The feud that never was: Goldberg VS Stone Cold

[TheKingofKings20222]

In 2003 we saw the WWE debut of WCW's own, Goldberg. He tore down the walls of the WWE quickly dispatching The Rock, Chris Jericho, and Triple H to become the big man on campus for the WWE. Unfortunately 2003 was also the year that Stone Cold Steve Austin was forced to retire from in ring competition due to a severe career-ending neck injury, thus making the dream match of Stone Cold VS Goldberg just that, a dream match. Austin was no doubt WWE's big guy, while Goldberg was WCW's top guy. Year's even before Vince bought WCW people were constantly arguing over who was better, Austin or Goldberg. If only Goldberg had joined WWE a year sooner we could have seen these two go at it. But sadly, we never saw these two face off in the ring.

We were teased at the possibility of a match between the two, when Goldberg mistakenly speared Austin by accident. [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UofZ1DX1KG0[/YOUTUBE]


However nothing really ever came out of this. The most we ever got was Stone Cold stunning Goldberg "right out of the WWE" However what if the clock was turned back? What would have happened if these two got in the ring together? Your thoughts?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I would loved to have seen the face of WWE's boom period go up against the face of WCW's peak, but sadly we never got to see it.

However, as good as their feud would be, and I do think Goldberg would have beaten Austin in some matches, their initial first match and the overall feud would have been won by Stone Cold. There is no way that Vince would have allowed the guy who did more than anyone to help his company destroy WCW to be made to look inferior to Goldberg, WCW's Golden Boy.

That is why the Invasion storyline was rushed so much, Vince wanted to prove once again that his talent was superior to WCW's, and there is no chance in hell Goldberg would have come out against Austin. Plus, 'Berg was only in the company for a 12 month contract, so it makes little sense for him to win a feud against Stone Cold, who will forever be synonymous with the WWE.

Still, even though the ending would have been obvious, it would still have been an iconic moment to see Goldberg and Stone Cold face off, the 2 most important figures in their respective companies finally going at it in a dream match for all fans of that period in wrestling history.

 

[The Eighties]

Funnily enough fans wanted to see Stone Cold vs Goldberg before Goldberg was even World Champion such was the impact he made.

I think this would have worked better as one off big match because I don't think the promos would have been anything special as Goldberg was not a talker, and I'm not convinced the styles would mesh with Austin's injuries and Goldberg being difficult to move around and work (in ring) with

 

[anvilx8]

I can only imagine how HORRIBLE Goldberg would have been in this match. Probably no-sell everything, and not to mention the end of the match. I don't see Goldberg or Austin agreeing to lose clean. Austin rightfully so, I wouldn't wanna lose to Goldberg either (unless it was during his streak...)

I for one, never really wanted to and still don't want to see this match. It just doesn't appeal to me. It'd be a brawl, and Goldberg was never good at selling, and Austin wouldn't be able to take Goldbergs big moves.. so I think it'd be "cool to see" but the match itself would be awful

 

[Firewall_Philip_Hanan]

... Goldberg would have speared Austin so hard, he would have broken both of his knee caps and possibly caused a neck injury in Austin.

 

[Philly88]

Really thought the Goldberg angle was any good at all. Im glad it never happened. Austin was/is a much bigger star than Goldberg is/was.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

I always enjoyed the work of both men and always thought this feud would be EPIC!!!

The clashing styles but pure physicality that both men share, would have been a CLASH OF THE TITANS!

If done right this could easily have headlined Wrestlemania!

 

[Airehk]

Ok, let's just say if it were a real legit fight, Austin would certainly have his work cut out for him. Besides that, the match would have to take place in 1998-2000 for their prime abilities to shine. It would also need to be held in a mutual environment. So no WWE or WCW tv, it would need to take place somewhere that egotistical writing cannot take place because in WWE, Austin would win, in WCW Goldberg would win.

With that in mind, there would also need to be a split WWE/WCW audience so there is no one sided favor portrayed on screen. At this point, the boys can go at it and put on a great match. The final condition is no matter who wins, neither needs to show defeat in the same way Austin just passed out in Bret's Sharpshooter rather than tapping.

But it wont happen, oh well.

 

[daddyJ_t]

wcw had put out a item saying goldberg 6:32 twice the man. vince would never let him go over. and if it did happen goldbergs ego would get the best of him and he would end steves career like he did bret harts

 

[silrock316]

In 2003 we saw the WWE debut of WCW's own, Goldberg. He tore down the walls of the WWE quickly dispatching The Rock, Chris Jericho, and Triple H to become the big man on campus for the WWE. Unfortunately 2003 was also the year that Stone Cold Steve Austin was forced to retire from in ring competition due to a severe career-ending neck injury, thus making the dream match of Stone Cold VS Goldberg just that, a dream match. Austin was no doubt WWE's big guy, while Goldberg was WCW's top guy. Year's even before Vince bought WCW people were constantly arguing over who was better, Austin or Goldberg. If only Goldberg had joined WWE a year sooner we could have seen these two go at it. But sadly, we never saw these two face off in the ring.

We were teased at the possibility of a match between the two, when Goldberg mistakenly speared Austin by accident. [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UofZ1DX1KG0[/YOUTUBE]


However nothing really ever came out of this. The most we ever got was Stone Cold stunning Goldberg "right out of the WWE" However what if the clock was turned back? What would have happened if these two got in the ring together? Your thoughts?

