The WWE Universe has been in a state of euphoria ever since Goldberg appeared on the trailer for WWE 2K17. Fanning the fire, he had dropped some thoughts concerning his opponent, supposing he ever returned to the ring.
Most of these, directed at Brock Lesnar, were either carefully concealed under the covers of the upcoming video game or dismissed as casual jabs based on their previous encounter 12 years ago.
However, the story took an official turn when the former Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle conveyed the same in an episode of ESPN’s Off the Top Rope, only this time extending the scenario to an actual WWE return.
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The quickness of Paul Heyman’s response on Raw following this comment goes on to show how knee-deep in negotiations the two parties actually were. Goldberg’s return has been confirmed by the man himself, but whether it occurs in an active in-ring capacity, or is just a presence floating around Lesnar’s matches, is yet to be seen.
The possibility of the latter, though, seems unlikely, since the hype and tension has been too strong for the WWE to not see this through. It is heavily rumoured that Goldberg will be facing Lesnar inside the Survivor Series ring.
The decision is laudable because the pay-per-view’s constituting star power would easily pull it out of the shadows into the top tier of annual WWE events. Given how Brock Lesnar’s appearances on Raw are a little shy of sporadic, there is much scope for Goldberg to be booked, once the dust has settled on this feud.
This list takes into account two factors: that Goldberg’s run is extended for some more time and that he remain on Raw for all of it :
#5 Samoa Joe’s debut opponent:
Samoa Joe’s move up the ladder to the main roster has been the subject of intense speculation and anxiety. He is one of the most intimidating performers in the NXT brand, has years of ring experience behind him and exhibits an infused brew of athleticism, strength, technique and mic skills which is astounding in its rarity.
So far, the NXT Championship scene had been a stretch of dust spewing aridity and with the move of Finn Balor to the main roster, the ground became further vacant. Dutifully handling his feuds with both Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura, Joe has had an incredibly dominating run as the champion.
However, with the introduction of already popular stars and newfound pushes for existing talent, the Samoan Submission Machine can afford to sharpen his claws for even greater glory. Joe’s main roster debut could see him go up against a man quite similar to himself in terms in-ring aggression.
Goldberg’s fantastic, or by some accounts fantastical, WCW streak attests to the reverential status that his persona had acquired in 1998. Even in the WWE, he was a monster, flaring wrecking-ball arrogance and displaying a physical dominance which more than made up for his lack of brusque technique.
The slate of injured or vanquished performers that both men have left in their wake, despite being decades apart, could morph into a feud over who has the greater credibility and dominance. It is natural that Samoa Joe would not be booked anywhere close to the WWE Championship within such a short period.
Yet, as the recent run of AJ Styles has proven, industry veterans such as Joe might not, after all, have to sift through sand for a long time. However long Goldberg’s renewed run turns out to be, a rivalry with Joe could push the latter onto the proper track, besides introducing him to the casual viewer.
A feud with Goldberg over the pecking order, by having Joe intimidate the former over his sudden reappearance at the age of 49, or even the nature of what constitutes a legend and if Goldberg fits the bill because of his short-lived career, could churn out interesting matches.
Not to mention, Joe’s potential at playing an incredible heel would add further flavour to the mix.
#4 Join The Club and reform it in the absence of AJ Styles:
Those who have witnessed Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson wreak havoc in the land of the rising sun would commiserate with their present booking in the tag team division of WWE Raw. More than often, they end up facing the punch of the New Day’s clownish antics, reducing themselves to an outright mockery of their fearsome personas.
Their debut on April 11, 2016 bore sufficient traces of the unsparing authority they had left behind in New Japan Pro Wrestling, but it has been a gradual waning since the initial weeks. Not only have they failed to attain any Tag Team gold whatsoever, but also let this tendency fester into incriminatingly pointless gimmicks which ended up being fodder for the New Day’s laughs.
The basic premise of the Bullet Club was a gaijin(foreigner) stable who stormed through the NJPW roster with their dominance. Even though The Club has dissociated themselves from the NJPW trademark, numerous percolations from the original stable are visible on their packaging.
Besides, with the drafting of AJ Styles to Smackdown, and the impossibility of a returning Finn Balor making a heel turn, the stable on Raw is left without a leader to steer it through the roster.
Goldberg’s return after 12 long years would render him a natural outsider to the workings of the New Era. His colossal reputation, driven to the point of a myth, could do well to cement the identity of The Club as one of the strongest teams in the brand.
