Who Did It Best is a weekly column where we take a look at two or more wrestlers who use the same finishing maneuver, be it a grapple or running move, or a submission hold. As we break down the move’s origins, and what each wrestler accomplished while using it, we come to a conclusion on which superstar did it better. This week, the Spear is featured.
Move: Spear
Innovator: Unknown
Other Known Names: Double Leg Takedown, Shoulder Block, Gore.
Unlike the Sasori-Gatame, the innovator of the Spear can be attributed to several wrestlers, spanning decades. In analyzing the move itself, a Spear is the combination of a running shoulder block, followed by a double leg takedown. The move can be seen in your average football game, when a member of the defensive squad sacks the quarterback. It’s simplicity gives the impression that it can be an easy maneuver to take on, but the timing and coordination needed to perform this move can make or break its effectiveness. Bill Goldberg was one of the first wrestlers to bring the Spear to the main-stream, on a national broadcast. Hacksaw Jim Duggan‘s running shoulder tackle is considered a predecessor to the Spear, adding the showmanship side to a running tackle by prepping himself in a corner and running at his opponent with a full head of steam.
At Wrestlemania 2, The Fridge was in a 20-man battle royale and was a big fan favorite. As the Hart Foundation, consisting of Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart, threw Fridge from out of a corner, the big man got back to his feet and charged at both men, knocking the tag team over the rope (but did not eliminate them). Fridge then lined up with Big John Studd, but was unfortunately tossed over the top rope. His running charge was no more a spear than Duggan’s shoulder tackle, but it’s often referred to when discussion of the Spear’s origins spark up. Gorilla Monsoon also referred to a shoulder tackle as a Spear during the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage showdown at Wrestlemania 7.
In today’s era of wrestling, the Spear is performed as follows: The wrestler delivering the move has distanced himself from his downed opponent, awaiting for him to make his way back to his feet. The wrestler is in a hunched over stance, preparing to deliver the blow, and once the opponent is back up and turns around, the wrestler charges at his opponent and lunges towards him, pressing his shoulder into the sternum of the opposing wrestler, and bringing him to the ground. The importance of the delivery lies on both the wrestler giving it and the wrestler taking it, as perfect unity is needed to make the maneuver look flawless.
The move has been used by several wrestlers since it’s creation, including the likes of the Rated R Superstar Edge, The Big Show, Bobby Lashley, and Roman Reigns, among others.
In today’s debate of Who Did It Best: the Spear, we bring forward the two superstars that became infamous for it’s rise in popularity, Bill Goldberg and Rhino.
RHINO – GORE
With his running powerslam used as a finishing move, the Gore didn’t come into fruition until September of 1999, when Rhino traded in his red singlet for the black one that wrestling fans have familiarized with. The Gore was not originally a set-up spear, but more of a shoulder block into the opponent while they were in the corner. Still, a move that was recognized by Joey Styles as “The Gore by Rhino”, while not a finishing move at the time, was a maneuver that was seen as a signature of Rhino’s, a power move that was used to set-up for a finish to the match.
The move that wrestling fans know as The Gore materialized in late-1999, when Rhino started a program with ECW favorite, Sandman. The two engaged in brutal, bloody battles, full of table spots and weaponry. Instead of his normal set-up, which saw Rhino hitting a corner spear to his opponent, Rhino himself set-up in a corner and awaited his prey. When Sandman turned to face Rhino, he was met with a vicious spear, sometimes through a table that was set up in the opposite corner from Rhino’s starting point. The move, from that point on, became notorious. Fans cheered on vigorously, Joey Styles created the infamous “GORE! GORE! GORE!” call, and the rest is history.
After a lengthy chase for his first taste of ECW championship gold, Rhino defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri at ECW Cyberslam in 2000. Following a heated promo, where Tajiri was threatened with losing his job if he did not forfeit the Television Title to Rhino, Tajiri refused, and instead was forced to defend the championship. Rhino delivered a vicious Gore and two Rhino Drivers to put away the Japanese star. Rhino’s four-month reign with the championship saw him put away big names like The Sandman, Rob Van Dam, and Jerry Lynn. He would drop the title to Kid Kash in August of 2000, but would quickly recapture it two weeks later.
