In a recent interview with Insight with Chris Van Vliet, ex-WWE referee Mike Chioda shared his experience of officiating the match between Goldberg and The Undertaker at WWE Super ShowDown 2019 in Saudi Arabia.
“I mean, you know, the travel was brutal, Chris. I mean, it was brutal. We get to Saudi Arabia. I remember we got in the night before. Everybody was on a totally different timezone sometimes jetlag kicks in, like the day later, when these long trips occur and stuff. And I remember, you know, we just didn’t go [home], we came off a TV and we did this and we had to go to Saudi might have come off some live events, probably that weekend into TV then in Saudi. So we got to Saudi Arabia. And I remember like, you know, people weren’t really getting to sleep like you didn’t get in there at 9 10 o’clock. Okay, I’m getting ready to go right to sleep just slept a lot on a plane. Time Zones are different. I remember was about 125 degrees. And I remember we went out to the malls didn’t open till nine o’clock at night. And a lot of stuff, it was just not even colder. But it was maybe about 100 degrees at night. So it was just, you know, the sun went down. And that’s when people went to work, construction and stuff like that their hottest time of the year. So I remember we you know, a lot of us didn’t get good sleep.”
“We get to the arena. We’re there all day. Taker, I believe we went on at like midnight. And I remember going through the locker rooms it’s like 9 10 o’clock, you know, the show was going on for a while. Everybody was sleeping in the locker rooms passed out because of the jetlag everybody was tired, man. So I know we were exhausted. Totally going into midnight. I was, Taker I’m sure of it. But you know, Taker and some people were always saying like, you know, Goldberg came out of dressing room. He was hitting his head on it on the thing, but I was in the ring at the time. So and I didn’t see you know, they showed a little gash when he came out. But Goldberg was fine to me because when he came in the ring, he called the whole match back to me, you know, when he got in the ring, because Taker this phenomenal entrance. It was an awesome entrance. Of course, it takes like 10 minutes, which was you know, that’s one of the best entrances in wrestling my opinion. So, I mean, and he called me and he goes, Hey, let me call this back to you. And I’m like, okay, cool, you know, and he just gave it was one of the best spots, two spots and it was cool. I wanted to hear it too. So I made sure I had everything straight. Nothing changed before the match. Yeah, so everything was good until he hit that turnbuckle and in the post. You know, and then it just went on down from there, man.”
Chioda talked about how scary the botched Jackhammer was for him during the match:
“That was scary, real scary man and you know if you watch that match back again when Taker at the finish on the end of that match he’s just sitting up looking around p*ssed like just kind of looked upset, you know, frustrated because I know Taker got jammed up a little bit too you know, it almost like he went out of character right there. You know, it wasn’t in his normal Undertaker character. He just had a lot on his mind. He was just looking around. I’m just sitting on the outside of the ring going Oh, sh*t, man he’s p*ssed. Like, thank God, everything worked out. You know, like everything we got through that night. I remember trying to talk to Gorilla going, what do I do? You know, what do I do, man? Do I stop it? He’s getting worse. He’s getting worse. He’s getting worse. Billy’s like standby Chioda I’m like, guys, let me know. He’s just he’s getting worse. Because he didn’t come off the rope. He was on that rope one time he wouldn’t come off, he would like, yo-yo, when he first asked me it’s like, I’m okay. I’m okay. But then he just started getting worse, you know, as the concussion really kicked in. And I didn’t hear anything from Gorilla at that point. I’m thinking holy sh*t. Like, I know, they paid us a lot of money to be here. I know. They paid the talent I think a lot of money. I think Goldberg got a couple million. This one got this. I got my 200 You know, you know, but it was like, you know, they paid us a lot of money.. I gotta finish this, like the old-school way. You know, and he did finish it barely, you know. And that man’s leader of the ring man, he’s The Godfather of business. So anybody to be in there with? It would be Taker, that’s for sure.”
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The WWE Super ShowDown 2019 in Saudi Arabia was an event that will be remembered for various reasons. One of the most talked-about moments from the show was the match between Goldberg and The Undertaker. In a recent interview with Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE referee Mike Chioda shared his experience of officiating that match and shed light on the challenges faced during the event.
Chioda started by discussing the grueling travel schedule leading up to the event. He mentioned how the long flights and time zone differences took a toll on everyone involved. Upon arriving in Saudi Arabia, the extreme heat added to the discomfort. Chioda recalled how the temperature reached 125 degrees during the day and around 100 degrees at night. Despite the exhaustion and lack of sleep, the show had to go on.
The former referee then described the atmosphere backstage before the match. He mentioned that many wrestlers were sleeping in the locker rooms due to jet lag and fatigue. Goldberg, however, seemed focused and ready for the match. Chioda recalled how Goldberg called the entire match back to him in the ring, ensuring that everything was in order before they started.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Goldberg hit his head on the turnbuckle and the post. Chioda admitted that it was a scary moment for him, as he witnessed both wrestlers struggling to continue. He mentioned how The Undertaker seemed visibly frustrated and out of character during the match. Chioda was concerned about what to do and sought guidance from his colleagues backstage. Ultimately, he decided to let the match continue, as he felt obligated to finish it given the amount of money invested in the event.
Despite the challenges faced during the match, Chioda expressed his admiration for The Undertaker’s professionalism and leadership. He referred to The Undertaker as “The Godfather of business” and acknowledged that being in the ring with him was an honor.
The interview with Mike Chioda provides a behind-the-scenes look at the difficulties faced by the wrestlers and officials during WWE Super ShowDown 2019. It highlights the physical and mental toll that such events can take on individuals, as well as the dedication and commitment required to deliver a memorable performance.
In conclusion, the match between Goldberg and The Undertaker at WWE Super ShowDown 2019 will be remembered not only for its botched moments but also for the challenges faced by those involved. Mike Chioda’s account sheds light on the demanding nature of professional wrestling and the resilience of its performers.