{"id":127568,"date":"2024-10-09T10:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T14:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=127568"},"modified":"2024-10-09T03:23:36","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T07:23:36","slug":"wwe-return-goldberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/10\/09\/wwe-return-goldberg\/","title":{"rendered":"Going for the Goldberg: What Does a WWE Return for Goldberg Look Like?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><em><strong>WWE Bad Blood<\/strong><\/em> in Atlanta was bookended by two stellar visual moments: the Hell in a Cell match between <strong>CM Punk<\/strong> and <strong>Drew McIntyre<\/strong> and <strong>The Rock&#8217;s<\/strong> stare-down with <strong>Roman Reigns<\/strong> and <strong>Cody Rhodes<\/strong>. Most of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/10\/05\/wwe-bad-blood-2024-results-highlights\/\" target=\"_self\">the show<\/a>, outside of that, was totally missable and relatively predictable, except for<strong> Goldberg<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bill Goldberg and his family, including his &#8220;glowed-up&#8221; son Gage, went to the show presumably because it was in Georgia, where he was and still is quite popular. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He got involved in yet another <strong>Gunther<\/strong> promo, where the world champion admitted he lied to <strong>Bret Hart<\/strong> about <strong>WCW&#8217;s<\/strong> powerhouse being his favorite wrestler. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">After insulting his family, Goldberg jumped the barricade and tried to start a fight. This segment was almost certainly just for the fans in attendance. If, though, <strong>TKO<\/strong> was interested, what does a <strong>WWE<\/strong> return for Goldberg look like?<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">GUNTHER just called out GOLDBERG at <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WWEBadBlood?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WWEBadBlood<\/a>! <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AOv2Xj5dGd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/AOv2Xj5dGd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 WWE (@WWE) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WWE\/status\/1842717924080914928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 6, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Return for Goldberg to Tackle Gunther<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The direction that makes the most sense as of right now is, and always will be, a match with Gunther. The rationale for this matchup is twofold. Firstly, Gunther has now invoked Goldberg&#8217;s name twice <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/10\/07\/wwe-bad-blood-directions-wwe-post-ple\/\" target=\"_self\">after <em>Bad Blood<\/em><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That puts him danger close to saying it three times. At three, the rules of life and wrestling demand Goldberg respond. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Secondly, Gunther <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">was long rumored<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to have a star-making match, and presumably a win, over <strong>Brock Lesnar<\/strong>. The Brock match is unlikely, given his ties to the ongoing cases against <strong>Vince McMahon<\/strong>, and in my personal opinion, should never happen. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The next best thing to defeating the Beast Incarnate is to take out his WCW mirror in Goldberg. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar: Survivor Series 2016 on WWE Network\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fcoq3_02AR8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Gunther is already a well-established act on <em><strong>WWE Monday Night Raw<\/strong><\/em>. Additionally, he somehow gets better each week, which didn&#8217;t seem possible when he won the title. Still, Goldberg is one of wrestling&#8217;s biggest stars from its most prominent era culturally. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He may not have the moves for the modern era, but &#8220;aura,&#8221; for an unfortunate lack of a better word, transcends time. Beating Goldberg would still matter for Gunther. Getting a win off a Hall of Fame star as champion plays well into his character. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The overconfident ring general would become insufferable. That makes for good television. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Phantom Payback From the Wyatt Sicks<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This may amount to nothing more than a revenge fantasy. There are numerous reasons a WWE return for Goldberg flies with fans like a lead balloon. One of the biggest was his unbelievable championship victory over &#8220;The Fiend&#8221; <strong>Bray Wyatt<\/strong> in a tragically poor match. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That match proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Goldberg was out of touch and was part of a long string of matches that painted the legend as out of step (and out of breath) in the ring. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The late Bray Wyatt never <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">truly<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> recovered from that moment, either. <strong>Bo Dallas<\/strong>, as <strong>Uncle Howdy<\/strong> and <strong>The Wyatt Sicks<\/strong>, has the opportunity to use a horrendous piece of business and make it mean something more. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@wwe\/video\/7399863224931257643\" data-video-id=\"7399863224931257643\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\">\n<section> <a  target=\"_blank\" title=\"@wwe\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@wwe?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@wwe<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>WELCOME WYATT SICKS \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\ude31 <a  title=\"wwe\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/wwe?