW THAT WE

HAD HAD UP TILL THAT POINT.

IN RETROSPECT, ALL PSYCHOLOGY

SAYS, THEY SHOULD'VE SAVED THAT

FOR A PAY-PER-VIEW, YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE THAT WAS MONEY, AND THEY

GAVE IT AWAY FOR FREE, BUT AT

THE SAME TIME, IT WAS AN AMAZING

RATINGS-GETTER.

MONDAY NIGHT RATINGS WERE HUGE.

AND THEY WERE COMING.

STEVE AUSTIN WAS RED HOT AT THAT

POINT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GIVE ME A HELL, YEAH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT.

WHILE OPINIONS DIFFER, IT WAS

UNDENIABLE THAT GOLDBERG'S

VICTORY WAS THE SHOT IN THE ARM

WCW NEEDED AND PERHAPS, SIGNALED

THE END OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER'S

REIGN OVER THE COMPANY.

I THINK IT WAS GOOD FOR

BUSINESS.

I CERTAINLY DIDN'T NEED TO OR

WANT TO SEE ANOTHER HOGAN TITLE

RUN.

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM, I

THINK IT WAS A GREAT MOVE.

IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED,

BOTH COMPANIES WOULD VIE FOR

CONTROL OF THE RATINGS.

BUT IF WWE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT

GOLDBERG, THEY WEREN'T LETTING

ON.

GILLBERG IS THE MAN.

LOOK AT THAT.

LISTEN TO THESE CHANTS.

LOOK AT THE TRAPS.

ECHOING THROUGHOUT THE ARENA,

YET NOT ONE MOUTH IS MOVING.

HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

GILLBERG WAS ENTERTAINMENT.

AND MOCKERY IS THE FINEST FORM

OF FLATTERY, SO I HOPE BILL WAS

EXCITED ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION

OF GILLBERG.

YOU HAD THE COMPLETE

OPPOSITE.

GOLDBERG, 260 POUNDS, RIPPED,

HUGE, BAD -- .

YOU HAVE GILLBERG, A HUNDRED AND

FIFTEEN POUNDS, SKINNY FAT, GOT

HURT BY SPARKLERS, HAD COME INTO

THE RING AND LOSING IN A MINUTE.

HE GOT HIM.

[BELL RINGING]

YEAH, THIS ONE'S OVER IN NEAR

RECORD TIME.

GOLDBERG WAS VERY EASY TO

PARODY.

HE TOOK HIMSELF A LITTLE BIT TOO

SERIOUSLY, AND THAT'S WHY

GILLBERG WAS PERFECT BECAUSE YOU

SEE ALL THE LAUGHABLE THINGS

ABOUT GOLDBERG.

WE WERE TAKING EVERY CHEAP

SHOT AT WCW WE POSSIBLY COULD

TAKE, AND THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER

CHEAP SHOT, BUT AN ENTERTAINING

CHEAP SHOT.

GILLBERG WAS A LIGHTHEARTED

JAB IN THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

BUT THE THREAT OF GOLDBERG WAS A

REAL ONE FOR WWE.

NITRO RECLAIMED RATING SUPREMACY

IN AUGUST OF 1998.

GENTLEMEN, UNLESS YOU'RE

SCARED, START YOUR ENGINES.

AND BILL GOLDBERG'S WORLDWIDE

REACH WAS EXPANDING.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE IS ON JAY

LENO, HE IS ON DAVID LETTERMAN,

HE IS A BIG STAR.

I MEAN, HE'S A CROWNED JEWEL.

WHAT MADE ME FLIP THE CHANNEL

FROM WWE TO WCW WAS GOLDBERG.

I DIDN'T LIKE WCW AT ALL, BUT I

LIKE GOLDBERG.

GOLDBERG WAS IMPORTANT TO

KEEPING PEOPLE TUNING IN TO WCW

BECAUSE HE WAS DIFFERENT, HE WAS

EXCITING, HE WAS FUN TO WATCH,

AND HE WAS HOME-GROWN, HE WAS

WCW'S PRODUCT.

