TULSA, Okla. — One of Oklahoma's many famous athletes is a man of many talents but is best known for his professional wrestling career that spanned more than two decades.
Bill Goldberg, born in Tulsa on Dec. 27, 1966, played football at Edison High School.
Goldberg took the next step in his football career by going to the University of Georgia to play defensive tackle in 1987.
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Goldberg in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL Draft.
His professional football career was cut short by injury, bouncing around between the NFL and CFL before retiring from the sport completely.
Goldberg credits longtime wrestlers Lex Luger and Sting, who saw him working out and rehabbing his injury, for pointing him to the ring.
Going by "Bill Gold" in his first handful of matches, Goldberg started his World Championship Wrestling career in 1996.
By March 1998, he was going by Goldberg in WCW and tore through the program's elites on his way to a 173-0 unbeaten streak and WCW World Heavyweight Championship that year. The next year, he'd team with wrestling legend Bret Hart to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.
After the sale of WCW to the World Wrestling Federation, Goldberg had a short stint wrestling in Japan before returning to the U.S. under contract with WWF — now dubbed World Wrestling Entertainment.
Feuds with the likes of Triple H and Brock Lesnar, along with more World title runs, powered Goldberg's stardom to a place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
He continues to make appearances for the WWE and occasionally makes his way onto television and film screens.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
