5 Dream retirement opponents for Goldberg in WWE

WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg celebrated his 57th birthday on December 27. The legendary performer also raised eyebrows with his unfiltered comments directed toward Vince McMahon. For those unaware, the multi-time world champion called his former boss a “piece of s**t” for not giving him his farewell match in a WWE ring.

The Hall of Famer has been calling for a retirement match for quite some time. Goldberg last wrestled at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event in 2022. He lost the Universal Championship match to Roman Reigns at Saudi Arabia. The powerhouse said he only agreed to the match because Vince promised him a farewell bout in return.

While it remains to be seen if Goldberg will get his wish, we did our work by scanning through the WWE roster and coming across these five dream retirement opponents for the powerhouse. Without further ado, let’s dive right into the list:

#5. Bronson Reed is making waves with his tsunami

Bronson Reed had had a consistent 2023. The big man has proved himself to be one of the best rehires of the Triple H regime.

Reed put on a terrific performance during the past 12 months. He also gave Gunther one of his toughest Intercontinental Championship defenses on RAW.

Reed has the strength and the size to take on Goldberg. He’s also a great worker who knows how to protect his opponents during matches. A match between these two powerhouses can potentially push Reed into the main event scene.

#4. Ivar has presented himself as Goldberg’s retirement opponent

Ivar has been with WWE since the Black and Gold days of NXT. He is one-half of the Viking Raiders on RAW. Ivar got his solo push following an injury to his tag team partner Erik several months ago.

Ivar took to X (formerly Twitter) to propose himself as Goldberg’s retirement opponent on the Hall of Famer’s birthday. Ideally, the match would bolster Ivar’s solo run and even help him win his first singles title. Realistically, the bout won’t happen.

#3. Sheamus is one of the most consistent workers in WWE

Sheamus is one of the most reliable workers on the WWE roster. The Celtic Warrior gave fans match of the year in 2022 against Intercontinental Champion Gunther. He delivered another five-star classic at WrestleMania 39 in April 2023.

Sheamus is no stranger to giving Hall of Famers their farewell match. He gave Adam Copeland (formerly Edge) a great send-off on the August 18, 2023, episode of Friday Night SmackDown. A match between Sheamus and Goldberg could main event a Premium Live Event.

#2. Seth Rollins can carry the Hall of Famer to a great match

Seth Rollins made history in 2023 when he became the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion. The Visionary defeated AJ Styles in the tournament final at Night of Champions. He has since successfully defended his title against Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and Drew McIntyre, to name a few.

Though Rollins and Goldberg haven’t faced each other in singles competition, the Monday Night Messiah can potentially carry him to a great match. He’s among the few men who have defeated the Hall of Famer’s arch-rival Brock Lesnar.

#1. Gunther can be the final boss to the former WCW Champion

Gunther has defeated some of the biggest names in the business. He’s also the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in the company's history.

Gunther would be a great retirement opponent for Goldberg. The Austrian powerhouse can potentially headline a PLE with the Hall of Famer.