WCW Boston, Round 3, Match 1: #4 John Cena vs. #13 Goldberg

[Blade]

Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting, Lex Luger, The Giant, DDP, Kevin Nash, Sid Vicious, Jeff Jarrett, The Rock, Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar.

Hmm.

Hogan, Flair, Sting, Luger, Nash and Sid were all past their primes.

Cena has beaten Jericho and Triple H, admittedly past their primes too.

Orton and Batista were not in their prime when Goldberg beat them, especially Orton. Goldberg's victory over 2003 era Orton doesn't mean anything.

When Cena was a midcarder, he was able to go toe to toe with Lesnar for the WWE title and he more than held his own. And this was before Lesnar got lazy like he did when he was against Goldberg.

And we all know Cena could beat DDP and Jarrett no problem. It's foolish to think otherwise.

 

[NSL]

I'm going with Goldberg. Cena's a better wrestler, which is saying a lot, considering his "five moves of doom" is more than Goldberg's "two moves of doom". I know Cena has more moves, but in a match in a match like this, it'll come down to how can close. I'm guessing Cena will get the flying "shoulderblock", and then go for the Five-Knuckle Shuffle, where Goldberg will no sell, drive Cena to the mat, spear him, and then give him a JackHammer that would drive him through the mat.

 

[Shocky]

I think I like Cena more, but I tend to go with Goldberg in this match. Goldberg did more, in his short amount of time, with better competition. Goldberg was the guy in WCW when it was at it's hottest, Cena is the guy in the WWE when it's in a low point.

Cena can be beaten too. It was just last year where Cena was having trouble with guy slike Triple H, Batista, and JBL, all far inferior to waht Goldberg brings to the table. Goldberg is a tough out for anyone, and I can only see him losing in a gimmick match at this point.

Can the FU or STFU put down Goldberg, not in my opinion. The FU really has never been that impressive of a finisher, and Goldberg simply isn't going to tap out to the STFU. Edge has been able to take down Cena with a spear, all well and good, but Edge's Spear is nothing compared to Goldberg's Spear. Spear and Jackhammer will put Cena Down. If Cena can be beaten by Dave Batista, Cena can be beaten by Goldberg.

 

[jrcongine]

I think I like Cena more, but I tend to go with Goldberg in this match. Goldberg did more, in his short amount of time, with better competition. Goldberg was the guy in WCW when it was at it's hottest, Cena is the guy in the WWE when it's in a low point.

Damn Shock, great minds must think a like or you like to steal my thoughts. just messing with ya old man.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

While I'm not a fan of Cena's really to any degree, I have to stick up for the guy in the sense that his competition is head and shoulders above most opponents that Goldberg faced in WCW. Raven, Mike Enos, Brad Armstrong, Perry Saturn, Konnan, Bam Bam Bigelow, Rick Steiner? These are examples of the guys that made up most of Goldberg's competition while he was in WCW. That's also not counting the various jobbers he took out while building up his "undefeated streak". While it's not recognized by WCW, Goldberg actually did lose the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to Roddy Piper at a house show. Don't get me wrong, we all know Goldberg has beaten some big names as well but, let's also be honest, guys like Hogan and Nash were well past their prime by this time.

 

[DhA]

Guys like Hogan and Nash were booked to dominate the whole of WCW, and Goldberg beat them. Cena's never beaten anyone on the level of hollywood Hogan, never midn the fact that Hogan was past his prime, he was still a bigger deal than anyone Cena has EVER, and I mean EEEEVEERRR beaten. Cena is the big fish in a (relatively) small pond - Goldberg was a big fish/big deal in an era where Austin, The Rock, Hogan, Sting and the nWo were all around.

 

[Hip2bsquare]

Wow what a matchup here, still not sure which way to go.

I have begun to like Cena more and more and actually view properly what he brings to the table each and every night. But he is up against it here with Goldberg.

Goldberg was the man in WCW, and this is his backyard. Did he ever lose cleanly? I dont believe so. He went through legends such as Hogan, Flair and Sting. He then went to the WWE and was still pretty strong.

Does Cena have the offence to take down Goldberg? In my opinion no he does not. I think this will be an extremely competitive match. But in the end Goldberg folds Cena in half with a spear before hitting the jackhammer for the 1,2,3.