GOLDBERG'S INDIVIDUAL STAR

WAS BURNING BRIGHT.

BUT HE ALONE WAS NOT STRONG

ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE WWE'S

TALENT DEPTH AND STORY LINES.

1998 WAS COMING TO A CLOSE, AND

NITRO WAS BEHIND RAW IN THE

RATINGS.

SIX MONTHS EARLIER, HULK HOGAN

PASSED GOLDBERG THE TORCH, BUT

WCW'S NEWEST STAR WOULD SOON

REALIZE, THE ICON WAS PLOTTING

TO TAKE IT BACK.

GOLDBERG, THE ULTIMATE

DISGRACE TO A WORLD'S

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, HOW DARE

YOU WALK INTO MY WORLD, TRY TO

STEAL MY BELT AND MY LEGACY.

THE BELT'S ONE THING, BROTHER.

YOU'RE ON BORROWED TIME, BRO.

GOLDBERG'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

REIGN WAS KEEPING WCW NECK AND

NECK WITH WWE IN THE MONDAY

NIGHT RATINGS.

BUT TROUBLE WAS BREWING BEHIND

THE SCENES AT WCW.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE

THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS

THAT WERE PISSED OFF, AND I WAS

ONE OF THE GUYS HEADING THE

COMPANY AND I HADN'T PAID MY

DUES YET, YOU KNOW.

I'VE BEEN BLEEDING ON THE

FOOTBALL FIELD FOR 25 YEARS, SO

I GUESS THAT DOESN'T COUNT.

THE FACTIONS INVOLVED, THE

EGOS INVOLVED AGAINST HIM.

MEANING, HULK HOGAN, THE KEVIN

NASH'S, THEY COULDN'T STAND IT,

THEY COULDN'T WAIT TO BEAT THIS

GUY.

IN DECEMBER OF 1998, DESPITE

POLITICAL UNREST, GOLDBERG'S

STREAK HAD REACHED 173

CONSECUTIVE VICTORIES.

I DON'T THINK GOLDBERG BACK

IN SEPTEMBER OF 1997 IN HIS

FIRST MATCH THAT HE WON AGAINST

HUGH MORRUS ON WCW MONDAY NITRO

EVER THOUGHT THAT A LITTLE BIT

OVER A YEAR LATER, HE WOULD HAVE

THE GOLD STRAP AND BE THE

HEADLINER AT THE BIGGEST EVENT

OF THE YEAR, BUT HERE HE IS.

BUT THE UNBLEMISHED RECORD

WAS ABOUT TO MEET ITS DEMISE.

HERE, WE TRULY HAVE A MONSTER

STAR WILLING TO CAPITALIZE ON

THIS.

THIS CAN BE THE SAVING GRACE OF

THIS COMPANY AND THEY MESSED IT

UP.

EGOS, PETTY JEALOUSIES, JUST A

LOT OF NONSENSE.

BAM BAM'S IN.

WHAT IS THIS?

REMEMBER, THIS IS NO

DISQUALIFICATION.

WCW SEEMED TO ALWAYS HAVE

LIKE A GREAT THING, AND THEY

WOULD ALWAYS SEEM TO LIKE TO

STICK THEMSELVES IN THE EYE AND

RUIN IT, YOU KNOW.

GOLDBERG, GREAT IDEA, AWESOME.

HE WAS THE GUY THAT I WOULD JUST

LIKE TO SHOOT THEMSELVES IN THE

FOOT.

WHAT WAS THAT?

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE TASERS

THE POLICE USE.

IT'S LIKE A STUN GUN.

DO WE ZAP HIM WITH A TASER,

GOOD IDEA.

NOT A GOOD IDEA.

IT'S HORRIBLE, GARBAGE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

IN THIS INDUSTRY, WHEN

SOMETHING GETS HOT, YOU RUN WITH

IT.

YOU DON'T ZAP IT WITH A TASER.

OH, NO.

WAIT A MINUTE.

HE--OH, JACKKNIFE POWERBOMB.

COULD THIS BE IT?

ONE, TWO, THREE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

THE STREAK IS OVER.

AND WE HAVE A NEW WORLD'S

CHAMPION.

