SI

Bill Goldberg Isn’t Closing the Door on a Return to the Ring

Even if it isn’t in WWE, the 56-year-old would like to put a bow on his career with a retirement match.

Justin Barrasso

SI.com’s Week in Wrestling is published every week and provides beneath-the-surface coverage of the business of pro wrestling.

“You never say never”

Bill Goldberg is not finished yet.

The former WCW icon has wrestled only four times in the past two years for WWE. Now 56, and not as chiseled or powerful as he was a quarter century ago, Goldberg has proven over the past couple of years that he still knows how to work his magic in the ring.

Goldberg last wrestled a year ago against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, which was held in Saudi Arabia. When asked whether he would consider one more match, Goldberg revealed that it is a real possibility.

“You never say never, especially in wrestling, and they owe me one,” says Goldberg. “That’s all I can say. I made a deal with the devil and I did my job, and they owe me a retirement match. At the end of the day, at 56, it’s not something where I’m sitting by the phone waiting for a call. I’ve got a few ideas of how to do it on my own, possibly in Israel. So never say never.”

Even when away from wrestling, Goldberg continues to hold a presence on-screen. He will return to ABC this week for an appearance on the long-running sitcom The Goldbergs, which airs Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.

“It’s funny when I’m on set, and all the chairs say ‘Goldberg,’ but I’m the only Goldberg on the set,” says Goldberg. “It’s also an honor and a privilege every time they bring me back. I’m ecstatic to have a surrounding cast—literally, every single one of them—that makes it so easy to be part of this comedy. They set the table for me.”

Goldberg will reprise his role as coach Nick Mellor. In this episode, he co-chaperones the school dance with Beverly Goldberg, and he promises to deliver a scene that will grab people’s attention.

“I have a line that I will never, ever be able to shake,” says Goldberg. “I’m almost too embarrassed to watch. But it’s The Goldbergs. It’s a line to remember.”

Speaking on the phone while watching his son’s baseball game, Goldberg reflected on his past six years in WWE. That stretch rewrote his legacy, adding another chapter to some brilliant memories of his unforgettable run in WCW. During that time in WWE, he wrestled Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, The Undertaker (a rare blemish during this time period), Dolph Ziggler, Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns. There is a consistency to that list: Goldberg predominantly worked with heavyweights, with the lone exception being Ziggler, who made him shine during their brief bout at SummerSlam in 2019. If Goldberg does return for one more match, an opponent as versatile as Ziggler could create a more compelling bout.

That run also redeemed Goldberg with a large portion of wrestling fans. Instead of focusing on negative moments, like the unfortunate injury caused to Bret Hart in WCW, frustrating story lines or his time in WWE in 2003–04 that simply did not resonate with the fan base, there is now a whole new slate of moments and memories to cherish, especially for those who watched Goldberg at his height in the late 1990s.

“The tenacity of wrestling fans is unparalleled,” says Goldberg. “I’m not going to sit here and say that I owe them everything, but I sure as hell am close. It’s an honor to be remembered and supported by such a group of people. There is such a fever pitch in the passion of the fans. To be part of that, I’m blessed.”

Goldberg’s last match took place against Roman Reigns almost exactly a year ago. Since then, he has watched in awe as Reigns has elevated his character and quality of performance to a rarely attained level, cementing his belief that Reigns is the absolute best in the business.

“If you know Roman, what he’s doing doesn’t surprise you,” says Goldberg. “He and I come from similar football backgrounds, and he, quite obviously, grew up in the business. As difficult as it was for him in the beginning, when he was kind of shoved down people’s throats, he has turned it 180 degrees in his favor.

“I’m really proud of him. I’ve dealt with some of that negativity, and it’s tough. You go out there, you work your ass off, and at the end of the day, you want to be appreciated. He’s quite dedicated. I respect that, I respect him, and I’d love to get in the ring and give him an ass-kicking, but this is his time.”

An unsung hero amid Goldberg’s WWE run was Paul Heyman. Goldberg and Heyman operated in what equated to two different galaxies in the 1990s, with Goldberg starring in WCW and Heyman forever disrupting the wrestling world in ECW. They overlapped briefly during Goldberg’s 2003–04 WWE run, but Heyman and Goldberg benefited from the advantages of advanced wisdom in their second opportunity together. Heyman is largely responsible for putting together all of the Goldberg-Lesnar story line, which was extremely exciting in ’16 and ’17.

“Paul’s amazing,” says Goldberg. “It’s hard to believe that one person could have such a tremendous effect on the business, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, but that’s Paul Heyman. He’s a gem; he really is. He knows the craft up and down, inside and out. I’m greatly appreciative to have been part of his plan.”

Wrestling has not heard the last of Goldberg. Until then, he is excited to showcase his comedic side on The Goldbergs.

“People are going to love this,” says Goldberg. “Everything about The Goldbergs is incredible. It’s such a joy to be back.”

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The (online) week in wrestling

  • Week after week, The Bloodline/Sami Zayn story continues to remain extremely interesting. But how did the production team miss Zayn’s Helluva Kick?
  • Will there ever be a WWE title run for Sami Zayn? His post-WrestleMania stretch will be very interesting.
  • There are new women’s tag team champions in WWE, and on top of that, Trish Stratus is back—adding even more excitement to what appears to be a very exciting multiperson match at WrestleMania.
  • Mercedes Moné and Kairi’s match is going to blow people away.
  • I am excited to watch the relaunch of Ring of Honor, which starts tomorrow. Who is the best person to dethrone Claudio Castagnoli as champ?
  • This will forever be on AEW’s highlight reel.
  • Best wishes to Stevie Richards, who had many memorable moments in WWE—and was a cutting-edge star once upon a time in ECW.

AEW missing a critical component without Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes fit perfectly into AEW.

That is not to imply that Rhodes is doing anything but thriving in WWE, but rather highlight how greatly he is missed in AEW. This past fall, while Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks served their suspension, a similar phenomenon occurred: AEW felt hollow without its three executive vice presidents. That absence has been even more prolonged for Rhodes, who last wrestled for AEW in January 2022 before returning to WWE.

Even when the crowd was alternating between booing and cheering him (sometimes even in the same promo), Rhodes simply fit into the ethos of the brand. An AEW founding father, Rhodes always played a key role in the direction of the company. He helped establish the TNT title, and his title feud against Chris Jericho is one of the single best championship match builds in company history. Rhodes jumping off the top of a steel cage remains one of the signature moments of Dynamite.

AEW’s loss has been WWE’s gain. Rhodes wrestled a highly entertaining match on Raw this week against Chad Gable, building even more momentum to his WrestleMania 39 showdown with Roman Reigns. His Cody Cutter and Cross Rhodes on Gable were a sight to behold (a subtle reminder of Gable’s talent, too), and there was even a fun interaction outside the ring between Rhodes and Otis.

Rhodes will be on SmackDown this Friday, as will Reigns. That has the potential to be extremely exciting. And, as evidenced on Raw, Rhodes had the crowd fully behind him, which was a legitimate question mark amid this surge of popularity for Sami Zayn. Rhodes is right where he needs to be approaching WrestleMania.

Obviously, AEW is more than any one person. Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view will have no shortage of stars. But it is worth asking: Even though Bryan Danielson is the bigger star, would the card fit better with Rhodes challenging MJF for the AEW title? It is undeniable that Rhodes fit just right in AEW. He has been missed since leaving, and WWE is reaping the benefits.

Tweet of the Week

It could disrupt the locker room, but CM Punk back in AEW would be must-see television.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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Justin Barrasso
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