Steve Austin Reveals Why Dream Match With Goldberg Didn't Happen In 2003

During the blissful days of the Monday Night Wars, countless dream matches were concocted among wrestling fans. And top of the pile throughout 1998 and 1999 was one match and one match alone: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Goldberg.

While Austin became WWE's biggest babyface in 1997 after a seminal rivalry with Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Goldberg exploded into the public consciousness in 1998 after his unforgettable undefeated streak caught fire in WCW, leading to the former Atlanta Falcon defeating 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at the Georgia Dome in his hometown.

Austin vs Goldberg almost happened in a WWE ring

Fans of both WWE and WCW often dreamed up matches between Austin and Goldberg, theorizing who would emerge victorious from a bout between the two biggest babyfaces in the business. Then WWE bought WCW in 2001 and.....Goldberg was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, Goldberg was not brought into WWE until two years after WCW went out of business. The former WCW Champion would debut the night after WrestleMania 19, spearing The Rock to set up a match between the pair at Backlash 2003.

Unfortunately, Goldberg's debut occurred the night after 'Stone Cold' retired from the ring. But a match between the two was pitched around this time, as Austin revealed during a recent appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

"I think we pitched it when he first came in, but he wasn’t at the level that he needed to be. He had just come into WWF, and he needed to get going or get over first. He was certainly over from his WCW days. But yeah, you know, Goldberg just needed to put some time in WWF before we could go, and then it just never happened. Bill is a good friend of mine."
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

Austin's final match (well, until his comeback match against Kevin Owens 19 years later at WrestleMania 38) would take place at WrestleMania 19, against The Rock. Due to chronic neck issues, the Texas Rattlesnake called it a day after the match at Safeco Field in Seattle.

'Stone Cold' and Goldberg would share a ring at WrestleMania a year later, however. Austin would serve as the special guest referee for Goldberg's infamous bout with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20, at Madison Square Garden.

The former WCW Champion would emerge victorious that night in one of the worst-received matches in WrestleMania history, in front of a hugely hostile New York crowd. During his post-match celebrations, Goldberg ate a Stone Cold Stunner from Austin, but that's as far as any potential on-screen rivalry went.

Stone Cold Steve Austin | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

That night would be Goldberg's last in WWE until 2016. His initial run was widely panned, despite a World Heavyweight Championship reign. His run of fleeting returns from 2016 to 2025 fared far better, however.

Goldberg had standout matches with Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre and GUNTHER before retiring in June of last year.

Austin has huge respect for Goldberg

Despite one of Austin's closest friends and greatest opponents, Bret Hart, seemingly having nothing but disdain for Bill Goldberg, Austin explained during his interview with Chris Van Vliet that he has huge respect for the former WWE Universal Champion and the skillset he possessed during his prime years.

"Jesus Christ, I was on Instagram the other day and there was 90 seconds of Goldberg doing crazy stuff. Man, you don't realize, well I do, how strong and how explosive and how quick Goldberg was. Motherf**ker, he was just a beast."
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

Austin continued, "Matter of fact, it was him over in Japan. Doing those rolling tumbles, I don't even know what genre that would be, doing some sort of shoot wrestling that he does. Goldberg was a f***ing force. He was strong as s***."

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