Goldberg

About

Professional wrestler, former NFL player, actor, and media personality known for rising to global fame during the late 1990s as one of WCW's biggest breakout stars due to his explosive in-ring style, his signature Spear and Jackhammer, and the legendary WCW undefeated streak which helped make him one of the most recognizable wrestling figures of his era. He is also known for being a multi-time world champion in both WCW and WWE including reigns as WCW World Heavyweight Champion, WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and WWE Universal Champion.

Before fame

He attended Tulsa Edison High School before enrolling at the University of Georgia where he played defensive tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1986 to 1989. He became a standout college athlete and earned AP First-Team All-SEC honors in 1989. He was selected in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams before eventually playing for the Atlanta Falcons and appearing in regular-season NFL games during the early 1990s. He also played for the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football where the team won World Bowl '92. He transitioned into professional wrestling after suffering injuries that ended his football career.  He trained at WCW's Power Plant training facility in the mid-1990s and made his official wrestling debut in 1997. He won the WCW United States Championship in 1998 before capturing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship later that same year.

Trivia

His mother created a hybrid orchid and named it after him in 2000. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 by Paul Heyman. He returned to WWE in 2016 and defeated Brock Lesnar in just 86 seconds at Survivor Series 2016 which was a match that reignited mainstream interest in his career. He is also known for his automotive passion and runs Goldberg's Garage which focuses on classic cars and restoration projects. He has been involved in philanthropic efforts such as co-founding Combat Crate in 2016.

Family life

His full name is William Scott Goldberg. He was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and grew up in a Jewish household. He was born to Jed Goldberg who was an obstetrician-gynecologist, and Ethel Goldberg who was a classical violinist. He was raised in the Jewish faith and has spoken publicly about observing religious traditions including refusing to wrestle on Yom Kippur. He married stunt performer Wanda Ferraton in April 2005, and they have one son together named Gage.

Associated with

He defeated Kevin Owens to win the WWE Universal Championship in 2017.