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This was a match that went on for barely longer than two minutes. Braun Strowman defeated Goldberg in a twist that only a few people honestly saw coming at WrestleMania this year.
For one thing, this wasn't a match that was even supposed to happen until the very last minute. I mean Roman Reigns was in the match until he had to back out at the very last moment because of health concerns.
There were many spears delivered and yes, there were also many power slams delivered during the course of the match. But at the end of the contest, there was a monster who stood tall while an icon lay prone on the floor, in just a heap.
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So, why did Goldberg lose to the Monster Among Men? I will explain my reasoning with 5 points.
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Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.
#5 Who else can realistically defeat Goldberg but Strowman?
I know that for a lot of wrestling fans, Goldberg may just be an old man past his prime in his current avatar on WWE television. But one has to remember that this was the man who made WCW relevant in 1998 and 1999 even when the competition had stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mankind, and D-Generation X. Goldberg is certainly no pushover and there's a reason why he is held in such high regard by fans.
And so you cannot have just anyone in the roster defeat Goldberg in a realistic match. I mean if, say, Robert Roode was to defeat him, Goldberg would essentially lose a lot of the mystique that makes him such a special attraction. It needed to be someone special.
Braun Strowman is that guy.
#4 Roman Reigns was always supposed to win
There was a lot of controversy around the decision surrounding Goldberg defeating The Fiend in Saudi Arabia. Many said it was only done so that there would be a Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania, where Reigns would not take the heat for pinning The Fiend and would be cheered once he defeated Goldberg after a heated contest.
Not only was there no crowd at WrestleMania 36, but there was no Roman Reigns either. And thus logically, the man who would replace Roman Reigns in the contest would then become the favorite to win the match.
Braun Strowman took up this coveted spot and as one would suspect, went on to defeat Goldberg in a move that shocked many, considering that he dropped the Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn not long ago. No offense to Sami Zayn, but let's just say that he is not quite Goldberg when it comes to being protected, and for Strowman to pick up such a shocking win soon after is why this article is essentially being written.
#3 Goldberg is very expensive
As a little kid, I used to watch World Championship Wrestling on a regular basis, especially to see my idol Sting in action, not knowing about any ratings 'wars', but just enjoying the product for what it was. And then, this larger-than-life athlete called Goldberg came along and just changed everything for the company.
It is crazy to think that so many years later, Goldberg is still a draw, at the top of his game. But he is still a very expensive proposition for the company as one would assume from a performer of his stature.
In case you need any further clarification on this matter, just click here and check out what Sportskeeda's resident wrestling expert Tom Colohue has to say on the whole matter. WWE cannot afford to keep the title on Goldberg, because, well they cannot afford him quite literally.
There were no further appearances planned for Goldberg after this one, and one only assumes that Braun Strowman will hold the Universal Championship for a long time.
#2 Getting the titles back on the full-timers
I am writing this article shortly after the first night of WrestleMania 36 has concluded and I have to say that I am quite happy with how the night turned out. Although there were a few questionable booking decisions during the show, at the end of the night, everything worked out in the best manner possible for all concerned. One assumes that the same kind of momentum will continue into the second night of WrestleMania as well and Drew McIntyre will stand tall with the WWE Championship.
WWE always gets a bad rap for putting the bigger titles around the waist of their part-timers like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, while ignoring full-timers such as Braun Strowman. The reality is that a title change means a lot more when it comes from someone like Braun Strowman defeating Goldberg. It was all set up in this manner so that Braun Strowman or Roman Reigns would have a fantastic WrestleMania moment by running through someone that seldom loses.
And now Strowman can work with the heels on the roster such as King Corbin and in turn, elevate them.
#1 Actually giving Braun Strowman a legitimate WrestleMania moment
Not very long ago, we had Braun Strowman and a mystery partner booked for a tag team championship match at WrestleMania. Many assumed that the mystery partner would be someone like Bobby Lashley, but it turned out to be a little kid named Nicholas.
And yes, that's not the only time that Braun Strowman was shortchanged at WrestleMania. We all remember what happened when Colin Jost and Michael Che of SNL made a mockery of the 'Monster Among Men' in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal when he should have been jousting with the top dogs on the roster.
Braun Strowman has never really received his due until now when he defeated a man that even The Fiend couldn't beat clean. What an amazing feud it will be if The Fiend chooses to challenge Braun Strowman next owing to their shared history?
Kudos to WWE for booking this match on such a short notice and also making sure that it did not disappoint.