The magnificent legacy that Goldberg had carved for himself could be redrawn with a flourish by having The Club decimate the entire division, much like they were meant to do. With the absence of a leader, Goldberg could assume that position. Perhaps a switching managerial role with occasional ring activity, since Goldberg is far past his prime, could be attempted.
However, it needs to be seen if Goldberg’s persona could adapt to the dynamics of a faction. His was the character that took down stables and his isolated “faster, stronger, better” run would be nullified if he was ever put into one.
This is the reason why Brock Lesnar was never in a stable, and Batista’s post- Evolution run was the zenith of his career. Mason Ryan faded into obscurity because he was overshadowed by the more charismatic New Nexus leader while Ryback’s singles run left his Nexus days rolling in the muck.
Gallows and Anderson are not the ones to indulge in sneak attacks. An extended entrance, such as Goldberg’s, was exhilarating because of the inevitability of its outcome. Aligning with a heel Goldberg and emulating his ruthless and assured sense of action could lend them a template to grow out of.
Besides, being in a three-man stable may not necessarily diminish Goldberg’s credibility, as much as it can multiply The Club’s. Finally, after a trailblazing run, there might be a mobilisation of hierarchies and power. Gallows and Anderson, in true heel fashion, could turn on and feud with their leader.
Not only would this put The Club over while retaining the image change they so desperately need but also serve as a proper farewell to Goldberg’s stable run.
#3 Take Triple H down.
The August 29, 2016, episode of Raw took an unpredictable turn during the four-way elimination match for the Universal Championship.
Besides laying the seeds for an impending feud with former protégé Seth Rollins and an eventual cathartic showdown at Wrestlemania 33, Triple H’s interference signalled a smouldering contest for power between him and the General Manager Mick Foley, with Stephanie Mcmahon caught in its ropes.
Since then, Stephanie has been trundling about a grey area of foggy alliances, never quite coming clear about her role in her husband’s overturning of the match’s order.
The setup for a power struggle seems imminent. On one hand, there stands Mick Foley, a man who has an unparalleled connection with crowds. An unlikely bearer of WWE gold during his active years chiefly due to his physicality, Foley’s determination, fearlessness and dedication to the craft has pivoted responses towards a favourable reputation.
On the other hand, there is Triple H, a history of heelish acts looming over his head. More so, with Triple H having never established his position on Raw since the collapse of the Authority, while Foley sets up matches by the dozen, the path is set for an intense feud between the two managerial loggerheads.
Mick Foley is in no shape to participate between the ropes, so he brings a replacement, someone who has both bankability in performance and a torrid history with Triple H. While Rollins stretches his feud with Owens over the Universal Championship, Goldberg steps in.
Triple H and Goldberg had squared off at Unforgiven in 2003, where the latter had cost The Game his World Heavyweight Championship Title, ending his reign of 280 days. The stipulation had been that Goldberg would have to retire, provided he lost.
Not only did Goldberg win this match, but also defeated Triple H in a rematch at Survivor Series, 2003. It was at Armageddon when Goldberg eventually lost the title but the defeat was not a clean one. Despite that,a loss is still a loss and unsettled scores can only stay sewed for so long.
Supposing the match occurs, there are chances that it would be replicating Sting’s recent run with the WWE. The similarities might be unsettling to a degree but they aren’t altogether. Goldberg would not be facing Hunter as an independent contender; he would be enforcing Mick Foley’s interests.
There is no explicitly outsider figure stirring the pot with higher ups in the brand. In fact, Triple H has thus far been the low-key, waiting intruder, acting at the moment of truth and rattling the entire structure of the headlining order. As with all invasion bookings, this one too requires a slow, steady buildup.
The uncertainty of affiliation bears enough potential for turns in the story to play out, the most important of which would be Stephanie’s choice. Her turning could cost Goldberg the match, knock Foley off his perch and establish the Authority, once more.
The gimmick was not as successful as it should have been, so the possibility of this happening seems scarce. Provided this happens, Rollins would get to replace Goldberg, resuming his enmity with Hunter, only now with the backing of a vengeful Foley. The story of two backstabbed men, taking on their respective betrayers together would make for an arresting premise.
#2 Taking down top babyfaces such as Sami Zayn and Cesaro:
It is possible that Goldberg alight on Toronto to a lukewarm, perhaps even negative reception. The reasons are varied but the outcome might be one singular decision. Goldberg may leave the ring as a heel. Now one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but a heel turn could work out in his favour.
