Great-ing Gimmicks of the Past: Goldust vs. Brian Pillman – WWF, 1997
History
This one started on July 14, 1997. On Raw, the Hart Foundation was psyching themselves up for the upcoming Summerslam pay-per-view. Bret Hart vowed to retire from wrestling in the United States if he didn’t win the title. Owen said he’d kiss Steve Austin’s rear end if he lost. The British Bulldog would eat a can of dog food if he lost to Ken Shamrock. Jim Neidhart said he’d shave off his beard if any of them lost. And Brian Pillman swore to wrestle in a dress if he lost to Goldust.
Two weeks later, Goldust began playing his mind games. While he was wrestling Rockabilly (better known these days as TNA’s Kip James), he had a mannequin at ringside wearing a dress. He and Marlena (Terri Runnels) had made it quite clear that was for Pillman after Summerslam. While Rockabilly went after Michael Moorer (a boxing champ at ringside), Pillman hit the ring, grabbed the dress, and started stuffing it down Goldust’s throat. Marlena jumped into the ring and somehow managed to pull him off.
That brought us to Summerslam, and we had a dress-wearing mannequin ready at ringside. It was obvious that Pillman was not ready for Goldust’s mind games. Goldust took an easy advantage in the opening minutes (even stealing a kiss). Pillman tried to go after Marlena on the outside, but all she did was lead him into a Goldust clothesline. After being rolled back into the ring, Pillman bailed again – this time using Marlena as a shield. From there the match went back and forth until Marlena clocked Pillman with her purse which allowed Goldust to score the win. As a parting shot, she shoved the mannequin into the ring with the fallen Pillman.
Raw opened with the Harts in the ring. Bret said that there was no way Pillman would wear the dress. A few more minutes of talk brought out the new WWF commissioner – Sgt. Slaughter. Slaughter immediately corrected Bret by saying that Pillman would wear the dress or be suspended.
Backstage, Slaughter was breaking the news to Pillman, who continued to refuse to wear the dress. Finally Slaughter gave up and simply ordered him to wear the dress every week until he got a win.
Goldust and Marlena were ringside for Pillman’s match against Bob Holly. Pillman had to be shoved out through the curtain by Slaughter to even start the match. As he fought Holly, Goldust and Marlena were having a blast at ringside. Pillman went out to confront them and got counted out. Oops.
The next week we were backstage again as Slaughter handed Pillman a dress (calling it wrestling gear) and reminded him that he’d be wearing it until he won a match.
When Pillman came out for his match, the announcers told us that Goldust was in trouble – apparently he’d planted the camera back there. Pillman was set to wrestle Flash Funk (2 Cold Scorpio), and took control of the match early on. The tables turned, however, when Goldust ran the footage from the locker room on the Titantron. Funk rolled up the distracted Pillman for the win.
The next week Pillman was taking on Jesse James (BG James from TNA). Pillman had the match well in hand until Goldust made his way out – and popped Jesse James, causing Pillman to lose by DQ. Pillman was furious. He demanded a rematch against Goldust – if Pillman lost, he’d leave the WWF. If he won, he got Marlena for 30 days. He then went on to insinuate that he was the real father of Goldust’s daughter. Marlena grabbed the microphone and accepted.
A week later, Raw was moved to Friday. Goldust defeated Salvatore Sincere, then Pillman showed up. He continued to rant about the rematch for the Ground Zero PPV, and also to keep claiming he was the father of Dust’s daughter Dakota.
The next Friday, Pillman continued his offensive. In an interview with Sunny (Tammy Sytch), he held up a maid’s outfit and said that he was looking forward to seeing Marlena in it.
That brought us to Ground Zero – and the rematch. Goldust was in firm control until Pillman grabbed Marlena’s purse and clocked Goldust with it. He covered and got the win, then grabbed Marlena and took off. The cameras followed as he left the building, threw her into his car, and floored it, leaving Goldust behind. Back in the arena, Jerry Lawler retrieved Marlena’s purse and opened it. Inside was half a brick.
The next night we had Pillman scheduled to take on Dude Love in round one of a tournament to decide a new Intercontinental Champion. However, Dude wasn’t able to get into the idea of that match, so he gave up his spot to Goldust (who had only half of his face painted). But there was no Pillman. Then the Titantron lit up with the Brian Pillman XXX Files – Pillman was in bed with a towel wrapped around him. He was smoking a cigar and holding up a black bra. He talked about how exhausted he was, and then promised part 2 later on in the night with a classic line, saying that nothing came between him and his Calvins, except Goldust’s wife.
In part 2, Pillman continued talking from the hotel room while the shower was running. Pillman talked more about how Marlena was in there waiting for him.
The next week we finally got the Pillman-Dude match. Pillman had Marlena with him. She had a short skirt, no underwear, and a nose ring. While Pillman was wrestling, Marlena tried to run to the back, but he hopped out of the ring and stopped her. Dude had the match won when Goldust ran in and attacked Pillman (which coincidentally gave Pillman a win by DQ). Pillman cleared out, grabbed Marlena, and ran out.
We had round 2 of the tournament on the following episode of Raw – Owen Hart vs. Pillman. Pillman came out with his arm in a sling and said he’d fallen in the bathtub thanks to Marlena, so he couldn’t wrestle. Sarge called shenanigans, and the match was on. Goldust hit the ring and attacked first Owen (to give Owen the DQ win), then Pillman.
A week later, Pillman’s video fun continued. He was in bed with Marlena, who had the covers pulled up to her chin. Pillman then said he wouldn’t wrestle Goldust unless he was handcuffed to the ring. It was also revealed that Dude Love had a match against Pillman at the upcoming Badd Blood. If Dude won, then Goldust got a no holds barred match against Pillman.
And that was that. Badd Blood was the following Sunday, and was marred by the fact that Brian Pillman had been found dead in his hotel room earlier that morning.
Rumor has it that the angle would have ended with Marlena turning on Goldust and staying with Pillman. Instead, Goldust wound up leaving Marlena, allying with Luna Vachon, and becoming the Artist Formerly Known as Goldust.
Analysis
This is really hard to do, as the angle ended so quickly. Pillman played the part of the deranged lunatic to perfection, and it was fascinating to see Goldust’s transformation from confident mind game player to heartbroken husband.
The build was strong, and it’s obvious to see that Dude would have somehow won the Badd Blood match, which would have then built up the no holds barred match, likely at Survivor Series, where, rumor has it, Marlena would have cost Goldust the match.
Even had things gone as rumored, it’s still hard to call what would have happened to Pillman after that. The Survivor Series ended with the Bret Hart incident, and it’s almost impossible to guess what Pillman would have done. Would he have jumped to WCW with Hart, Neidhart, and the Bulldog (even though he had hard feelings toward WCW management? Would he have stayed with the WWF (and let go of his loyalties to the other Harts)? Or would he have returned to ECW? There is no way we will ever know.
Where Are They Now?
Goldust wound up leaving the WWF in 1999 and went to WCW. He wound up returning to the WWF at the 2002 Royal Rumble, and was released again until December of 2003. In October, Goldust returned to the WWE to help Jonathan Coachman in his match against Batista (originally Steve Austin), and remains on the Raw roster today.
Marlena returned to her given name of Terri Runnels and remained with the WWE until 2004, by which point she had given up her managerial duties and become a backstage interviewer. In March of 2005, Terri gave an interview to the Red Hot Divas website where she said that she was finished with wrestling.
Brian Pillman passed away on October 5, 1997. His death was caused by a heart defect.
Next Week
We jump forward a couple of years to see Jeff Jarrett’s misogynistic side.
