Bill Goldberg, an unstoppable force in WCW, bulldozed through 173 opponents* during his first 552 days, claiming victories over legends like Sting, DDP, and Hulk Hogan. His meteoric rise was nothing short of legendary—until one night in El Paso changed everything. In a match that would make the undefeated Goldberg look mortal, William Regal stepped into the ring and altered the course of wrestling history. Here’s what really happened that night in El Paso.
Things got stiff between Goldberg and William Regal (then known as Steve Regal) when they faced off against each other on WCW Monday Nitro on February 9th, 1998, at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
Did you know this story is featured as a documentary episode on our YouTube channel? Hit play and follow along with the article below!
Goldberg’s Unbeaten Streak: The Meteoric Rise to 173-0*
Goldberg. Photo Credit: WWE.
Decimating competitor after competitor, Bill Goldberg built up an impressive 173-0* win streak during his first 552 days in WCW. Scoring wins over the likes of Meng, Curt Hennig, Raven, Scott Hall, The Giant (Paul Wight), Sting, DDP, and even Hulk Hogan propelled the unstoppable rookie to main event status. 231 days into his streak.
However, a competitor went out and made the monster look mortal on live television. That man? William Regal.
Here is how it all went wrong that fateful night in El Paso!
The Truth Behind Goldberg’s Legendary Streak
Goldberg lifting Perry Saturn above his head. Photo Credit: WWE.
You may have noticed that we put an asterisk* next to Goldberg’s 173-0 win streak figure on the second slide.
The streak is one of the most famous storylines in wrestling history, but the actual record isn’t as impressive as the one repeated on WCW TV at the time.
No one really knows what Goldberg’s actual record was across all televised WCW shows and untelevised house shows, but it’s generally accepted that 173-0 is an inflated number.
Wrestling fans have argued for years over Goldberg’s actual record, and a few of his peers have even admitted that the number was likely falsified as a way to make him look even more impressive.
According to WCW payroll documents, Goldberg wrestled a total of 159 dates before losing to Kevin Nash. Therefore his actual win count during his streak lands closer to the 120-0 to 150-0 mark.
What Went Down on February 9th, 1998: A WCW Monday Nitro to Remember
Tony Schiavone sets the scene before the match. Photo Credit: WWE.
February 9th, 1998’s episode of WCW Monday Nitro began with a recap of the jealousy-infused deeds of Hollywood Hulk Hogan from last week’s show.
The Steiner Brothers vs. The Outsiders (Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) (c) for the WCW World Tag Team Championship
Behind the booth were Bobby Heenan, Mike Tenay, and Tony Schiavone, with Dave Penzer on ring announcing duties.
With a card like that, the match-up of Goldberg and William Regal (then known as Steve Regal) could easily be overlooked. Nevertheless, it ended up becoming the most exciting match, and for all the wrong reasons.
The Match That Shook Goldberg: William Regal’s Unforgiving Test
Goldberg and William Regal before things take a turn. Photo Credit: WWE.
Regal made his entrance first, and as soon as the crowd heard the opening of Goldberg’s theme, they lost it.
It is never any less fascinating to see just how over Goldberg was during this time in his career. The “Goldberg” chants echoed out moments later. The bell then rang, and the onslaught began.
Regal was all over Goldberg the entire time. To his credit, that was the point of the match.
During the entrances, the commentary team said that “this will be the stiffest test for Bill Goldberg.” They weren’t lying.
Regal Speaks: Behind the Scenes of His Controversial Match with Goldberg
William Regal in WCW. Photo Credit: WWE.
In his book Walking a Golden Mile, William Regal lends credence to the idea that the match was supposed to be a real test of toughness for the Bill Goldberg character.
“Those were my orders for the match,” Regal wrote, “to go out and have a competitive six-minute match with him. He was to win in the end. We laid out this match in front of the people in charge.”
On how things went once the bell rang that night, Regal recalled, “I got into the ring, did one or two moves on him, and he did nothing back.
“I did one or two more with the same comeback from Goldberg: nothing. That’s how it went on.”
Regal continued, “I had to keep attacking him to keep the match going. I was opening myself up for him to retaliate, and he wasn’t taking the openings. I was even telling him to do this or that, and he just wasn’t doing it. I don’t know what his excuses were for the match. All I know is that he’s blamed me publicly for it.”