[MUSIC]

THE STREAK IS OVER, 173-1,

AND A NEW WORLD'S CHAMPION,

KEVIN NASH.

ONCE THEY DID THAT HORSE --

FINISH, THAT WAS THE CRACK IN

THE DAM, THE FLOODS WERE READY

TO COME.

WAS IT THE TIME FOR THE

STREAK TO END?

WHO KNOWS?

THAT'S NOT MY DECISION.

WAS IT DONE THE WAY I WOULD HAVE

DONE IT?

HELL, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

EVENTUALLY, YOU GOT TO LOSE,

BUT HOW YOU COME BACK FROM THE

LOSS IS WHAT'S PIVOTAL.

GOLDBERG'S MOMENTUM WAS

FROZEN BY HIS FIRST DEFEAT.

QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS WOULD

CONTINUE.

THEY HAD KEVIN NASH DEFEAT

GOLDBERG FOR THE WORLD TITLE

WITH A TASER, EEW.

AND THEN, HULK HOGAN BEATS KEVIN

NASH WITH THE FINGER POKE OF

DOOM.

THIS IS WHAT WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING IS ALL

ABOUT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

WHAT JUST HAPPENED HERE?

THE ONLY THING THAT WAS

DOOMED BY THE FINGER POKE OF

DOOM WAS THE FUTURE OF WCW.

OH, MY GOD.

WHAT...

THIS STINKS.

NASH JUST LAYING DOWN, COME

ON, PIN ME.

PEOPLE LOOKED AT THAT AND JUST

GO, "WHAT ARE THESE GUYS DOING?"

AT THAT POINT, I THINK A LOT OF

PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO GO BACK

TO WWE.

WERE BACK IN THE SADDLE,

BABY.

WE'LL TAKE THE LEAD.

CAN YOU SAY DéJà VU?

THAT WAS HOGAN AND THAT WAS

NASH PLAYING THEIR OWN LITTLE

GAMES AGAINST THE WRESTLING

WORLD, AND THEY WERE INFAMOUS

FOR DOING THAT.

THEY TOOK IT UP TO HEIGHTS AND

THEY COULD SURE BRING IT DOWN IN

THE SAME BREATHE.

WE KNEW THAT WE COULD DRAW

WITH GOLDBERG, BUT WHAT WE'RE

TRYING TO DO WAS GET THE NWO

BACK TOGETHER, BUILD A HILL

FACTION TO GIVE HIM LIKE EIGHT

OR NINE MONTHS OF A RUN AND THEN

BUILD IT TO HOGAN AND GOLDBERG

ONE MORE TIME.

I DIDN'T SET THE PIECES IN

PLACE, I JUST TRIED TO MAKE IT

MAKE SENSE.

FRUSTRATIONS WITHIN WCW BEGAN

TO MOUNT AFTER THE REHASHING OF

A TIRED CONCEPT.

HEADING INTO 1999, FANS WERE

ALSO FED UP WITH THE COMPANY'S

LACK OF CREATIVITY.

WCW KIND OF RE-LAUNCHED AND

RE-BRANDED THE NWO.

AND ANYTIME YOU'RE TRYING TO

DUPLICATE THAT SOMETHING THAT

HAPPENED ORGANICALLY, YOU CAN

ONLY FAKE IT SO LONG, IT'S NOT

BREAKING ANY GROUND, IT'S NOT

DRAWING BIG RATINGS, IT'S NOT

DRAWING FANS TO THE ARENA.

THE GREATEST DRAW FOR WWE,

WAS WCW FANS PISSED OFF AT WCW

FOR BEING RIPPED OFF AND THEY

WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

WCW DROVE THEM AWAY.

GAVE THEM A LIFT TO THE

COMPETITOR'S PARKING LOT.

WCW HAD ONCE DOMINATED THE

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE

WITH AN UNDEFEATED MONSTER.

WITH GOLDBERG'S MOMENTUM NOW

BROKEN, BOTH THE COMPANY AND ITS

HOME-GROWN SUPERSTAR FOUND THEIR

POPULARITY HAD DIMINISHED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

THIS, BUT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY

PIPE IN THE GOLDBERG CHANT ALONG

WITH WHAT WAS EVER IN THE

BUILDING.

