When Goldberg cost WWE Hall of Famer "$16 million in 2 seconds”
December 19, 1999. On this fateful night, Goldberg met Bret Hart in the main event of Starrcade, with the WCW World Heavyweight title on the line.
Hart regrets getting into the ring with Goldberg at the mega event, to this day. He wrestled a total of nine matches in WCW after this career-altering bout, and was then forced to retire due to a concussion that Goldberg's kick gave him. What exactly happened that night?
Goldberg vs. Bret Hart was a match for the ages
By the end of 1999, both Goldberg and The Hitman were two of the biggest names in pro-wrestling. Although WWE was comfortably trumping WCW in the weekly rating war at this point, many fans still had hopes that things would turn around.
Starrcade 1999 featured one of the biggest main events in the history of the show. The match between Goldberg and Bret Hart lasted just a little over 12 minutes and ended with Hart submitting the former with a Sharpshooter. Special official Roddy Piper awarded the victory to him, even though his opponent didn't tap out, in an ending that reminded fans of "The Montreal Screwjob".
At one point during the match, Goldberg hit Bret Hart with a kick to the head that eventually resulted in the former WWE Superstar getting a concussion. Check out the exact moment Hart's illustrious career ended, in the tweet below:
#OnThisDay in 1999: WCW Starrcade PPV: Bret Hart defeated in a no disqualification match to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title.
This was the kick that gave Bret Hart a concussion that would lead to the end of his career a few months later. https://t.co/4pIz9j49Es
Bret Hart has been quite vocal about Goldberg, ever since their Starrcade outing
Over the past two decades or so, The Hitman has opened up about that kick on various occasions. He isn't someone who minces his words, and made it clear that Goldberg's recklessness caused him millions of dollars.
“But, you know, I got hurt by Goldberg and he called me eight months after it happened and told me that he was sorry which, you know, really was irrelevant at that point. He never once called me after it happened or I don’t think he ever understood or I don’t know that he even does now or even cares that he cost me honestly cost me 16 million dollars in two seconds, and ended my career. And when I hear about Bill Goldberg going to Saudi Arabia and making three million dollars for a ten-minute match in Saudi Arabia, I go… You know, you think he would have called me up and said, here, I’m going to send you something for it,” said Bret Hart. [H/T ITR Wrestling]
Looks like Bret Hart and Goldberg have buried the hatchet !
Good to see ❤ https://t.co/2rMGXhhWAk
Hart made his in-ring return after 10 long years, at WrestleMania 26. He defeated Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred Lumberjack match at the event. Bret Hart went on to wrestle in several matches over the next one year or so, and also won the United States title on one occasion.
Goldberg had a memorable stint in WWE in 2003-04, which lasted exactly a year. He returned to action 12 years later, and still occasionally wrestles for the company. He has one more match left in his deal and is bound to square off with a big name in the coming months.