Richards Suggests WWE Undermined Goldberg Due to WCW Ties

Stevie Richards, a former WWE Hardcore Champion, posited on Thursday that WWE’s leadership may have intentionally set Bill Goldberg up for failure during his initial run with the company.

Goldberg rose to prominence in WCW throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s before transitioning to WWE in 2003.

He marked his debut on April 27, 2003, at Backlash by defeating The Rock. Prior to this match, a segment on RAW showcased Dustin Rhodes’ Goldust character placing a wig on Goldberg’s head as a comedic bit.

This moment was intended to inject humor and add depth to Goldberg’s otherwise serious character. However, Richards argued on his YouTube channel that WWE officials likely wanted the former WCW star to falter early on.

Richards’ Perspective

“The pre-taped backstage segment with Goldust diminishes Goldberg’s serious persona. The comedic timing isn’t right, and it weakens Goldberg’s image,” Richards explained.

“With all due respect to Dustin, that type of comedy was inappropriate at that moment. Goldust putting a wig on Bill wasn’t random; it was a deliberate act. It was a payback to Goldberg,” he added.

Richards was with WWE from 1999 to 2008 and lost his sole match against Goldberg on July 28, 2003.

Richards believes WWE decision-makers sabotaged Goldberg due to his WCW background.

“It’s about diminishing a WCW star. They weakened him initially and then attempted to rebuild him years later, after WWE had already tarnished his image. Fans didn’t forget that,” Richards concluded.