Duane Gill (born July 10, 1959) is an American Professional Wrestler from Baltimore, MD best known for his work in WWE as Gillberg, a rip on WCW's Goldberg. He debuted in 1990 teaming with Barry Hardy as the masked Tag Team The Lords of Darkness (Pain [Gill] and Agony [Hardy]) in the independent scene. He arrived in WWE in 1991 and spent years as a Jobber. At Survivor Series 1998, he returned as Mankind's surprise opponent in the first round of the WWE World Heavyweight Title
Tournament. He was squashed, of course, but he unexpectedly caught on with the fans. He defeated Christian on the November 17, 1998 WWE Raw for the WWF World Light Heavyweight Title. He debuted in the Gillberg gimmick on the January 11, 1999 RAW. He lost the title to Essa Rios on the February 15, 2000 Sunday Night Heat. He returned again 2003 as part of The Rock's feud with Goldberg. He came back again for the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal on the December 15, 2007 Raw, and was the first one eliminated. He has also wrestled for years in the independent scene, particularly for Maryland Championship Wrestling. He retired on February 28, 2020.
Among his other in-ring achievements, The Lords of Darkness were the inaugural MEWF Tag Team Champions, he is a former NWA Jersey Light Heavyweight Champion, a former IWC (International Wrestling Cartel in Western Pennsylvania) High Stakes Champion, and he and Hardy were 2x ECPW (New Jersey) Tag Team Champions as The Executioners.
"TV Tropes, You're First!":
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: He was inducted into the MCW Hall of Fame in 2009.
- Boisterous Weakling: Tons of enthusiasm, no real strength behind it.
- Catchphrase: "Who's First?"
- Epic Fail:Every other wrestler in the ring teamed up to throw him out as soon as he entered the ring at the Raw 15th Anniversary Battle Royal.
- I Have Many Names: His own, Gillberg, Pain, Executioner #1.
- In-Universe Factoid Failure: Likely the result of Goldberg's Flanderization. After Gillberg missed the Spear in his debut match against Luna Vachon, Michael Cole said, "He only has one move." A clear dig at Goldberg, even though if anything, Goldberg is known for the many, many moves he does through his matches (if anything, the main criticism Goldberg gets is that "jack of all trades, master of none" is basically how his moveset could be described). It gets even more egregious when one considers that his Finishing Move actually consists of two moves, a Spear plus a Jackhammer.
- I Was Beaten by a Girl: Luna Vachon Squashed him in the gimmick's debut.
- Inverted Trope: The following would be played straight if he was Goldberg, but since he's Gillberg...
- Ramming Always Works: Using the spear in a match only ends badly for him. His debut match had Luna Vachon simply dodge the Spear due to her agility.
- Unstoppable Rage: He's always inexplicably enraged, but he can be easily stopped.
- Jobber: Despite being the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in company history, this is the role he mostly played in the WWE.
- Power Stable: Was part of The J.O.B. Squad, with Al Snow, 2 Cold Scorpio, Bob Holly and The Blue Meanie.
- Say My Name/Crowd Song: During his entrance the crowd (and his own theme music) chants... "Giiilllberg... Giiilllberg... Giiilllberg..."
- Screaming Warrior: Much like the actual Goldberg, but instead of making him look like a badass it makes him look like an unintelligible Cloudcuckoolander.
- Stylistic Suck: His entire ring entrance, where he does narmtastic poses while being sprayed with a fire extinguisher.
- Tag Team: The Executioners/The Lords of Darkness
- Take That!: His whole character is this to Goldberg. WWE waited until after Goldberg had suffered his first official defeat to introduce the parody.
- Too Dumb to Live: After Goldberg completely wipes the floor with the Rock’s security team during Raw 2003, Gillberg immediately attacks Goldberg (who no-sells his punches with a pissed expression on his face). The Rock luckily saves his ass and enters the ring to deliver a Rock Bottom on Goldberg.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: He won his retirement match.
