On December 19, 1999 at Starrcade, Bret Hart faced Bill Goldberg in a match that would arguably end Bret’s wrestling career.
Over the years, it’s escalated to the point where fans have called Goldberg out for intentionally injuring Bret. Bret has stated that Goldberg hit him as hard as he could, and that hasn’t helped the optics of it, but it’s understandable for Bret to feel that way.
Did Bill Goldberg Purposely Injure Bret Hart at WCW Starrcade 99?
Goldberg has repeatedly said he’s sorry for injuring Bret, but it’s something Bret hasn’t been able to move beyond completely.
The heartbreak is still apparent with Bret, and considering what he lost to the wrestling industry (Owen’s death), this seems to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back for Bret.
But did Goldberg do it on purpose? We don’t think so, and we’ll explain below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc-EPF2WY8M
Bull in a China shop
There’s no arguing that Goldberg was pushed to the moon as he had everything at the time and was a force in WCW, but was he really ring ready?
Early on, Goldberg was stiff and there are multiple complaints that he injured people in the ring, but given his size and explosiveness, it seems to be more based on the fact he was still very green when he was thrust into the spotlight.
In this case, it looks like it came down to a series of mistakes on Goldberg’s part.
We know about the kick and it’s a testament to wrestling that a real kick will drop someone cold instead of the dramatic clap and reaction we’re used to seeing.
Earlier in the match when Bret went to put the figure four on Goldberg around the ring post, Bret told him to hold onto his leg. Goldberg didn’t and Bret’s whole weight came down and he hit his head on the floor.
When the kick happened, Bret said in his book Hitman that Goldberg called out “Kick!” after whipping Bret into the ropes and he tried to defend himself but it wasn’t enough.
Bret worked matches where they usually planned everything out before hand, and Goldberg wasn’t known for mule kicks, so that’s another factor to consider.
This was further corroborated by Disco Inferno on Keepin’ It Real podcast with Konnan.
It’s almost like a perfect storm for Bret, and after the match he didn’t seek medical aid and kept wrestling because that’s what they did back then. If you weren’t on the road, you weren’t making money and you could lose your spot.
Following Bret’s stroke, it’s believed that match with Goldberg started the end to Bret’s career.
Unfortunately, injuries happen in wrestling and at that time little was known about the severity of concussions like it is today. It’s an important fact to remember whenever we look back and judge something. Looking through the lenses of the current day is misleading.
What do you think? Were Goldberg’s actions intentional or nothing more than a couple of mistakes he made? Let us know in the comments below.
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