BUT AT THAT POINT, THE PEOPLE

STARTED CHANTING, "GOLDBERG

SUCKS."

I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT

MONDAY NIGHT A THOUSAND TIMES.

AND FOR ME, THERE IS ONLY ONE

TRUTH, COMPASSION IS DEAD.

AS 1999 CAME TO A CLOSE, WCW

WOULD SUFFER A DEBILITATING BLOW

WHEN GOLDBERG'S ANGER GOT THE

BETTER OF HIM.

I GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH

SCOTT HALL.

I WANTED TO KILL HIM.

I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD TAKE IT

OUT ON INANIMATE OBJECT WHICH

WOULD BE THE LIMOUSINE THAT

NIGHT, AND I WENT ABSOLUTELY

BERSERK.

AW, JEEZ.

BILL GOLDBERG'S ASSAULT ON A

LIMOUSINE RESULTED IN SHREDDED

TENDONS IN HIS RIGHT ARM AND

REQUIRED 40 STITCHES.

THE INJURY WOULD KEEP HIM OUT OF

ACTION FOR FIVE MONTHS.

BILL GOLDBERG SHOULD'VE KNOWN

BETTER THAN TO PUNCH OUT A

WINDOW IN A LIMOUSINE.

HE COULD HAVE LOST THE HAND OR A

LOWER PART OF HIS ARM.

IT WAS NOT THE THING TO DO, IT

HURT HIM BADLY, IT HURT THE

COMPANY WORSE.

THE LOSS OF ONE OF THEIR

BIGGEST SUPERSTARS WOULD SOON

SPELL DISASTER FOR WCW.

YEAH, THAT WAS A PRETTY

STUPID NIGHT, FOR SURE, WHICH

LED TO SOME DOWNFALL OF A NUMBER

OF THINGS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT IS

WHAT IT IS, IT HAPPENED.

[MUSIC]

HE IS BACK IN THE FLESH, MY

GOD.

GOLDBERG IS HERE.

IN MAY OF 2000, GOLDBERG HAD

RECOVERED FROM HIS SERIOUS ARM

INJURY AND WAS READY TO RECLAIM

HIS SPOT AT THE TOP OF WCW.

GIVE HIM THE JACKHAMMER.

JACKHAMMER TIME.

BUT IN HIS ABSENCE, MONDAY

NIGHT RAW RATINGS WERE DOUBLING

THOSE OF MONDAY NITRO.

THE ATTITUDE ERA WAS SUCH A

UNIQUE TIME IN THE BUSINESS.

WE ALL HAD A PLATFORM BY THE

WAY, TO BE CREATIVE AND GO OUT

AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES.

VINCE, THIS THING BETWEEN THE

ROCK AND THE UNDERTAKER ISN'T A

CASE OF YOU SCRATCH MY BACK,

I'LL SCRATCH YOURS.

IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF

SHANE SCRATCHES HIS -- TRIPLE H,

KISSES YOUR -- AND YOU SNIFF A

MONKEY'S -- .

WCW WAS BLOWING A WHOLE A LOT

OF SMOKE IN MIRRORS.

WWE AT THAT TIME HAD PICKED

BACK UP.

THE FANS HAD GOT ON BOARD AND

JUST JUMPED ON THEIR SHIP AND

THEY STARTED TO RIDE, AND THEY

DIDN'T LOOK BACK.

GOLDBERG'S PROLONGED ABSENCES

SEVERELY COOLED HIS MOMENTUM.

DESPITE A REEMERGENCE, FANS HAD

ALREADY MOVED ON WITHOUT HIM.

[CROWD CHEERING]

RICK STEINER WITH A CHAIR.

HE HAD HIM--HE HAD HIM IN

CROSSHAIRS FOR THAT SPEAR AND

RICK STEINER CAME IN AND

OBLITERATED HIM WITH A CHAIR.

WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE WASN'T

THE SAME PERSON, THAT CLOAK OF

INVINCIBILITY WAS GONE.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THEY DO

WITH GOLDBERG WHEN HE CAME BACK

AFTER THE INJURY, HE WASN'T

RELEVANT.

HE WAS PART OF WHAT HAD ALREADY

BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE GLORY DAYS

IN WCW, AND THE GLORY DAYS

COULD'VE BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS

AGO, BUT IT WAS OVER.

BOTH GOLDBERG AND WCW

STRUGGLED TO REINVENT

THEMSELVES.

AS THE FORMER CHAMPION'S

HISTORIC STREAK WAS BECOMING A

DOUBLE-EDGE SWORD.

IF YOUR GIMMICK IS YOU'RE

UNBEATEN AND THAT MAKES YOU

OVER, THEN YOU PRETTY MUCH

BETTER RETIRE WHEN YOU GET BEAT

BECAUSE IT'S DONE.

AFTER A WHILE, IT KIND OF ITS

LUSTER BECAUSE THERE WASN'T

ANYMORE DIMENSION TO HIS

CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN

ONLY KICK SO MANY PEOPLE'S --

BEFORE IT'S LIKE, "OH, OKAY."

IT WAS NOT A QUESTION ON HOW

BILL WOULD GET BOOKS, YOU CAN'T

JUST HAVE HIM JUST RUNNING

THROUGH GUYS, THE CHARACTER HAD

TO GROW.

THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A

DEFINED IDEA ON THAT.

THE ONLY THING GOLDBERG WAS

TOLD WAS GO OUT, WIN, AND THAT'S

THE ONLY THING WE REALLY NEED

YOU TO DO, AND WE'LL PAY YOU A

LOT OF MONEY TO DO THAT.

HE IS A GOOD GUY, BUT GOLDBERG

TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY PERSON

THAT HE WOULD LOSE TO WAS GOD.

I WOULDN'T LOSE AS LONG AS IT

MADE SENSE.

IF IT MADE ME LOOK FOOLISH AND

IT WAS UNREALISTIC, I WOULD NOT

DO IT, PERIOD.

FAILING TO UNDERSTAND A

CAREER AS ANYTHING BUT AN

UNSTOPPABLE FORCE HURT

GOLDBERG'S CHANCES OF A

LONG-TERM FUTURE IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

BILL WAS VERY MODEST EARLY

ON, BUT WHEN YOU GET A LOT OF

PEOPLE CHIRPING AND TELLING YOU

HOW GREAT YOU ARE AND HOW MUCH

YOU DESERVE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, A

LITTLE BIT OF THE NEW FRESHNESS

[CROWD CHEERING]

BILL HAD A LOT OF RAW AND

NATURAL ABILITY FOR THE

BUSINESS.

I THINK HE'LL TELL YOU, HE WAS

NEVER REALLY A BIG FAN OF

WRESTLING.

AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE

SAID FOR BEING A STUDENT IN THE

GAME.

BILL GOLDBERG WAS A GUY THAT

SEEMED TO ME THAT WAS NOT A

WRESTLING FAN, DIDN'T FOLLOW IT

AS A KID, DIDN'T REALLY KNOW

MUCH ABOUT IT, AND JUST PLAYED

FOOTBALL AND ONE DAY, HE WASHED

UP ON THE SHORES OF THE

WRESTLING BUSINESS AND HAS LIKE,

EVERYONE TELLING HIM WHAT TO DO

AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS

WHAT YOU GOT TO DO, GO OUT THERE

AND COMPLETELY DESTROY YOUR

OPPONENT IN WHAT, 10 SECONDS AND

THEN THEY COME BACK AND SLAP YOU

ON THE BACK AND TELL YOU HOW

GREAT IT WAS.

WHO'S THE MAN NOW, BRAIN?

WHO'S THE MAN.

YOU'RE THE MAN.

YOU'RE THE MAN, BILL.

HOLY SMOKES, PLEASE, COME ON.

YOU'RE THE MAN, NO DOUBT IT.

BILL JUST GOT BROUGHT ALONG

TOO FAST, GIVEN TOO MANY THINGS,

AND NO ONE SAT DOWN WITH HIM

SAYING, THIS IS HOW THE BUSINESS

REALLY WORKS AND HE NEVER GOT

THAT PART OF IT.

