They are two of the most imposing figures of the modern era. Triple H, the seven-time World Champion whose power, strength and willingness to dish out and endure pain is unmatched, has physically punished and defeated every Superstar who has been thrown his way. At this point in his career, his resume lacks only one thing: A victory over the phenomenon known as Goldberg.
Bill Goldberg is a force unlike any other. Five years ago, he took the sports- entertainment world by storm. He won his first 173 matches en route to becoming one of the most popular WCW wrestlers in history. The All-American nose guard from Georgia didn't just beat his opponents, he annihilated them. Now after being away from the sport for two years, he would like nothing better than to prove his worth by defeating "The Game."
It has become commonplace for journalists to compare today's great fights to titanic clashes of the past. Reporters constantly hype the next big match by loudly proclaiming, "This is Ali-Frazier all over again," or "It will be the biggest match since Hogan-Andre." But to do so not only minimizes the courage and historical significance of yesterday's gladiators and moments, it also reduces the impact of today's heroes.
Bill Goldberg and Triple H will fight each other. It may happen a week from now, a month from now, or several months from now. There is too much at stake for them not to meet: too much money, too much pride and too much public interest. And when they do square off, it will not be Ali-Frazier; it will not be Hogan-Andre; it will not be Austin-Rock. It will be Triple H and Goldberg. Two men in the prime of their careers, seeking to prove one thing: that he, not the other, is the best the business has to offer.
When the bell rings and the fight begins, neither will be worrying about his place in history. Neither will be worrying whether his performance measures up to anything in the past. To do so would cheapen their struggle, their quest to become the best, and just as importantly, leave them vulnerable to a singularly focused opponent. It would only invite disaster.
Memories are made when one isn't worried about making them. That is their beauty. The truly great ones are not manufactured by some wizard hiding behind a curtain. They are created when men and women rise to an occasion that could not have been predicted. When Triple H and Goldberg square off, memories will be made, but they will not be made because of their past or because some "expert" declares that this is the "fight of the century." They will be made because each of these great athletes will do anythingto prove that he, and not the other, really is the best in the business.
Both men have a lot in common: their strength, their will to win, and their love of competing and dishing out pain. They also genuinely dislike each other, and because of that, all bets are off as to what might ensue when the two face off.
For Goldberg, a victory over Triple H could erase the few doubts about his career. Yes, he won 173 matches in a row, and yes, he did at one time win the WCW Championship, but who did he defeat? Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and The Giant (a.k.a. Big Show) are all formidable opponents, to be sure. Perhaps more noticeable, though, are the names that are missing from the list of the conquered: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar. To be fair, it's not Goldberg's fault. He fought everyone he could. At that time, matches between WWE and WCW Superstars were unthinkable. Goldberg could only fight those within his own organization.
Still, talk to Goldberg, and you can sense how this knock on his record irritates him. "Look," he says, "I've never ducked anybody. And anyone who thinks that I'm afraid to get in the ring with someone doesn't know anything about me. As far as Triple H is concerned, I think it's quite evident how badly I've wanted this match. He's one of the reasons I'm back in the business. I've been wanting to put myfoot in his mouth for a long, long time, and I cna't wait to finally get the opportunity."
Triple H, too, sees Goldberg wanting this match very badly. When asked how long he has looked forward to facing Goldberg, "The Game" said the following: "I don't necessarily think it's a question of how badly I've wanted to get Goldberg in the ring. The question should be how bad has he wanted to get me in the ring. I've got nothing to prove to Goldberg. I've been here proving it since day one, while he's been in Atlanta beating up 200 nobodies and trying to say that he's the best. Bill Goldberg should be looking for me to try and prove something. If it comes down to a match between me and him, he's going to have to expect something completely different from everyone else he's ever faced in his career - because I'm actually good."
