Goldberg’s Return – Pros & Cons

Image via WWE.com

Every year the WWE and 2K video games work together to find a wrestler who would be ideal as the special playable character to WWE video game fans that will be temporarily exclusive to those who pre-order the game. In the past when they announce a wrestling legend as that character (which they have majority of the time expect for last year, where it was Terminator) it begins speculation and anticipating for that particular legend to return to the WWE in some capacity. I mean is looking back it was true with both the Ultimate Warrior and Sting. It’s almost as if 2K is the middle man between the WWE and legends who may have never thought about coming back, gave up on the idea of returning, left the company previously on a bad note or were happily retired. Therefore, when Goldberg was announced as this years pre-order special for 2K17, the buzz among the wrestling world started right away.
Tonight we witness Goldberg return to Raw after 12 years to accept the challenge to face Brock Lesnar in a rematch of their Wrestlemania 20 encounter. It’s been something I’ve talked about quite openly about on my Instagram page and I think people are getting confused about my true feelings towards Goldberg’s return. Therefore, I put together this quick “Pros and Cons” list about MY PERSONAL OPINION (cannot stress that enough) on Bill Goldbergs return. I’m going to start with the cons first to get the negativity out-of-the-way.

5.  He’s Much Older
Age is nothing but a number and you’re as young as you feel. However its a fact that your 50 year old body isn’t capable of taking he same beating as your 20-30 year old body. I mean a younger 30 year old Goldberg, was full of ambition and possibly in the best shape of his entire life. I don’t think Goldberg is going to have that same fire as he did when he first started out. I mean sure, he’s gonna be ambitious enough to be able to perform to put on a show for his fans and more importantly his son and wife who have never seen him in action. However, no matter how great of shape he may still be in, we don’t know how his body has aged and if he has any limitations. Although fairly older, even Sting was a little more slow than when in his prime.

4. It’s a Short Time Fix
Goldberg isn’t back for a long run. He’s here for one match and that’s it. Is there potential that he might return next year to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and randomly for in-ring and backstage segments? Yeah, of course there is potential for that. I mean if he isn’t being inducted next year, we now know he’s on good terms with the company that it will be sometime soon. I also know I’d love to see Goldberg appear for segments where he just spears a motherfucker. Personally, I was looking forward more to that than him actually having a match. Regardless, what I thought he is back for a match, and as of right now it’s only one match and it’s against Brock Lesnar out of all people, when there is a roster full of more deserving talent who could benefit from this opportunity but more about that later. I mean according to tonight’s promo, this is his very LAST match.

3. More Hype than Substance
I grew up when Goldberg first appeared on the scene. I was a kid and Goldberg was the fucking man. The way they slowly built him up on WCW just dominating his opponents and mauling through the entire roster. I mean he went from beating Hugh Morris to beating Hollywood Hogan in the Georgia Dome to hold both the United States and World Championships. I was ecstatic sitting in the Wrestlemania 19 crowd when they aired the promo that Goldberg was coming to the WWE in 2003. However, when I grew up and I looked back, I realized Goldberg wasn’t the greatest wrestler. I mean he wasn’t the worst, he wasnt bad at all, but I mean he’s not your 5 star wrestler. I wouldn’t put Goldberg on the same list as guys like Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero and AJ Styles. This is not entirely a con, because many popular and mega stars weren’t great wrestlers and many great wrestlers weren’t popular or had the right hype. It’s only a con in this situation because guys such as Goldberg usually need the right opponent to elevate their game. Goldberg was more hype than a technically sound wrestler. I mean many Goldberg matches followed the same formula with very adaptations from him but more from his opponent. This again will lead us to the number one con, so I’ll just leave it at that.

2. Ring Rust
I know the guy has wrestled in the past 12 years, somewhere at some place this one time at this one show but he hasn’t danced on the big stage for 12 whole years. I mean he hasn’t even wrestled on television since 2004. There were no TNA, NJPW or any other televised wrestling appearances. I honestly think his only wrestling appearance was the recent one at “Legends of Wrestling” at Citi Field, which I’m sure wasn’t a 10-15 minute match with thousands upon thousands watching live and millions watching from home. I know he’s going to train his ass off to get back in the ring, and a lot of things usually come back to wrestlers naturally considering how much they worked when they were on the road. Although, to not have a match in 12 years at this level, with this much pressure to perform in 12 years would clearly make you wonder if all the time spent away from the ring is going to effect his performance. Goldberg getting gassed 2 minutes into a match with Lesnar isn’t the best outcome for their upcoming match.

