WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Goldberg (c) vs. Diamond Dallas Page
October 25, 1998
WCW Halloween Havoc 1998

Despite being a Bret Hart guy, I’ve always liked Goldberg. He might not have been a particularly good worker, but he came across as a unique act worth paying attention to. Case in point being his match with Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series 2016 – the best thing WWE has done in the last decade.

It’s a similar story with me and Diamond Dallas Page. I’m a DDP Yoga enthusiast, but during my time at university, I did a WCW rewatch and I came to appreciate his story of coming to wrestling late and making the absolute most of the talent he had at his disposal. 

This match is one I absolutely adore. DDP worked out a layout that would play to Goldberg’s strengths and give him arguably the best singles match of his entire career. It’s not a match driven by dynamic sequences or a long, slow burn to a phenomenal closing stretch. Instead, it’s a shorter sprint between two red-hot babyfaces where every interaction is made to feel big and is given time to breathe. 

Everything is allowed to matter from Goldberg throwing DDP out of the ring during a lock-up to DDP countering the first Jackhammer attempt into a Diamond Cutter. Backed up by arguably my favorite commentary trio of all time – Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay – this is a proper match gem.

Part of me has always wondered whether I hold this match in such high regard because the rest of the show, and particularly the preceding match, is an abomination. Watching it again here, though, reinforces that this is special in its own right and a fantastic Secret Santa gift.

Regarding who I think my gifter is, my initial instinct was The Captain, Rick Kraetsch. He’s done great work covering both Goldberg and Halloween Havoc on the Flagship Patreon this year, so this would be a logical recommendation. However, I’ll instead go with Lee Malone, co-host of the brilliant Days of Thunder podcast on the VOW Podcast Network.