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WWE<\/a> <a  title=\"wyattsicks\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/wyattsicks?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WyattSicks<\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <a  target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - WWE\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7399863188830898990?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u266c original sound &#8211; WWE<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Fans of the dark and twisted cinematic style of wrestling are still hanging with the Wyatts, but they have yet to do much by way of making an impact since their initial debut. That moment was perfect, but fans need more. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If Goldberg&#8217;s rage and thirst for Gunther lead to a meeting with our favorite uncle, that could be interesting. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A one-and-done match, quick run time, and lots of theatrics are precisely how you hide the worst parts of Goldberg in his advanced age. It is also the best way to highlight the attributes he has in spades. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is box-office, it is a spectacle, and there are a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/06\/19\/who-are-the-wyatt-sicks\/\" target=\"_self\">side characters<\/a> for him to run through before being conquered by Bo. Most importantly, it is a heck of a way to say goodbye.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Return for Goldberg Builds a Bron Breakker Streak<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If WWE has a future Goldberg amongst its roster, it would really come down to two names. Those names are <strong>Bron Breakker<\/strong> and <strong>Oba Femi<\/strong>. From what fans have gathered in the past, it is safe to assume Goldberg believes he is quite a big deal in wrestling. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is also safe to say that he would not be into working an <em><strong>WWE NXT<\/strong> <\/em>show. So, with Oba <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/10\/08\/top-5-unforgettable-oba-femi-moments-in-wwe-nxt-history\/\" target=\"_self\">dominating <em>NXT<\/em><\/a> and out of the main roster, Bron Breakker is the closest WWE has to Bill&#8217;s &#8220;heir-apparent.&#8221; That is until his actual son finishes his football career. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Goldberg &amp; Rick Steiner vs. Buff Bagwell &amp; Scott Steiner: WCW Monday Nitro, March 1, 1999\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3ahf39rFcEA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The family ties and WCW of a Bron Breakker and Goldberg match were also on display at <em>Bad Blood<\/em>. Bron&#8217;s uncle, WCW superstar and wrestling icon <strong>Scott Steiner<\/strong>, was in attendance as well. Those two are connected through Scott and <strong>Rick Steiner<\/strong>, which adds a level of logic and personality to their feud. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bron also competes in an updated Goldberg style. He is all about uncontrolled power and peak athletic performance. Goldberg, in his day, was both of those things. He was faster than a guy like him should be, stronger than any guy could be. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">His strategy was to throw you down as hard as he could and chase you down if you tried to escape his onslaught. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The parallels are apparent, and a passing of the torch would be touching and a big sign of Bron Breakker&#8217;s future trajectory. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Case Against a WWE Return for Goldberg<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So, why not use Goldberg? If there are numerous ways his one-time appearance could improve the show, why wouldn&#8217;t WWE want him back for more than just a moment in Georgia? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some of that comes down to time. <em>Raw<\/em> is now two hours, and premium live events are around five matches, save for the two-day spectacles of <em><strong>WrestleMania<\/strong><\/em> or <em><strong>SummerSlam<\/strong><\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE already has too many talented stars to book everyone based on the parameters they have given themselves. Second and most importantly, all of the scenarios where he, and really all Attitude Era guys, return require <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/02\/17\/end-to-the-nostalgia-return-in-wwe\/\" target=\"_self\">them to lose<\/a>. <strong>The Rock<\/strong> is perhaps the lone exception, but the final judgment is <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/01\/09\/pros-cons-the-rock-returning\/\" target=\"_self\">still out<\/a> on that. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It seems unlikely that Goldberg would want any of these matches. The fear is he would instead face off with <strong>Bronson Reed<\/strong>, which ends quickly and doesn&#8217;t help anyone. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is just about Goldberg saying goodbye again. There isn&#8217;t much use in that, so this quick appearance is all that is left to try.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on this 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 an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WWE Bad Blood in Atlanta was bookended by two stellar visual moments: the Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre and The Rock&#8217;s stare-down with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Most of the show, outside of that, was totally missable and relatively predictable, except for Goldberg. Bill Goldberg and his family, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4470,"featured_media":127584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2192,4,3],"tags":[7986,267,8238,8916],"class_list":["post-127568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-bron-breakker","tag-goldberg","tag-gunther","tag-wyatt-sicks"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127568\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}