Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 90: Steven Regal vs. Goldberg (Nitro 2/9/98)

One of the best car crash matches in history as a heavy and substance abusing Regal refuses to wrestle the Goldberg formula match, so we get a strong style hold based match with little cooperation. I love it!

How many ways can I state how much I love this match. Regal is throwing semi-shoot kicks to Goldberg’s back within the first thirty seconds. They do a lot of tough hold exchanges while not on the same page, and it results in Goldberg having to really work to make himself look good. He’s totally up for the challenge and looks very capable in there, especially for how inexperienced he was at this point. Regal uses some nasty kicks and Euro uppercuts in this one, and Goldberg eats them and keeps coming. Regal is constantly trying to ground the big man, and at one point does a sit judo take down-like maneuver.

This is two tough guys going at it and having to really work their way out of stuff. It’s not what was supposed to happen, but it’s better for Regal’s stubborn ways.

The crowd doesn’t know how to take this, so they sit in shocked silence while Regal refuses to run the ropes for Goldberg, and they muscle their way around each other. Stuff gets sloppy because of the lack of cooperation in here too, as neither man sells at times and Regal even does clinch knee strikes to the head (way before MMA popularized this).

At some point Goldberg gets pissed and takes charge, getting in some of his offense. His spear is pretty sick, and the fans pop huge for that and the subsequent Jackhammer. A beautiful five minute mess. 2 ½ and 5/10.