 

[ZEUS]

I think both of these guys are awful, boring wrestlers. But, considering that this is supposed to be about who would win a match as it was booked in the prime of the wrestlers career, Goldberg wins this one in about ten minutes. During his streak, Goldberg was booked to be almost superhuman. He would destroy EVERYONE. Yes, Cena can take a beating like almost nobody else, but Goldberg was giving out beatings that absolutely nobody could handle. The Jackhammer/Spear combination was booked to look unstoppable. He took out so many legends with those moves. Cena, on the other hand, has a glorified fireman's carry. Not that impressive to me.

And jmt225, Goldberg is/was way stronger than Cena. If you think Show doesn't help Cena get him up for the FU/AA, then you are wrong, and he doesn't really throw him, its more of a rolling drop. Besides, it is easier to pick someone on your shoulders than it is to lift them over your head, suplex style.

Goldberg wins.

 

[TwistofRKO]

And how many of them 173 opponents were in the same league as Kurt Angle? He took one of the top men to the limit on his debut, four or so years away from his prime. Goldberg had jobber after jobber for a while.

Hulk Hogan, Sting, DDP, Giant, these guys may not be technically as solid as Angle, but they all present a high degree of difficulty to face and Goldberg put all of them away in a matter of minutes.

I would class Big Show's prime at a time he got the most exposure, which is when he was in the main feuds of WrestleMania two years running, that would be the last two years, one of which was when Cena AA'd him. Isn't picking someone who is out of shape more impressive than someone in shape anyway?

Big Show wrestles 1/4 of the year and is then involved in Wrestlemania for reasons nobody knows. He was a better star yearsago, if this is his prime, a throw-in, while not being a serious contender for the belt, his career is a rather large failure.

Maiming an in shape 7'1 man and jack-hammering him is more impressive overall than wearing down a giant clutz with a much lower overall physical condition.

HHH has been in exactly the same position 2005-2007 as he was in 2002-2003. When is he not in one of the headlining feuds? A win over HHH from anytime between 1999 and 2009 means the same. He is the exact same wrestler. The Rock was past his prime when he lost to Goldberg. It was his last ever singles match after all. Yes he had just beaten Austin and Hogan, but both of them were on their way out too.

Except that he's been through another serious injury since 2002-2003, taking down his in-ring skills with him. Still a viable threat no doubt, but the same as 5 years prior? No.

The Rock was at the end of his career in the WWE, yet he was still in peak physical state at the ripe age of 30. His prime was defined after the match and retirement because he never reached a low point in his career to define it before then.

HBK WrestleMania 23? HHH WrestleManis 22? I know plenty of people who would put them in the same league as The Rock.

I don't care who would put him in the same league as the Rock. It's an incorrect assertion. Shawn Michaels, much like HHH, was still a dangerous threat on any given night, yet it wasn't in his prime and after a few serious injuries.

Another victory against someone on the way out in a match many call the biggest disappointment at WrestleMania? Good for Goldberg.

It doesn't matter, he still conquered the best the WWE had to offer. Not great from a viewing stand point, but for his actual resume it's quite substancial.

Goldberg's best title run, which I count as his prime, ended by him being screwed out of the title. Cena's ended with him being injured. Cena never lost his title, they couldn't even screw him out of it.

Is this supposed to be a point? Cena has been pinned cleanly numerous times in his career while Goldberg has never been. Being screwed while you are the hunted is not an easy thing to avoid while involved in a fued with a member of a stable.

The only thing that taints Goldberg's career is what was around him. He didn't tear down the WCW, adding the entire roster to the nWo did, David Arquette winning the belt did, not Goldberg.

 

[The Todd]

Hulk Hogan, Sting, DDP, Giant, these guys may not be technically as solid as Angle, but they all present a high degree of difficulty to face and Goldberg put all of them away in a matter of minutes.

So we have established the people Goldberg faced towards the end of his streak were on the same level as the man Cena debuted against. SO Cena missed out on the jobbers he could have built up a 100 match winning streak with?

Big Show wrestles 1/4 of the year and is then involved in Wrestlemania for reasons nobody knows. He was a better star yearsago/

A better level of fitness yes, but not the same exposure so I wouldn't count it as his prime.

if this is his prime, a throw-in, while not being a serious contender for the belt, his career is a rather large failure.

Yeah, a massive failure I would say.

Maiming an in shape 7'1 man and jack-hammering him is more impressive overall than wearing down a giant clutz with a much lower overall physical condition.

I still think it is harder to pick up a no selling, overweight man. Matter of opinion.

