5 Reasons Why The Spear Is Goldberg's Best Finisher (& 5 Why It's The Jackhammer)
Goldberg is one of wrestling’s biggest legends. He was never the technical wizard that Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels was with a diverse array of complex moves at their disposal. On the contrary, Goldberg’s success—first and foremost in WCW, but also in WWE—mostly came down to two moves: The Jackhammer and The Spear.
Goldberg often used the Spear as a setup for the Jackhammer, not unlike Hulk Hogan delivering a big boot ahead of his leg drop or Randy Savage’s double axe handle before he dropped the big elbow. Each move was famous, though, and a signature part of Goldberg’s offense, each delivering him his share of victories. But which finisher is Goldberg’s best?
10 Jackhammer Is Better: The True Finisher
Goldberg has one of the most over spears in wrestling history. Indeed, he went a long way toward putting that move on the map as a bona fide finisher. The progression for so many of Goldberg’s wins, however, including the bulk of his signature undefeated streak in WCW, was hitting his Spear first, then the Jackhammer.
So, while the Spear remains over and a believable finisher for Goldberg, fans from Goldberg’s meteoric rise to the top of wrestling and his prime most associate the Jackhammer as his signature finishing move.
9 Spear Is Better: The Move Of Champions
The Spear wasn’t very well established as a finishing move across the wrestling landscape when Goldberg first arrived on the scene. Since Goldberg’s time on top, a number of elite talents have taken it on as their own. Roman Reigns is arguably the biggest full time active star today and it’s his finisher. Edge also used the move across his WWE run, arriving as a legitimate main eventer in his own right.
While there’s value in the Jackhammer being more uniquely associated with Goldberg, there is also something to be said for being the standard bearer for one of the most celebrated finishing maneuvers of the modern era.
8 Jackhammer Is Better: Defeating Hollywood Hogan
Goldberg hit the Jackhammer on a wide range of stars in WCW, but there’s no more noteworthy an instance than when he hit this finisher on Hollywood Hogan in front of a raucous crowd at the Georgia Dome. The moment was one of the most noteworthy in Monday Nitro history. All the more importantly, it delivered a rare clean victory Hogan and awarded Goldberg his first ever world title.
Goldberg doesn’t have all that many traditionally great wrestling matches on his resume, which makes his sensational moments all the more pivotal to his legacy. Hitting this move on Hogan may well have been the biggest single moment of Goldberg’s career.
7 Spear Is Better: Explosiveness
For as impressive as the Jackhammer is, there are few moves to have ever delivered the sheer explosive excitement of the Spear. Indeed, the phrase, “Fear the Spear,” became a key slogan for Goldberg in his heyday—a calling card for broadcasters to turn to, as well as a featured wording for Goldberg merchandise.
The Spear offered a highlight reel’s worth of moments for Goldberg as Goldberg has it in matches as well as brawls outside the ring. The man’s super human physicality made the tackle look totally believable in turning an enemy inside out.
6 Jackhammer Is Better: The Exclusivity Factor
Quite a few wrestlers have used the spear as a finisher or else as a transitional move to shift momentum in a match. There’s a reason for that. While not all spears are created equally—and Goldberg’s certainly looked more deadly than most—it’s nonetheless a move that most performers of reasonable mobility can execute.
By contrast, the Jackhammer requires tremendous physical strength. Like most power moves in wrestling, an opponent’s cooperation helps, but someone executing this move nonetheless has to have the strength to get a wrestler up, hold him, and transition into the power slam style finisher.
5 Spear Is Better: Works On Any Opponent
While Goldberg demonstrated his ability to hit the Jackhammer on a range of opponents of different shapes and sizes, there are limitations to it. For example, even in his prime, it’s hard to imagine Goldberg hitting a Jackhammer on Andre the Giant or Yokozuna.
Goldberg isn’t in his prime anymore. While he’s still most likely physically stronger than most wrestlers half his age, he nonetheless can’t be expected to execute many Jackhammers on men much bigger than himself at this point. By contrast, Goldberg’s Spear works on any opponent. While it may be most devastating opposite a smaller opponent who can sell it to the highest degree, a Spear from Goldberg remains convincing opposite pretty much anyone who can take a bump.
4 Jackhammer Is Better: WrestleMania 20
For a long time, WrestleMania 20 looked like the final chapter in Goldberg’s mainstream wrestling career. He left WWE at that point, seemingly in mutual agreement that the partnership hadn’t worked so well, besides which he wasn’t getting any younger.
Goldberg’s first WrestleMania match wasn’t exactly a highlight. With Brock Lesnar on his way out the door, too, the fans hijacked the bout leading to an awkward stall-fest that was far from the smash mouth battle originally anticipated. Nonetheless, the finish felt like at least a token of appreciation for Goldberg’s legacy as he hit his signature Jackhammer for the win. This, of course, wouldn’t actually be Goldberg’s last WWE match, but it was the last one from his physical prime and the main body of his career, making it historically important in its own right.
3 Spear Is Better: The Bret Hart Spot
Goldberg’s feud with Bret Hart had its ups and downs. The angle arguably arrived at its creative peak, though, in a promo segment. Hart wore a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey to connect with the local audience—already predisposed to favor him as a Canadian hero. Despite Hart ostensibly being the heel, the two stayed true to their characters and nonetheless served the live crowd with The Hitman goading Goldberg into going for a spear.
Goldberg was knocked out on impact, before Hart revealed a steel plate strapped to his mid-section, beneath the jersey. The spot was fun, interesting, and furthered the issue between the wrestlers nicely. Moreover, while Goldberg usually came across as a real life super hero, this one moment of being outsmarted by a crafty heel showed that he was fallible.
2 Jackhammer Is Better: Hitting It On The Giant
Executing power moves on the legitimate giants of wrestling has been a Hallmark of getting powerhouses over in professional wrestling. Goldberg pulling off a Jackhammer on The Giant--the man who would eventually become The Big Show--may not have been quite as impressive as Hulk Hogan body slamming Andre the Giant, but it nonetheless offered a truly unique spectacle and testament to Goldberg's super human abilities.
Goldberg would go on to hit this finisher on a lot of big men, but doing so on a performer with both the size and kayfabe credibility of The Giant was a big step forward in establishing Goldberg as a top tier player.
1 Spear Is Better: Spearing People Out Of Their Boots
In a famous early Goldberg spot, he nailed a Spear on Chris Jericho. At that point, Goldberg was already on his way to the top while Jericho was planted in WCW's mid-card. Nonetheless, the execution of this spot was iconic, with Jericho not only selling the impact with his own body, but having loosened his boot and kicking it off for an extra bit of showmanship.
This next level sell job for the Spear, and the performers to have pulled off similar antics since have added to the move's legend, making it an integral part of Goldberg's legacy.
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