1. The Brock Lesnar Problem
What is the Brock Lesnar problem you ask? I mean I don’t dislike Brock Lesnar. I get that Brock Lesnar is a draw. Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar has money and profit written all over it regardless how bogus their previous match was. The Brock Lesnar problem is that in the last year since Lesnar, excluding his feud with Undertaker and triple threat matches, Lesnar has been wrestling the exact same match time and time again. This isn’t the Brock Lesnar of his first run or when he first returned who tried to actually put some effort and work into his matches. He’s now “duplex city” Lesnar, who’s matches mainly contain a series of repetitive german suplex’s and F-5s until he defeats his opponent. I don’t want to see Goldberg get decimated by current day Lesnar. I would love to see an actual competitive match between the two, but I don’t see that happening. I expect it to be more of a brawl or a fight. Since Lesnar ended Undertaker undefeated Wrestlemania streak, he has been on a reign of dominance. I also don’t think Goldberg should be the first one to finally get that major victory over Lesnar, but a younger or upcoming star should get that honour as they could use that rub to elevate their career. I mean if Goldberg defeats Lesnar, whats the big deal?  Goldberg would stop being an active competitor after this match anyway and WWE needs to protect their most valuable asset which happens to be Lesnar right now until they pick their next chosen one. That chosen one should be the one who conquers The Beast. I mean if Cena, Orton, Rollins and Ambrose, whom are all younger and more permanent on the roster, couldn’t defeat Lesnar, than why should Goldberg? I didn’t expect Ambrose or Orton to defeat Lesnar in their respective matches, but overall both those matches were let downs. Ambrose and Orton both deserved more offence and the right to have more time to bring the fight to Lesnar, Both of those matches had a ton of potential to tell a great story. Instead Ambrose barley had a chance and the Orton match ended because Lesnar brutally attacked him. I don’t want to see either of those scenarios with Goldberg. I’m starting to question if these two are even going to be capable of putting on a good match where both guys leave looking strong and not just Lesnar taking the legendary Goldberg to suplex city. I would have loved Goldberg to have face anyone else. I mean Goldberg against Cena, Orton, Reigns, Owens or even Rollins all seem more appealing than Goldberg vs. current day Lesnar. I don’t have high expectations for this match at all, and its mainly due to the Brock Lesnar problem.

5. Great Shape
Goldberg is still great shape. I know I talked about a con being his age, but lets admit that for his age he’s in great shape. He’s still fully mobile and healthy. Goldberg still trains, although not as much as when he was in his prime, he still hits the gym and it shows. I mean he’s in better shape than other wrestlers who have been away from the business as long as he has been. That really is a pro, because majority of Goldberg’s move set relied on his strength and physical ability. I mean we don’t know if there are any limitations on him but we at least have hope that he can still get into beast mode.

4. WWE2K17 & Merchandise
The game literally just came out like a week ago. Goldberg was the big surprise pre-order special character and eventually will be able to downloaded by everyone at a price. I mean he’s been in previous WWE games. He was last in WWE2k14, which wasn’t that long ago but he didn’t return in 2014. The fact that Goldberg returned this year, makes this game a lot more attractive. I mean I can’t imagine how many people who have the game went and played as Goldberg right after Raw went off the air. It makes those who havent got their grips on the game yet want to play as Goldberg. Considering how the build up goes for this final match, plus how the match itself goes, the hype to want to play as Goldberg will increase. It’s not even just the video game. This opens the flood gates for new Goldberg merchandise for the WWE to profit from. I’m talking about new apparel, DVDs, BluRay’s, stuffed animals, dish wear, action figures, coasters and whatever else they can brand Goldberg on.

3. Unfinished Business
When Bill Goldberg left in 2004, it was on his own terms and not the best of terms with the company. It also happened to be that his last match with the company was also Brock Lesnar’s last match at that time. Brock was also leaving the company and didn’t return until 2012. Both guys left the company dissatisfied with the travel and what not working for the WWE. The fans in Madison Square Garden for Wrestlemania 20 knew they were both on the way out and both guys knew this was their last night. Goldberg walked out victorious but the match itself was bad. It was possible both guys went into the match with a lack of ambition and half-hearted since they both knew they were leaving and the crowd reacted aggressively throughout the match towards both men also aware of it. This could be their opportunity to resolve unfinished business and regain any respect they lost as opponents due to that match. They get to have a re-do to prove they could put on a better match than their first one. I’m going into this match with low expectations, as are many, which means it is going to be really easy for them to exceed my expectations. I hope they do. That last match between them should never be remembered as the last match for either wrestler. Brock Lesnar has continued to build on his legacy to change that, but if Goldberg didn’t return now, that could have been remembered as his last ever match.

2. Nostalgia
It’s a simple concept that WWE loves to use on us, especially the last 12-15 years. Nostalgia is a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time. I know when I saw Goldberg walking backstage towards the ring and his music playing, it took me back to my childhood. It made me feel that same happiness I used to feel watching wrestling as a kid and Goldberg would come out. I always loved his music. I loved watching the intensity in his entrance. I loved him standing and walking through the pyro. I felt all those feelings watching him make his entrance. I got goosebumps and chills watching Raw tonight. I felt that tug on heart that made me feel joy and happiness. I’m sure many other people who were alive during that era and grew up with Goldberg felt the same way. It’s a great feeling, that moment of childhood happiness and that is why nostalgia is a very big pro.

1. Its Freakin’ Goldberg
Overall, the biggest pro is that it’s Goldberg. It’s freakin’ Bill Goldberg. Overall, the older fans can reminisce and enjoy it while the younger fans can witness and understand why us older fans were so enamoured with the Goldberg character. He was one of the biggest badasses in professional wrestling and an important figure in the Monday Night Wars. Goldberg’s still healthy enough to come back and give us this one last Goldberg experience. Whether it ends up bad or good, we should appreciate him for giving his fans this opportunity even if it was more because he wanted to perform in front of his son and wife. I know we all imagined what it would be like if Goldberg stayed longer or came back and now it’s happening for real. I could not tell how many times I think about how awesome it would have been if Randy Savage returned for one last WWE run or was able to give his own speech at the Hall of Fame, but unfortunately that never happened. I can’t tell you how glad I am that along with everything else, Sting got his Wrestlemania moment even if the outcome was questionable. Therefore, if this is the way Goldberg wants to end his career in the biggest company in the world, than I’m happy for him and excited for it. I’m happy to have Goldberg back. Goldberg told Brock Lesnar that it is not “Who’s Next but that it’s Who’s Last?” signalling that this is
Goldberg’s last hurrah. I want to enjoy it as much as possible. I mean its freakin’ Bill Goldberg.