At the Guilty as Charged PPV in 2001, Rhino defeated The Sandman for the vacant ECW World Heavyweight Championship. The Gore had put away Sandman, and later, Sandman once more, and Spike Dudley, in successful championship defences. In the same year, Rhino was named into the PWI-500 as the 10th best wrestler.
During his WWE run, Rhino used The Gore to put away big names like Big Show, Chris Jericho, Kane, and even John Cena, capturing the Hardcore Championship three times, and the WCW United States Championship once (during the Invasion era). His TNA run saw him capture the World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Jeff Jarrett at Bound For Glory in 2005.
GOLDBERG – THE SPEAR
A former defensive tackle in both the NFL and CFL, Bill Goldberg was the first ever player to be cut by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, after suffering an injury that separated his lower abdomen off his pelvis. After being unsuccessful in his attempt to return to football, Goldberg turned to the sport of professional wrestling. Training and learning Mixed Martial Arts, Goldberg was discovered by Sting and Lex Luger, who both urged him to wrestle.
After a few dark matches, Goldberg made his television debut on Nitro on September 22nd, 1997, a winning effort against Hugh Morris, however, it wasn’t until his match against Scotty Riggs when the Spear was first used. From that point on, Goldberg utilized his signature Spear/Jackhammer combination, putting away the likes of Steve McMichael, Glacier, Disco Inferno and Fit Finlay. His unique combination of strength and sheer athleticism quickly put Goldberg over with the WCW audience. He could military press a near-300 pound opponent, and then perform a hand-spring back-flip, just to demonstrate his flair.
A two-time WCW Television Champion, it’s surprising to some that Goldberg only held on to the World Heavyweight Championship once in his career, which lasted five months. Throughout the Championship run, and before that, Goldberg registered an illustrious record of 173-0, before losing the Championship — and the streak — in a match against Kevin Nash. the streak itself has had its legitimacy questioned, thanks in part to a good percentage of wins coming from Goldberg interrupting a random match, spearing both competitors and pinning them, despite not being a legal participant.
Goldberg’s final record in WCW was an astounding 188-11-22. His Spear put away the biggest acts in the company, from Bret Hart to Scott Steiner, from his Nitro victory over Hulk Hogan, to his various title defenses against The Giant, DDP and Curt Hennig. Goldberg even put away the two wrestlers that discovered him, in Luger and Sting. All of this, thanks to the Spear.
His WWE run may have been short-lived, but in just 11 months, Goldberg opened with a victory against The Rock at Backlash, in 2003, and ended with a Wrestlemania victory over Brock Lesnar, in 2004. During this time, Bill managed to capture his first and only World Heavyweight Championship under WWE ruling, defeating Triple H. The likes of Chris Jericho, Kane, Ric Flair, Randy Orton and Batista all attempted to stop Goldberg, but were all met with a thunderous Spear and a crushing Jackhammer.
WHO DID IT BEST?
Both Rhino and Goldberg have a similar set-up to their version of the spear, starting in the corner, hunched over in anticipation for the delivery. The stance allows the crowd to get behind them, and recognize that the end of the match is near. While both men run towards their opponent, the similarities end there.
Goldberg opts to lunge towards his opponent, wrapping his arms around the wrestler in a full spear, crashing alongside his foe. Rhino’s technique is different in this case, using his smaller stature and wide frame to explode into the opponent, performing more of a jumping shoulder block to the abdomen of his opponent. On the technical side, it’s on the sloppier side, but utilizes his full weight to take down his opponent, Rhino’s spear appears to be more explosive.
The record of these two wrestlers is incomparable. No wrestler can ever touch the (somewhat disingenuous) streak held by Goldberg, but on the other hand, Rhino put on a tear in ECW, defeating some of the top names, despite never being the face of the company. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Goldberg was one of the poster boys for both WCW and Wrestling in the late 90s. Not only was he Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year in 1998, he was also dubbed the Most Inspirational Wrestler and was ranked #2 in the PWI-500, the very same year.
Who did it best? Hard to go against Goldberg in this case. Defeating bigger names, holding on to bigger Championships on grander scales, and a Wrestlemania victory over a big name like Lesnar, all while using his infamous Spear, put him at the top of the pack of the masters of this maneuver, and it’s not even close.
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