Goldberg vs Bret Hart (WCW, 10-25-1999)

WCW Monday Nitro, Phoenix, AZ

This is the first Goldberg-Hart match, though they did have their famous run-in in Toronto in March ’99. It’s also a first round world title tournament match AND for Goldberg’s U.S. title. The night before at Halloween Havoc, Hulk Hogan was SHOOTIN’, BROTHER, and he LAID DOWN for Sting, then Sting later wrestled Goldberg, and Goldberg beat him for the world title, but, see, Sting opens this show saying the world title was never up for grabs. Sting wants the belt back, and JJ Dillon agrees that it wasn’t sanctioned, so Goldberg is, in fact, not the WCW champion. But Sting isn’t, either. So a 32-man tournament starts on this show, to end at Mayhem in November.

Anyway, the main event is Hart against Goldberg. Goldberg also beat Sid for the U.S. title at Havoc, and Bret was tapped out clean by technical specialist Lex Luger’s half crab. So Hart’s coming in with a bad leg, officially being called a hairline fracture.

Bret is mega-limping on the way to the ring. Bret’s limping was always pretty hilarious. He sold a limp fine during a match, but when he came out with it he really dragged it out. Heenan says Hart will have to be lucky.

Goldberg makes the long walk with the security and the sparklers and all this. Bell sounds, Hart still limping as he starts to circle. Goldberg feels bad about this, but it’s business. C&E, Goldberg easily pushes Hart into the corner and gives a clean break.

C&E again, Goldberg pushes him to the ropes, throws a knee to the gut, then two more. Hart sent off the ropes, tries to reverse, Goldberg clotheslines him down. Goldberg presses him, catches him, and slams him down. Goldberg still doesn’t love what he has to do here.

Hart starts trying to fight back in the corner, Goldberg unleashes punches to the stomach, then takes Hart down and grabs that leglock. Hart reaches the ropes quickly. Heenan thinks Hart should just give this up, it’s hopeless.

Hart out to the floor, Goldberg waits on him, sportsmanlike. Hart pushes Goldberg to the corner, throws rights to the gut, but Goldberg just elbows him down with one shot. Right hand drops Bret again. Goldberg grabs the leg, rolls and snaps it over, something Hart does regularly. Hart pops up and keeps limping. Goldberg hates doing this. He, for whatever reason, respects Hart, despite their one interaction before being Hart’s trickery.

Goldberg with kicks in the corner. He grabs the leg again, yanks Bret out toward the center. Goldberg wants the referee to ask Hart if he’ll give it up. Hart won’t. Hart circling back, the leg worse and worse as this goes on.

Goldberg picks the leg, and gets the leglock on again. Bret trying to get out of this, trying to use his skills and experience, but it’s no real use. Goldberg lets go. “Check his ass!” Hart still refuses to quit.

Right hand from Goldberg. Corner to corner whip, Hart hits hard and goes down, the leg can’t hold up anymore. Goldberg tries to send him to the other side, but Hart can’t even make the full run, collapsing halfway. But he gets up.

Goldberg charges, Hart gets a leg up and now he’s firing right hands. Hart gets a sleephold, riding Goldberg’s back. Goldberg backs it to the corner, Hart reapplies it. Goldberg flips Hart over, and the referee gets clobbered by Hart’s legs. Goldberg clotheslines Bret out to the floor, where he jams the leg again.

Now the Outsiders are running in, with Sid behind them, not really running. They hit the ring, Goldberg is taking them down before Sid boots him in the chest. Hall chokeslams Goldberg. Nash with the side slam. Sid calls for the power bomb, and he hits it! They hit the old dusty trail. Hart has no idea what’s happened, still down on the floor.

Now Bret’s up, heading back into the ring slowly. Mickey Jay is back in business. Hart pins — 1, 2, 3, Goldberg gets a shoulder up just after the three to stay strong. So Bret advances in the tournament AND is the new U.S. champion.

Rating: 3.5/5. This wouldn’t get such a strong rating from a lot of people but I liked it a lot because I like my stories, I like Bret, I like Goldberg, and this all just worked. Goldberg as reluctant assassin against an injured man was pulled off pretty well — I mean, Bill had every reason NOT to trust Bret, but it’s wrestling, people just trust the other guys on their side of the locker room at any given time. It is what it is. Hart as a courageous survivor just hanging around long enough for the Outsiders and Sid to find their opening worked well, too. And the attack was good enough, a 3-on-1 with established real stars, that it’s convincing enough to put down the still pretty indomitable Goldberg, at least for the three seconds Hart needed.