Goldberg returned to WWE Raw, this week, to set up a dream match with World Heavyweight Champion Gunther. The WCW legend seemed to be lying in wait to challenge Gunther who insulted him last year in Atlanta at WWE Bad Blood.
With Gunther recently winning the World Heavyweight Championship, and WWE set for a Saturday Night’s Main Event special in Atlanta the timing couldn’t have been better.
Goldberg vs. Gunther happens on July 12, 2025. But is it a forgone conclusion that the WWE Hall of Famer will have one last championship run on his ‘last ride’?
We examine Goldberg’s previous short returns for some clues.
Since 2017, Goldberg has made 10 appearances in the ring for WWE. The most recent was a loss to Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia in 2022.
Four of these 10 matches happened in Saudi Arabia. Proving that WWE still sees Goldberg as a major attraction. However, the biggest trend in Goldberg’s returns is how long he sticks around.
2017: Goldberg Ends Kevin Owens
Goldberg returned to WWE in 2017 and beat Kevin Owens in 22 seconds for the WWE Universal Championship. It was one of WWE’s most shocking title changes and one that meant Owens wouldn’t get the privilege of walking into WrestleMania 33 as champion.
Instead, Goldberg met Brock Lesnar 28 days after winning the gold at WrestleMania 33. Lesnar won in just under five minutes. This would have seemed quick if it wasn’t for the speed he had won the title a month earlier.
Another Month-long Return in 2019
Goldberg made his first Saudi Arabian appearance when he faced The Undertaker for the first time at WWE SuperShowdown two years later.
“The Deaman” got the victory that night in just under 10 minutes. A month later, Goldberg boosted his ego with a 90-second victory over Dolph Ziggler. He then went back into hiatus.
Final WWE Universal Championship Victory
If fans felt down on Goldberg squashing Owens and Ziggler the way he did, they were close to quitting watching WWE when he won his last WWE Universal Championship.
Beloved Bray Wyatt was 119 days into his first WWE Universal Championship run as “The Fiend” when Goldberg decided he was next to get squashed. Less than three minutes after the bell rang for their match at WWE SuperShowdown 2020 in Riyah, the 53-year-old was the champion.
Goldberg must have been contracted to WWE for fewer than six minutes because 27 days later he lost the title to Braun Strowman in front of nobody at WrestleMania 36.
Goldberg The Challenger
In 2021, Goldberg made a whopping three appearances for WWE. At the Royal Rumble, he lost a WWE Championship match against the holder Drew McIntyre in two-and-a-half minutes.
Eight months later, Bobby Lashley held that title and willingly put it on the line to Goldberg at SummerSlam. Lashley won in seven minutes.
This reflected that the time of Goldberg coming back to WWE and defeating up-and-coming stars was over. Now, he was a former dominating warrior who couldn’t quite get the job done.
In October 2021, Goldberg scored his last victory in WWE when he beat Lashley – now sans title – at Crown Jewel in Riyadh. His final match, as previously mentioned – was the loss to Roman Reigns.
Goldberg vs. Gunther: What To Expect
So what have we learned? Goldberg seems to have lost the ability to win title matches in WWE. But his history of coming in and scoring quick wins shouldn’t be overlooked.
The now 58-year-old has gone on record to say he will have one final match in 2025. But we also shouldn’t forget that his returns typically involve two dates.
With SummerSlam coming a month after the Goldberg vs. Gunther World Heavyweight Championship match, it’s probably 50/50 that either man walk into New Jersey as champion.
The first-ever two-night SummerSlam means WWE would love to have another dream match on the show. Goldberg as World Heavyweight Champion certainly allows that to happen.
Either way, don’t expect the Saturday Night’s Main Event championship bout to last very long.
WrestleCinema: ‘Santa’s Slay’ Featuring Goldberg – Is It Good?
Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on WWE and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and Peacock (WWE Main Event as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube, and catch fast-paced action on X (WWE Speed).