Enough has been said about Goldberg’s intensity and dominance inside the ring. Without any eye on the top gold, he could emerge as one whose sole purpose is to raze through the entire roster, one Superstar at a time. The assertion could be as straightforward, that he is here to prove a point.
Despite his age, he still nurses the fire of old and won’t hesitate from employing any force necessary to drive it home. Basically, he would be reviving his “Who’s next?” act. The fact that he is unappreciated by the Toronto crowd would only spur the vindictiveness in his character, leading him to set his sights on Canada’s favourite babyface, Sami Zayn.
Despite Zayn’s cold run of late, a lengthy feud with Goldberg for the sake of resuscitating his act would seem ludicrous at some measure, though interesting. Sami and Goldberg are mismatched, and he should be booked as a stop on Goldberg’s list, instead of the end.
After destroying Sami, Goldberg could move to Cesaro, another face roiling in a pointless storyline. Cesaro has displayed immensurable strength at several instances, an image which echoes Goldberg in his prime. But Cesaro has none of the intensity which made Goldberg loom large over a conquered opponent.
On the one hand, it wouldn’t make sense for a man who hasn’t wrestled in 12 years, to come fight some of the most globally accomplished performers. On the other hand, it is just up Goldberg’s alley. He has a little streak of his own, and he doesn’t care about in-ring technique.
He is a myth to whom age is just a number. Provided he wins again, he could take out a heel, this time putting the whole roster on alert. After taking down most of the midcard talent, maybe he faces Roman Reigns.
Reigns, perhaps, bears the closest resemblance to Goldberg more than anyone in the current WWE roster. Both men share a similar physicality and ring movement, a similar history in professional football, and an overused finisher. The spear is called overused because it had been the chief manoeuvre of a host of Superstars, past and present, yet none crafts an impact as resounding as both Reigns and Goldberg.
There is no denying the supreme oversight on the part of WWE Creative concerning Roman’s character.
An audience as scrutinising as that of today would never agree to have something shoved down their throats. The reception Roman had been getting since the Shield parted ways has been downright hostile, sometimes advancing to lukewarm cheers and shouts. This does not discount, in any way, the toilsome performer that he is inside the ring.
Of course, this would mean that Reigns solidifies his face character if he defeats Goldberg. Given the present state of affairs, a complete heel turn is what is required of him. But the WWE has been delaying that by pitting Reigns against foreign monster heels and alongside popular Superstars in tag matches.
It is very likely that, when the initial effervescence has died down, Reigns be the one to stop Goldberg’s rampage. Though it is questionable if this would garner respect from fans, who would never want to see Goldberg lose to someone as hated as Reigns, the match would be stellar in all aspects.
#1 A straight out fight with Brock Lesnar:
It has been stated by Goldberg that he is not going to extend his returning run beyond one match. That puts a perspective into the seething feud with Brock Lesnar. While history hangs like a sword over Lesnar’s head, his recent bookings have acknowledged him as a loose cannon powerhouse.
Not only has he put down every WWE opponent he has faced, but has also mangled through the Undertaker’s legendary Streak. At Summerslam, he hammered Randy Orton to unconsciousness with unwarranted elbow strikes which were considered, for some brief moments, a shoot.
Then he proceeded to deliver an F5 to Smackdown General manager Shane Mcmahon. These are the definitive workings of a heel turn, a ground he has cautiously treaded since his return. However, the fact that he is one of the biggest draws for the company puts him in a position far above the rest.
As for Goldberg, his return which had been severely promoted by the company put the WWE Universe in a delirium. The subject of his taunts had been Lesnar. A possible feud between the two was a celebratory thought, some considering it a sort of vindication for Lesnar after the Wrestlemania XX debacle.
Besides, the intense promotional routines for the video game had Goldberg tour places and engage with fans, giving him an edge over Lesnar as far as the ethics of character go. His return would be as a face since it does not make sense for a legend of his stature to initiate his run as a heel.
If Lesnar, through his advocate Paul Heyman, continues to pet a complete heel turn, there needs to be someone who can bring him back to the ground. Seeing how he has been billed as untouchable by the rest of the roster, it only makes sense for Goldberg, who had beaten him once, to take that spot.
The fact that it is going to be a one match run at Survivor Series makes it all the more probable, in the manner of a grand victorious farewell for the former WCW Champion. Lesnar’s win, though, would settle the score between the two. The push would be immense and consolidate his formidability.
The WWE can do well with such a reputation, since it would allow them to write a promising Superstar into a feud with Lesnar and eventually defeat him to become, not only the face of the company but also a daunting one at that.
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