Goldberg Overwhelmed: A Legend Out of His Depth?
Things start to unravel during the Goldberg and William Regal match in WCW. Photo Credit: WWE.
In the match, Goldberg looked a bit lost and out of his element out there.
He had only been around the business for 231 days at this point but got pushed to the moon after minimal training. It would show plenty of times, and that seems to be what happened here.
Goldberg became overwhelmed by the offense and couldn’t get his head on right to realize he was being given chances to fight back. He had done mostly 90-second matches until that point, so this was unfamiliar territory for him.
The only real positive thing to say about Bill’s performance here is that he manages to hold his own on the mat with Regal at several points.
At one moment in the match, Regal grabbed a rope break and then kicked Goldberg in the face as he was pulling back. You can see Goldberg didn’t know what to make of it.
Goldberg’s Side of the Story: What Really Happened with Regal
Goldberg opened up about the William Regal incident on The Broken Skull Sessions with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Photo Credit: WWE.
The man himself, Bill Goldberg, obviously has his own version of the story, which holds more water than an outside observer. He was asked about it on June 23rd, 2016’s episode of The Steve Austin Show.
“How can you paint anything other than resentment on that match other than that?” Goldberg began.
“The office didn’t tell [Regal] to go out there and try to take advantage of me and beat up a guy who had no idea what was going on! Dude, ask Regal. I have no idea. I just know he tried to kick my face in a couple of times, and I was just giving him my face.”
Goldberg Challenges Regal: A Grudge That Lingers
Goldberg. Photo Credit: WWE.
Goldberg continued from there with, “At the end of the day, I still don’t know. It’s all good. He’s a shooter (a wrestling term that describes a wrestler with a legitimate fighting background).
“If that made him feel better, then fine, but I don’t get it. I’d love to scrap with him right now. It’d be beautiful.
“I’d have loved to at the time, too, had I known what he was going to do, but at the end of the day, it was resentment.”
Aftermath: The Fallout of Goldberg vs. Regal
William Regal locks in on Goldberg’s left arm. Photo Credit: WWE.
WCW was not exactly known for its positive culture, and their locker room has since been widely regarded as cut-throat and awful. Resentment from William Regal could have easily played a role here.
After all, he was coming off a 7-week suspension at the time. That said, Regal has never admitted that resentment was the reason behind what transpired in the ring with Goldberg.
Rather, Regal has held to the opinion that he was doing what he was told: go out there, have a competitive match, and set up a retaliated attack by Goldberg before taking the 1-2-3.
In the end, Goldberg misread his cues and got lost. A rookie mistake.
A Grudge That Won’t Die: Goldberg’s Lingering Resentment
The reality of the situation here though is that things did not go to plan between two men live on national television, and Goldberg has held a grudge towards Regal ever since.
Did William Regal, the now-beloved figure in wrestling, take advantage of a green wrestler? Was Goldberg simply unprepared for the match like posited? Many questions about this match remain, which is why this story has followed the two ever since.
The Nitro That Changed Everything: Goldberg vs. Regal
Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan on the February 9th, 1998 episode of WCW Nitro, the show that featured the memorable encounter between Goldberg and William Regal. Photo Credit: WWE.
Despite a star-studded lineup, the February 9th, 1998 episode of WCW Monday Nitro will be forever remembered not for Hogan’s antics or the Steiner Brothers’ victory but for the match where an unstoppable force met an immovable object—and faltered.
Goldberg and Regal’s infamous encounter remains one of the most talked-about moments in wrestling, a night where a legendary streak was shaken and a myth was momentarily shattered.
Pro Wrestling Stories is committed to accurate, unbiased wrestling content rigorously fact-checked and verified by our team of researchers and editors. Any inaccuracies are quickly corrected, with updates timestamped in the article's byline header.
Got a correction, tip, or story idea for Pro Wrestling Stories? Contact us! Learn about our editorial standards here.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy!
Joseph Finnegan, a longtime contributor to Pro Wrestling Stories, is a published author and produced screenwriter with a BFA in Creative Writing from Full Sail University. Recently, he starred in, co-directed, and co-wrote a feature film called Interstate that is coming to Red Bank, New Jersey on November 16th, 2024, at 2 PM. Get your tickets via the link above and support a talented independent filmmaker.
Author: 