Except that he's been through another serious injury since 2002-2003, taking down his in-ring skills with him. Still a viable threat no doubt, but the same as 5 years prior? No.

He's still having all the title reigns he's had in the past. How is he not the same? The injury hasn't stopped HHH. He wrestles the exact same way he did back then and still is in the main event.

The Rock was at the end of his career in the WWE, yet he was still in peak physical state at the ripe age of 30. His prime was defined after the match and retirement because he never reached a low point in his career to define it before then.

I'd say his prime was when he was the leader of the company in 2000, not when he only sporadically turned up inbetween movies. Just because he was as fit doesn't mean he is still in his prime.

I don't care who would put him in the same league as the Rock. It's an incorrect assertion. Shawn Michaels, much like HHH, was still a dangerous threat on any given night, yet it wasn't in his prime and after a few serious injuries.

He doesn't sell the injuries though does he? So they are totally void. At that time he had been in the main event with DX for months and was still built up on his own. He took out Rated RKO by himself with a sledgehammer, he was in the last two of the Royal Rumble. Cena beat the best that night.

Is this supposed to be a point? .

Yeah it was a point. In Cena's prime, his long title run he was never beaten for that title. So when it matters Cena doesn't lose, which nulls the Goldberg arguement that he would win this match because he doesn't lose.

Cena has been pinned cleanly numerous times in his career while Goldberg has never been

So Cena took his time to reach the top, this is a match with them in their prime. As I said in Cena's prime, he was never beaten for his title, clean or unclean. He lost a couple of non title matches, like the hour long match, but with the title on the line (aka when it matters) he didn't. This match matters. So using the arguement Goldberg never lost clean doesn't mean anything.

 

[RVDgurl]

Goldberg is one of the most awful wrestlers to ever step foot in a wrestling ring. I don’t care how over he was… the dude was horrendous. He’s had about three good matches his entire career, and the ONLY reason he was over was because the way he was booked. He had a good lil’ intensity about him that came off well, but it was ultimately the booking and the wrestlers selling their asses off for him as to why he got so over. It didn’t have anything to do with wrestling ability. It didn’t have anything to do with promo ability. And it didn’t have anything to do with charisma. Eric Bischoff just knew what he was doing when it came to Goldberg and HE created a success for his company…. that, for the record, only lasted around 2 years, tops.

John Cena, on the other hand, is establishing himself as one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. He is as over as anyone ever has been, no matter what the ‘ratings’ say, and he’s been so since 2004. And he first got over on his own. WWE didn’t help him. Hell, they basically tried to bury him. They gave him some boring, generic gimmick like they do all muscle guys, and he was doomed to fail. But Cena had the balls to go to creative and say, “I want to try this” and it made him a true superstar.

Cena made himself into the legend he is becoming, whereas Goldberg was made by Eric Bischoff. Not to mention… Cena is a tremendous wrestler. He has at least 10 classic matches under his belt already, and probably around 50 matches that most would consider to be “very good”. His charisma is off the charts, and he has the intensity to match Goldberg. Plus, his promo ability is WAY ahead of Goldberg’s, as well.

As far as kayfabe is concerned… Cena would kick Goldberg’s ass. I don’t give a flying fuck where this match is taking place. Cena’s character has as much heart as any wrestler to ever compete in the wrestling industry. He’s more powerful than Goldberg, ten times smarter, ten times tougher, and just as fast and agile as that worthless motherfucker. Cena would never, ever lose to this guy. WCW or not.

Cena beats Goldberg in every aspect imaginable. There’s no excuse to vote for Goldberg in this round; Cena should pass here and it shouldn’t be close.

Jmt225, I am stealing your entire post! I could not have put this more elloquently myself. I tried to rep you but I need to spread it around some more first.

How in the hell is Goldberg winning this??? I just have to shake my head. Goldberg is not fit to be in the same ring as John Cena. I am not a huge fan of Cena, but at least I can give credit where credit is due. Cena works his ass off and should be respected for his talents. Goldberg was manufactured by the WCW booking team. There is absolutely no way that Goldberg can win this match.

Cena wins easily to move on to the next round.

 

[Evan Snow-Wolf]

Jmt225, I am stealing your entire post! I could not have put this more elloquently myself. I tried to rep you but I need to spread it around some more first.

How in the hell is Goldberg winning this??? I just have to shake my head. Goldberg is not fit to be in the same ring as John Cena. I am not a huge fan of Cena, but at least I can give credit where credit is due. Cena works his ass off and should be respected for his talents. Goldberg was manufactured by the WCW booking team. There is absolutely no way that Goldberg can win this match.