That both of their comments are filled with animosity should come as no surprise. Not only do they share a competitive fire, but a genuine dislike for each other, as well. A couple of years ago, both competitors attended a convention as representatives of their respective organizations. According to eyewitnesses, Triple H was sitting at a booth signing autographs when Bill Goldberg, standing 30 feet away, started hurling a bunch of obscenities toward "The Game."
Whether this was the start or the continuation of something that started earlier remains a matter of conjecture. Both men were reluctant to discuss the matter, but it appears likely that this incident has played a role in their desire to "shut the other up."
Another issue that separates the two concerns Goldberg's streak. Most followers of the business regard those 173 straight wins as one of the greatest accomplishments in this business. Goldberg doesn't like to talk about it, saying that he has neither the ego nor the perspective to put it in its historical place.
Triple H, however, makes it quite clear how he feels about the apex of Goldberg's resume. "I think Bill Goldberg has had a meteoric rise, but the flame that burns quick, burns out fast. I think what he did was rack up an impressive string of wins on nobodies. And it was documented. When I first came to WWE, I was unbeaten for a year. It's all relative. When you start getting tested by stronger and bigger talents, that's the proof. It's not beating a bunch of paper opponents. It's beating people that count. I don't know if Bill has had but one or two memorable matches against anyone with ability."
Whether one regards "The Streak" as the most impressive feat in recent times or a bunch of victories over propped-up nobodies, it should have little bearing on how the match itself will play out. Triple H is known for going the distance: 40, 50, 60 minutes, it doesn't matter. "The Game" has proven that he can go as long as it takes to get the job done. Goldberg, conversely, has rarely had to go more than 20 minutes. This sets up an interesting contrast and a fantasy warfare player's dilemma: Does Goldberg have to knock Triple H out in the first 10 or 15 minutes to win? Can Triple H survive Goldberg's initial onslaught, and if he does, will Goldberg break?
Triple H feels that this is exactly what will happen. "I don't think Goldberg has it in him to go past the five or ten minute mark," says the "Cerebral Assassin." "I don't think he has the ability or the heart. I'm not going to take anything away from him. I think he has impressed people with his violence. He is incredibly aggressive and powerful, but some-thing that he's got more than anything is the intimidation factor, and I don't fear him one bit. I've been in the ring with some of the most aggressive guys in the world. I've been in the ring with guys who are seven feet tall and weigh 500 pounds. I've been in there with the `Phenom, the Toughest S.O.B. in the Business, the `Most Electrifying Man' in this business - I've beaten them all. He can say he's intense; he can say he's violent; he can say all those things. It doesn't mean crap to me. He's like Mike Tyson. Remember when Tyson fought LennoxLewis? After Tyson spent everything he had in the first round, Lewis just ate him up. And that's the way it's going to go down."
But will Triple H be able to survive Goldberg's initial onslaught?
"Look," he continues. "I don't really know what Goldberg's capacity for understanding ring psychology and having a gameplan is. But from what I've seen of him, he's very basic in his attack, and that's very easy for me to take advantage of. But say he does Spear me. When I get up, how's he going to react? I think mentally it would be a big blow. When your mind starts to fail, your body's not far behind. Bill exerts a lot of energy in the very beginning of his matches. He's got a quick burst, and that's about it. Once you get by the quick burst, you can take him to school."
Goldberg has a very simple answer to Triple H's claims: "Let him feel my power, and then I'll listen to him. He has no idea how violent I can be. He or anyone else can talk about how much they've taken in the past, or who they've been in the ring with, but he's never felt anyone like me. He's a great champion and a tremendous athlete, but he has no idea what he's in store for. He's got a big mouth, and I'm going to shut it up."
All bravado aside, does this mean that Triple H would train for this match with the intention of employing some kind of rope-a-dope tactic, while Goldberg would throw caution to the wind and put all his eggs into the initial onslaught basket?
According to Triple H, it's not that complicated: "I prepare for all my matches the same way. I learn everything I can about my opponent. I train to be as strong, as fast and as prepared as I can be. I want to be the complete package out there. I don't want to be one-dimensional. The way I see it, Bill Goldberg's one-dimensional. I can do it all."