I DON'T REALLY BLAME HIM.

I THINK THAT YOU GOT TO HOLD A

HIGHER POWER GUILTY, THE ONES

SENT HIM OUT EVERY NIGHT AND

KEPT TELLING THEM THAT THAT'S

THE WAY TO DO IT.

HE JUST WAS NOT PREPARED

PROPERLY.

YOU KNOW, TO SUCCEED IN THIS

BUSINESS IN A LONG TERM BECAUSE

I REALLY THINK GOLDBERG COULD

STILL BE HERE TODAY IN SOME

CAPACITY.

I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE

LAST VISUAL IMAGE OF THIS

PHENOMENAL ATHLETE THAT SAVED

THE COMPANY.

WCW WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE

THAT WERE SO AFRAID THEY WERE

GOING TO BLOW IT, THEY BLEW IT.

ONCE THE HOTTEST COMMODITIES

IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOTH WCW

AND GOLDBERG HAD FAILED TO LIVE

UP TO THEIR PROMISE.

WCW WAS NEVER GREAT AT

DEVELOPING NEW STARS EVER.

BUT GOLDBERG WAS AN AMAZING

ATTRACTION, AND A GREAT ATHLETE,

AND A GREAT LOOK.

HE SHOULD'VE BEEN THEIR HOGAN.

LIKE HOGAN WAS IN WWE IN THE

80S.

GOLDBERG WAS PLATINUM, HE WAS

THE REAL DEAL.

DESPITE AN IMPERFECT ENDING,

WCW'S MOST PROLIFIC CREATION

LEFT AN UNFORGETTABLE IMPACT ON

THE WORLD OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

GOLDBERG REALLY WAS HOT AND

HE GOT US HOT AS ANYBODY HAS

EVER BEEN IN THE HISTORY OF THIS

BUSINESS.

HE WAS AS HOT AS HOGAN, HE WAS

AS HOT AS ROCK, HE WAS AS HOT AS

AUSTIN.

NAME IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

HELLO AND GOODBYE.

IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH WCW, YOU

STILL KNEW WHO GOLDBERG WAS.

HE WAS THIS UNSTOPPABLE,

UNDENIABLE FORCE THAT JUST

FREIGHT TRAINED TO EVERY SINGLE

SUPERSTAR IN WCW.

THERE IS THE SPEAR.

GOLDBERG, THE MAN.

AND WITHOUT WCW, PEOPLE

WOULD'VE LOOKED AT ME LIKE ANY

OTHER PERSON.

BUT WITH WCW'S HELP, THEY LOOKED

AT ME AS LIKE A GOD.

GOLDBERG WAS THE ABSOLUTE

STAR OF WCW.

HE WAS THE GUY THAT PEOPLE WERE

TUNING IN TO SEE, AND I THINK HE

WAS ESSENTIALLY THE GUY KEEPING

THE COMPANY AFLOAT.

GOLDBERG'S A HUGE PART OF THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

GOLDBERG WAS LETTING IN A

BOTTLE.

DURING THE STREAK, HE DID

EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD TO DO.

EVERYTHING WAS PICTURE PERFECT.

HE BELIEVE WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS

REAL, WHICH IS WHY OTHER PEOPLE

BELIEVED IT TOO.

SO, HE WAS A HUGE PART OF WHY

WCW WAS A SUCCESS.

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

PROSPERED EXPONENTIALLY DURING

THOSE TIMES.

THEY WERE GROUND BREAKING SHOWS.

TO BE A PART OF THAT AND TO BE A

FACE FOR A COMPANY THAT IS

INVOLVED IN SUCH A RATINGS DUEL,

THAT THE TWO COMPANIES WERE

INVOLVED WITH, TO BE A PART OF

THAT, I WAS HONORED.

HE WAS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR

THE TIME AND THE IMPACT GOLDBERG

MADE WAS UNDENIABLE AND THAT'S

GONNA LAST IN HISTORY OF

WRESTLING.

[MUSIC]