“Who’s Next” for Goldberg?

For a moment, fans turned back the clock to WCW Circa 1998 Sunday night as Goldberg decimated “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. In his highly anticipated return, Goldberg exceeded low expectations that labeled him as old, out of shape, and un-talented in the squared circle. In a blast from the past, Goldberg finished off Lesnar in a historic 86 seconds – his first match since he originally fought Lesnar at Wrestlemania 20 back in 2004. Although Goldberg entered the bout promoting it as his last, the result has led fans to believe otherwise. After leaving members of the WWE Universe around the world stunned at the result of his victory in the Air Canada Centre at Survivor Series, only one question remains – “Who’s Next?”

1.  Retirement – Although he looked to be in peak shape in his first bout in 12 years, reports have surfaced that Goldberg battled multiple injuries on the road to Sunday night’s event. Age is certainly something that no one in the pro wrestling business (except Terry Funk) can escape, as many have been disappointed with the final matches of greats such as Hulk Hogan and Sting. History has proven that going out on a high note can not be understated, as seen in the critically acclaimed final matches of Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Even Ric Flair had the perfect outro to his Hall of Fame wrestling career, but left a bad taste in audience’s mouths when he competed on TNA programming only months later. Riding off into the sunset now could leave fans wanting more, but would give Goldberg’s career a storybook finish.

2. The 2017 Royal Rumble Match – While at a glance this seems like a logical next step, Goldberg’s Royal Rumble history certainly is something to look into. In his only Rumble appearance in 2004, Goldberg was cheaply eliminated by Brock Lesnar himself – sparking their feud that originally culminated with their first official meeting at Wrestlemania 20. If Goldberg does indeed place his spot into the traditional 30-man-match next January, watch out for a repeat performance from Lesnar who certainly isn’t finished with the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

3. Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania 33 – While Goldberg has the series lead at 2-0, the “blink and you’ll miss it” victory at Survivor Series certainly leaves the door open for continuation of the boiling feud. Previous to Goldberg’s return, no superstar stood in Brock Lesnar’s path. Lesnar ran roughshot over the WWE roster following his short-lived UFC stint, which included brutally defeating business veterans such as Randy Orton, John Cena, and the Undertaker. However, the past year has been quiet for Lesnar’s standards – as he hasn’t held championship gold since Wrestlemania 31. A big win could provide much needed redemption for “The Beast”, and with Goldberg the only man in his way, it seems likely this feud isn’t over just yet. While Wrestlemania is typically the place for matchups of such high priority, this year could see the Royal Rumble event take a leap in significance. While most importance has, and will always be placed on the Royal Rumble match itself, big money matches could be added to the card to sell out the 72,000 seating Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

4. Kevin Owens and the WWE Universal Championship – Although unlikely, if Goldberg was to stick around for an extended period of time, a championship run could be on his list of objectives. It’s clear to many that Goldberg’s first run in WWE from 2003-2004 was underdeveloped and disappointing. Much of this sentiment dwells from his short lasted World Heavyweight Championship reign in Fall 2003, which was criticized for WWE’s lack of ability to commit to Goldberg’s character. Goldberg is hailed as one of the greatest to ever hold the WCW World Heavyweight and United States Championships, so a Universal Title reign is not 100% out of the question.

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