Goldberg, too, had a short, but very revealing answer: "I don't think I'd have to do anything too special. I train hard' for every fight, and of course this would be no exception. The one thing I know I'll do differently is that I'm going to hold in my anger a lot better before the match than I have in the past. I want to save it all for the right moment. Save it all for him, and make him regret every time he's opened up his big mouth and said something derogatory about me. He may think he can get inside my head. He only makes me angrier."
So is it a place in history or simple hatred that drives these men's desire to vanquish the other? The short answer is that it is not an either/or situation. There is no doubt that each takes tremendous pride in his work and that they realize - whether they want to admit it or not - a victory over the other would mean a lot to their legacy. At the same time, the personal animosity pervading this matchup adds more than just a little fuel to the fire.
"He's just another guy standing in the way," states Triple H. "If Goldberg wants to make it personal, it will be worse for him. I don't need to hurt him, I don't need to end his career, I just need to beat him. I need to show the world that I am better than he is. If he wants to take it one more step, I'm very good at hurting people. Ask Shawn Michaels. Ask Mick Foley - I put him out of the business. These are pretty tough guys.
"The one thing Goldberg has to realize is that this isn't going to be a toy fair. He's not going to be able to remain 30 feet away from me and shout stuff with all these people between us and think that he's scaring the world. I think that Bill Goldberg by sheer virtue of coming to the big dance has bitten off more than he can chew. Now that he wants to come after `The Game,' I know he's bitten off more than he can chew."
When asked whether he looked at this match as a career-defining moment, Goldberg offered the following in response: "Let me make this very clear. I don't go into any particular match thinking that this is the one that is going to validate my career. It's like this: I want to be the best, and he's in my way. I've got to take care of business and show him what I'm all about. I don't fear him, and I don't like him. If he thinks that I'm just another guy or just another stepping stone to his becoming the best in the business, then all I can say to him, is good f***ing luck. Let him say that after I'm through with him."
Sidebar:
When handed the task of breaking down the potential clash of titans between Triple H and Goldberg, even our resident experts were reduced to a great deal of hand-wringing. How can one be expected to definitively pick a winner in such an epic contest? Rather than ordain one man the better of the two-we'll leave that to Triple H and Goldberg themselves-we instead broke down the key strategies and counter tactics that these two all-time greats might employ if and when they finally step between the ropes to settle this bitter rivalry.
Greatness Is the Only Certainty
The answer to who will win this confrontation can only be decided by the two combatants themselves, but this hasn't stopped the public and pundits from analyzing every last detail of this potential matchup. Both expert and layman are split pretty evenly, believing that it will come down to Goldberg's opening fury versus Triple H's stamina and ring psychology. The conventional wisdom is that if Goldberg is to win, he's going to have to knock out Triple H early, and if "The Game" is to win, he's going to have to take the match well into the second half-hour.
After spending some time with both Superstars, however, I Would not be surprised to see something very different unfold. Both men know what the public perceives to be their weaknesses. They have also professed to me that they really don't care what others think about their "supposed weaknesses," their chances of winning, or what they have to do to win. I believe them, but I also believe that it bothers Goldberg that some think he can't go the distance, and it bothers Triple H that some believe he can't match Goldberg's power and intensity for even a short amount of time.
I believe this match will unfold with a reversal of roles, and neither will fool the other. I see Triple H taking the action to Goldberg and looking to finish him off in record time. Accordingly, Goldberg will employ a counterpuncher's strategy and try to keep his distance for the first few minutes. Neither will be successful, and the end result will lead to a level of frustration that neither man has ever experienced in the ring.
At this point, I expect the match to turn into a bloodbath. With all the great athletes on the WWE roster, it's easy to forget how strong Goldberg and Triple H really are. And with the frustration of having their attack plans foiled, added to the intense hatred that they already feel for each other, all bets would be off.