Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner Matches: Monster On Monster (Includes Full Video)
Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, Booker T., Scott Hudson
Sometimes in wrestling promotions you find a pairing that just makes sense on every level. You want to see these two people fight and you know it the second you see them together the first time. That was the case with these two and now we’re getting a look back and one of the better things about the dying days of WCW. Let’s get to it.
From Monday Nitro, February 22, 1999.
Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner
Steiner’s TV Title isn’t on the line and he has Buff Bagwell with him. Hold on though as the villains say Goldberg isn’t here so Steiner calls out anyone for a fight…and here’s Goldberg. They lock up to start and Steiner backs him into the corner, only for Goldberg to knock him right back down. Goldberg hits the gorilla press and we take an early break.
We come back with Steiner hiding so Bagwell grabs the leg, meaning the chase is on. That’s enough for Steiner to get in a cheap shot and send Goldberg into various things. Back in and the big elbow gives Steiner two, followed by the spinning belly to belly. Bagwell whips out some wire cutters to unhook a turnbuckle, though he makes sure to beat up the referee in the process.
Steiner’s whip into the corner is reversed into the buckle (with Bagwell having to reach up and pull the pad off just in time) so Goldberg spears Bagwell. The villains try to leave but Rick Steiner is back to drop them with a double clothesline. Cue the NWO as the referee wakes up to call the DQ at 5:00 shown.
Rating: C. This was more of a little taste of the match that was coming as they could only do so much in this amount of time. Steiner was still turning into the big heel that WCW wanted him to be but it was smart to put him in there with a monster like Goldberg. The interference was par for the course on Nitro, but you could see that there was something to be done with these two.
From Tuesday Nitro, July 18, 2000.
Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner
Yes Tuesday. World Champion Booker T. is on commentary and The Cat is guest referee. Steiner knocks him down to start but Goldberg is right back up, where Steiner gives him a t-bone suplex. Goldberg pops up again and hits a gorilla press powerslam but Steiner gets a boot up in the corner.
There’s the spinning belly to belly and the Recliner goes on, but that’s an illegal hold at the moment. Steiner decks Cat for threatening a DQ so Booker gets in as well. Booker and Steiner get in a fight but Goldberg is back up. Goldberg tries to spear Booker but hits Steiner by mistake. Booker kicks Goldberg down and here is Kevin Nash to powerbomb Goldberg and Steiner before staring at Booker. We’ll call it a no contest at about 6:30.
Rating: C+. This was more like it, as Steiner had become Big Papa Pump by this point and was a total monster. You don’t get that kind of a showdown very often and it’s a great preview of them having a bigger match. The shenanigans were annoying of course, but you absolutely do not want one of them losing here.
From Fall Brawl 2000.
Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner
They go with the power lockup to start and Goldberg hits the big running shoulder. The gorilla press powerslam connects, with Schiavone saying “no one has ever done that to Scott Steiner”. Except for Goldberg, in a match Schiavone called. Steiner heads outside to keep up the fight and actually takes over, with the big elbow connecting for two back inside. Goldberg is back with a butterfly suplex and some big right hands on the mat.
A Diamond Cutter of all things puts Goldberg down and there’s the belly to belly suplex for two. For some reason Steiner goes up, only to dive into a powerslam. Cue Midajah (Steiner’s valet, who Goldberg put through a table) with a lead pipe as Steiner hits Goldberg with a chair to bust him open. Steiner gets the overhead belly to belly and grabs the pipe, only to get speared down.
Cue Vince Russo (looking absolutely embarrassing in a muscle shirt) to hit Goldberg with a baseball bat to give Steiner two. Goldberg gets put through a table at ringside and the Recliner goes on, with Goldberg crawling over to the rope. That’s reversed into an electric chair toss into the ropes (ouch) but Steiner is back up with a clothesline in the corner. The super Frankensteiner is loaded up but Goldberg fires off some headbutts (into Steiner’s metal face plate).
Midajah hits him in the back with the pipe though and Steiner grabs a belly to belly superplex. Goldberg barely gets up and we’re back to the Recliner. That’s broken up as Steiner is sent out to the floor, where he grabs a chair. That’s cut off with a neckbreaker but Russo comes in AGAIN. The distraction lets Steiner get the pipe and knock Goldberg cold. The Recliner finishes Goldberg at 13:49.
Rating: B+. Yeah this was pretty much exactly what it was supposed to be, with these guys beating the heck out of each other. It really is one of the last great things that WCW did and it was awesome to see how intense the whole thing got. Steiner was being positioned as the next big bad and having him beat Goldberg, even with this much screwiness, was a good way to make him feel that awesome.
Naturally Russo takes his shirt off and poses over Goldberg.
From Monday Nitro, September 25, 2000.
Scott Steiner jumps Disco Inferno (and the Disco Duck) and calls Goldberg out for another beating like the one at Fall Brawl. Cue Goldberg in street clothes, who accepts the challenge, but he wants it inside of Caged Heat (WCW’s version of the Cell).
Goldberg vs. Scott Steiner
The cage is lowered (no referee inside as it’s escape only to win) and Goldberg jumps him on the floor as it is coming to the floor. Goldberg chokes with a rope and takes him inside for the pop up gorilla press. Steiner gets in a shot of his own and hits a spinning belly to belly suplex (making the thong pop out). Goldberg gets knocked down again but pops back up with a suplex. Steiner kicks him low and cue Midajah with a pipe so Steiner can beat Goldberg down. That’s enough for Steiner to leave but a football player is blocking the door. Goldberg is back with a spear into the pipe and walks out for the win at 4:45.
Rating: C. There wasn’t much to see here with the football thing at the end making it feel more like a lame way to give Goldberg the win. Goldberg jumped Steiner before the match so it’s hardly like the pipe shot was some big means of cheating. This didn’t work, and while it was nice to see Goldberg win in the end, it felt rather cheap.
Overall Rating: C+. This was a good idea which didn’t really didn’t live up to its incredible hype. You had one really good match, but the rest was just a few ok brawls. Goldberg vs. Steiner was one of those pairings that worked very well on paper, but the results only worked once. That being said, it’s not like WCW was doing much at the time so this really was one of their best things around. Just watch the Fall Brawl match though and move on.
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I could swear Goldberg and Steiner had a singles match in ’98.
They had a few brawls but no official match just yet.