We all know the story by now: Goldberg won the World Heavyweight Championship a month later than he should have. This is his first PPV defence and third televised defence.
Before the match, we get a recap of the last 2 months. Triple H put a $100,000 bounty on Goldberg. The same thing Harley Race did to Ric Flair in the lead-up to Starrcade 1983 (but it was $25,000 for that feud). Batista returned and Pillmanized Goldberg on the 20/10/2003 episode of Raw to collect the bounty
Triple H is out first, with Ric Flair by his side. JR mentions Triple H is 0-5 at Survivor Series. Goldberg makes his way out with his ankle taped up from the Batista attack. Triple H attacks as Goldberg gets in the ring, and they exchange right hands. Goldberg backs Triple H in the corner as he gets the best of it, but Triple H reverses an irish whip. I’m pretty sure the bell hasn’t rung to start the match yet, but Goldberg hits a Spear out of the corner anyway. Ric Flair has Earl Hebner distracted in the corner. Flair and Goldberg face off before Ric Flair chops at Goldberg; he might as well have tapped him on the shoulder, though. Goldberg punches Flair and sends him off the ropes into a backdrop. Flair is clotheslined over to the floor.
Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match, and Howard Finkel is our ring announcer
GOLDBERG © VS. TRIPLE H
WWE Survivor Series 2003 (16th November 2003)
The bell rings, with Triple H striking first out of the corner. Goldberg punches him back into the turnbuckles again and changes direction on his irish whip, sending Triple H into the corner and over the top rope to the floor.
Goldberg follows and bounces Triple H’s head off of the announce table, then the ring steps. Triple H is sent into the steps before they move to the security wall. Triple H’s head meets the top of the wall, and then he gets dropped chest-first across the top. Back in the ring, Triple H begs off before kicking Goldberg in the midsection, but he runs into a military press slam. Goldberg lifts Triple H overhead again but his ankle gives out. Triple H starts utilising chopblocks as Flair jumps on the apron. Triple H dumps Goldberg to ringside, Hebner watches Flair as he gets close to Goldberg. Flair goes to the apron again, keeping Hebner’s back turned as Triple H hits Goldberg’s taped-up ankle with a chair while it is on the steps.
It’s Triple H’s turn to keep Earl Hebner’s attention as Ric Flair sends Goldberg’s ankle into the ring post before Triple H brings it back into the ring. Triple H hits another chop block and works on Goldberg’s ankle near the ropes before Flair smoothers Goldberg from ringside. More ankle work before Triple H chokes Goldberg across the middle rope, using the 5-count. Goldberg is back to a vertical base, albeit on one foot. Triple H chops him in the corner, but Goldberg is able to fight back, taking the pressure off his injured foot and balancing in the corner. Triple H puts a stop to that. Using the tape for kicking practice. Goldberg rolls under the ropes, but Flair is right there, he drives his knee into Goldberg’s leg and stomps the shit out of his ankle.
Triple H brings Goldberg back in the ring, hitting the ropes for a knee drop and locking in a half boston crab. Goldberg reached out of the ring, with Lawler covering for him by saying he’s feeling so much pain he doesn’t notice the rope in front of him. Triple H drags Goldberg over to the corner from ringside, but Goldberg has enough strength in his bad leg to pull Triple H into the ringpost. Flair runs over for some quick coaching whilst Triple H makes it back to the ring, Goldberg is put in the corner, and Triple H wraps his leg around the ropes. Goldberg fights out with right hands and runs through Triple H with a clothesline. Triple H almost runs into a powerslam, but he escapes Goldberg’s shoulder and chopblocks the ankle.
Triple H calls over to Flair, saying the next move is for him. Goldberg kicks Triple H into the referee in the corner during his Figure 4 attempt, but Flair throws Triple H some brass knuckles. Triple H connects with the brass knuckles and covers, but Goldberg kicks out after a delayed 2 count. Triple H elbow drops the referee for selling and finds the sledgehammer. Goldberg meets Triple H with a boot before he can use it, though. Flair goes to the top rope, and it goes as well as it usually does in 2003, with Goldberg bringing him down to the canvas the difficult way. Goldberg looks at the sledgehammer and hits Flair in the ribs with it. Then, Batista and Randy Orton make their way out, but they also take a hammer shot to the midsection. Triple H knees Goldberg in the midsection, setting up for the Pedigree, but Goldberg backdrops out of it.
Goldberg throws the sledgehammer away and forgets about his injury, Spearing Triple H and hitting the Jackhammer for the win.
WINNER: GOLDBERG (STILL WWE World Heavyweight Champion)
This was a pretty good match, but nothing special for the main event of a Big Four PPV. Triple H was in his Ric Flair/NWA style cosplay era, and it showed when he was in control. Goldberg had to try to use his explosive power while keeping the weight off of his right foot as much as possible, which is no easy thing. It was nothing special, but it worked. [***] 5.5/10
After the match, Goldberg celebrates with the title belt in the ring as the fans chant his name.
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