Cena wins easily to move on to the next round.

Um... okay. Let's say for a second that I agree with half of what you said in regards to one working harder than the other or one being booked better. What does any of that have to do with ability to defeat the other in this match?

 

[Shock]

How in the hell is Goldberg winning this??? I just have to shake my head. Goldberg is not fit to be in the same ring as John Cena. I am not a huge fan of Cena, but at least I can give credit where credit is due. Cena works his ass off and should be respected for his talents. Goldberg was manufactured by the WCW booking team. There is absolutely no way that Goldberg can win this match.

Goldberg out-powers Cena, in my opinion. Also, yes. Goldberg was what he was because of booking. But we can say the same for Cena. We can say the same for the fact that Vince puts tons of money on Cena and almost always keeps him in the title picture. We can say the same for the fact that he shoves Cena down our throats.

Also, this has nothing to do with who can beat who, RVDgurl. Goldberg was better in the ring. Plus, you forget. We're in WCW here. Goldberg's home is WCW. Cena wasn't known in WCW. Being in WCW gives Goldberg a HUGE advantage over Cena. Think about that.

 

[Slyfox696]

Goldberg was better in the ring.

Uhh, no. No he was not. Goldberg is underrated, I agree, but he's not even close to being in Cena's league, in ANY way shape or form. Cena sells better, Cena carries offense better, Cena carries a match better, Cena tells a story better, Cena has greater versatility...no, Goldberg isn't better than Cena in the ring.

Plus, you forget. We're in WCW here. Goldberg's home is WCW. Cena wasn't known in WCW. Being in WCW gives Goldberg a HUGE advantage over Cena. Think about that.

Wait wait wait...why does being in a WCW arena from the early 90s give Goldberg an advantage over Cena in his own hometown? Where's the logic in that? That's silly.

If we're going to use "home" as a basis for voting, then Cena wins. If the entrance ramp is level with the ring, that's early 90s WCW, not late 90s WCW like Goldberg worked in. WCW primarily toured in the South, Boston is in the Northeast. Cena hails from a town 40 minutes from Boston.

Hometown advantage goes to Cena, not Goldberg.

 

[Franchize1990]

While we are in WCW, we are in Cena's hometown of Boston. The Last time he fought there he became the World Heavyweight Champion in what was a decent match against a very good opponent IMO. I decided to go with Cena due to where he is fighting and if he was to lose in Boston, he wouldn't lose cleanly. Goldberg's character wasn't one to cheat and thus, would make a mistake that would lead to an FU and a John Cena victory

 

[Hacksaw Highway]

Not only are we in Cena's hometown, Cena's entire gimmick is defeating the odds. Undertaker, Umaga, Khali, Big Show, Cena's made his career of beating people bigger, stronger and badder than him. He'll pull through and find a way to win this one.

 

[DhA]

That argument is beyond ******ed. Would you put Cena over Austin because he'd be "overcoming the odds"? Over Hogan? Warrior? It's a dumb argument, and oen that can be countered by sayign that Goldberg's gimmick is being an unstoppable monster who's only capable of defeat via cheating.

 

[tehblogger]

I'm giving this one to Cena. Goldberg was a terrible wrestler. Plus, Cena has character and heart, he really does, and in a match between this two, so evenly matched guys, that's what it would come down to. And Cena just has bigger balls. It's one hell of a fight, but at the end Goldberg goes for one spear too many, gets a drop toehold, and choked the fuck out in the STFU.

 

[Hacksaw Highway]

That argument is beyond ******ed. Would you put Cena over Austin because he'd be "overcoming the odds"? Over Hogan? Warrior? It's a dumb argument, and oen that can be countered by sayign that Goldberg's gimmick is being an unstoppable monster who's only capable of defeat via cheating.

That's fair enough, but I still think Cena should have gone over. He's constantly beating the odds, showing the most heart, never quitting, never backing down, etc. I can't see Goldberg winning this.

 

[DhA]

Hah yes, good result guys. The Goldberg juggernaut rumbles on. Really thought this was the right result, perhaps should have happened later on in the tournament though, two big names. WHO'S NEXT?!

 

[savagelegacy]

Advantage goes to Goldberg, obviously its in WCW and they rode on his back enough to ruin their entire company.

If its WCW - there is no way Goldberg loses to Cena.