To me it wouldn't have happened anyway. Both Goldberg and Austin have/had monsterous ego's and neither would want to take the loss. Austin is probably my favorite wrestler of all time but lets face it, there was sometimes Austin was a diva. I think to the Brock Lesnar situation where Austin didn't want to let Lesnar go over him.

During the Monday night wars, Goldberg was Austins biggest rival and by that I mean the person Austin was compared to most. So I think it would have been seen in Austins eyes as a slight if Vince was to ask him to put Goldberg over.

On the flip side of that I think Goldberg would have been hesitant to let Austin just squash him because it would have belittled WCW even more and by contrast would have made Goldbergs WCW career seem bush league.

It would have been a nice match to see during the height of both companies but now I couldn't care any less about the match.

 

[deadtaker]

You had a severely weakened Austin and a power guy who couldn't get over on the mic or put on a "wrestling" match in Goldberg. Everybody knows Austin would win the feud as he was a WWF/E guy but the build up and match itself wouldn't be great.

You saw how the Goldberg/Lesner Match went where both guys didn't care and were leaving. Austin would have to carry the load in terms of build on the mic and match. Its a good concept in theory but not good in reality.

 

[GrandSword]

There are a tonne of assumtions made in this thread. "Vince would never let Goldberg go over Austin"... wait a minute.. didn't Goldberg go over the Rock when he first walked in the door? You guys remember the Rock don't you... the guy that just beat John Cena at Wrestlemania...

Yep he was on his way out to do a movie, but he was still at that time considered a big part of the WWE... a sole Vince creation. And Goldberg speared and jackhammered him for the win. Also unlike Hogan, Austin and Goldberg were friends. I don't think egos would have come into play as much as everyone thinks because whoever did the job, wouldn't have cared too much. As Austin's body was broken down, he probably would have put over Goldberg, for business. Without Rock and Austin, WWE needed a top face and Goldberg was maybe the biggest star power signing Vince got in years.

So how about when the two men were at the peak... who then would have gone over... well I guess it would all depended on the storyline. The way Goldberg was booked he was basically unstoppable. He kicked out of finshers all the time, but unlike the cartoony way Hogan did, it loooked legit. The thing about anti-hero Stone Cold was.. that he would probably have slipped a steel chair shot in behind the referee's back and scored the pin.

 

[HBsam31]

I agree with GrandSword here. If Goldberg went over the Rock I see no reason why he couldn't have gone over Austin as well. I was a fan of Goldberg during his WCW run, and have always been a fan of Austin, and for some reason it was a match that never really appealed to me. I am not sure why either. I have a feeling the actual match may not have been that great. I mean the hype and build for the match would have been awesome, but I was always glad these two passed each other by.

 

[Inittowinit]

I would loved to have seen the face of WWE's boom period go up against the face of WCW's peak, but sadly we never got to see it.

However, as good as their feud would be, and I do think Goldberg would have beaten Austin in some matches, their initial first match and the overall feud would have been won by Stone Cold. There is no way that Vince would have allowed the guy who did more than anyone to help his company destroy WCW to be made to look inferior to Goldberg, WCW's Golden Boy.

That is why the Invasion storyline was rushed so much, Vince wanted to prove once again that his talent was superior to WCW's, and there is no chance in hell Goldberg would have come out against Austin. Plus, 'Berg was only in the company for a 12 month contract, so it makes little sense for him to win a feud against Stone Cold, who will forever be synonymous with the WWE.

Still, even though the ending would have been obvious, it would still have been an iconic moment to see Goldberg and Stone Cold face off, the 2 most important figures in their respective companies finally going at it in a dream match for all fans of that period in wrestling history.

The story line was rushed because Vince brought in the lower guys with two or three top guys so it was WCW lite and he knew it.

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

The story line was rushed because Vince brought in the lower guys with two or three top guys so it was WCW lite and he knew it.

Well he had no choice.. Hogan, Nash, Sting, Steiner, Hall, and so many more chose to sit at home and get paid as Time Werner was still required to pay them out their contracts.

 

[SmarkCalaway]

I can see why people are slightly shitting on Goldberg here and I believe Austin is the bigger star (I'm pretty sure Stone Cold would of gone over as well with the two showing respect for each other at the end for the feel good factor much like Hogan and Rock, WMX8) but the match would of been great. Most probably better than the Hall/Austin match at WMX8. Speaking of WMX8 which match sounds better, Rock vs. Hogan or Goldberg vs. Stone Cold? I vote for G vs. SC. Not saying that Rock Hogan wasn't good but.......IMO G vs. SC for me.

 

[braveh]

Goldberg is a weird case. I thought he had one great run and one chance but all his momentum was killed that time. Who cared for Goldberg in 2003?

 

[Rocker Dropper]

Goldberg vs Austin at WM X-8 would have taken a lot of the emotion away from the Rock/Hogan match. They should of had that match at WM 20. Austin was available at the time, since he was the special ref. Goldberg was on his way out anyway. What better send off for Austin than to build up this dream match for WM at MSG and then for the "WWE guy" to be victorious over his rival, Bill Goldberg?

I guess a stunner after referring a match will have to do.