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Goldberg is one of the greatest athletes ever to set foot in a WWE ring. The 54-year old is among the famous wrestlers of all time. The Hall of Famer made waves in WCW with his legendary undefeated streak in which he won 173 matches in a row. He is also a two-time Universal Champion and one-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Goldberg left WWE in 2004 after he defeated Brock Lesnar in a colossal dream match at WrestleMania XX. The WCW stalwart returned to Vince McMahon's promotion in October 2016 for a rematch with Lesnar at Survivor Series. To the surprise of the WWE Universe, he squashed "The Beast Incarnate" and showed everyone that he was still an indomitable force.
Since then, he has taken up a part-time role, making limited appearances for significant events a few times a year. The former Universal Champion last competed against Drew McIntyre in a WWE Championship match at the 2021 Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
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It's fair to say that the WWE Hall of Famer doesn't have much gas left in the tank; at 54 years old, he's probably nearing the end of his career.
Here are five stars he must battle before he rides off into the sunset.
#5 Riddle should face Goldberg
A match between Riddle and Goldberg would be riveting. "The Original Bro" hasn't shared the ring with the multi-time world champion yet, but they could eventually battle in the squared circle.
To be fair, their relationship is strained; Riddle publicly slammed the legend after his infamous debacle with The Undertaker at WWE Super ShowDown 2019. The former WWE United States Champion called him "the worst wrestler in the business." When Goldberg returned two months later at SummerSlam, they had another tense meeting.
Riddle shared the experience the two stars had at SummerSlam in an interview, adding even more buzz to this off-screen rivalry.
Throughout WWE history, Vince McMahon has used real-life heat as part of on-screen storylines. Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss weren't best friends backstage, and WWE used the friction to fuel their program in the summer of 2017. The promotion classically used a similar strategy with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels in the late 1990s.
As a result, it wouldn't come as a surprise if McMahon used the beef between Goldberg and Riddle in the form of a televised storyline.
#4 Big E should face Goldberg to cement his status as a star
Goldberg has left an indelible footprint in the squared circle, and his dominance is unmatched. His professional wrestling career has been great, but it is time for him to give back to the business. The best way to do that is to put over a rising powerhouse like Big E.
Big E embarked on a solo run in the summer of 2020. The standout star of the New Day has impressed the WWE Universe, and late last year, he won the coveted Intercontinental Championship from Sami Zayn.
The former NXT Champion has a bright future ahead of him. With a successful solo run, he is now ready to reach new heights. A legend like Goldberg could certainly serve as a solid stepping stone. The experienced veteran made Drew McIntyre look like a major player at the 2021 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, and he could do the same with Big E.
In fact, Big E has made it clear that he wants to face Goldberg. The two-time Intercontinental Champion also stated that he wants to clone the WCW legend, and the preposterous statement caught the Hall of Famer by surprise.
Goldberg has also teased a match with Big E. If this dream match ever comes to fruition, it won't be a technical classic. Instead, it would be an all-out war. A victory over the former Universal Champion would surely launch the rising powerhouse's career to great heights, and it would help Goldberg truly give back to the business.
#3 Seth Rollins should challenge Goldberg to see his vision
Goldberg and Seth Rollins have vastly different wrestling styles. The legendary icon has always relied on power and strength to dominate his opponents. In contrast, "The Messiah" uses strategy, technique, and agility to overwhelm his opponents. Rollins' high-flying ability combined with Goldberg's incredible power could provide a thrilling clash in the ring.
This match would not be a technical classic, and it wouldn't be an all-out war, either. That being said, their opposing styles would make for an entertaining encounter between the two remarkable WWE Superstars.
The Hall of Famer has had some fun encounters with men much smaller than him. For example, Dolph Ziggler felt Goldberg's wrath at SummerSlam 2019. As most fans had expected, it was a short-lived squash match, but the live crowd enjoyed every moment.
"The Messiah" is certainly as talented as Ziggler, and both men can work enjoyable matches with experienced veterans. A potential encounter between Rollins and Goldberg would be equally captivating. Of course, the WWE Universe wouldn't be pleased with a squash match in Goldberg's favor. Instead, Rollins should win the bout with his cunning antics.
In the past, the first-ever NXT Champion has had a few words to say about the Hall of Famer. He most notably took a dig at his Universal Championship victory over "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in February 2020.
With limited interactions in the past, Goldberg versus Seth Rollins is a fresh encounter. It might not be a typical blockbuster dream match, but it does have much to offer.
#2 "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt can get revenge by beating Goldberg
In one of the most controversial moments of 2020, Goldberg destroyed "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in under three minutes to win the Universal Championship for the second time in his illustrious career. The win came off a poorly executed Jackhammer and four devastating Spears.
The legend made history that night by becoming the first person to win a World Championship after he had already been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
But the WWE Universe wasn't delighted with the outcome, as many fans believed that "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt had been buried by this outcome. At the time, the Hall of Famer received a lackluster crowd response after he pinned Wyatt.
Upon his awe-inspiring debut at SummerSlam 2019, The Fiend quickly became one of the most beloved characters in recent memory. With this compelling gimmick, Wyatt had finally found his footing on the main roster. Even though he regained momentum at WrestleMania 36 by defeating John Cena, his loss at Super ShowDown caused seemingly irreparable damage.
The Fiend versus Goldberg may not be a fresh dream match now, but it should happen. A rematch would give Wyatt another chance to redeem himself, and Vince McMahon could rectify his previous mistake by giving Wyatt his win back. That way, WWE can once again establish The Fiend as an unstoppable monster.
At WrestleMania 30, Wyatt lost to Cena, but the former Universal Champion redeemed himself with an emphatic victory six years later. WWE could follow a similar path with Wyatt and Goldberg.
#1 Roman Reigns should finally meet Goldberg in the battle of the Spear
Goldberg versus Roman Reigns is one of the biggest dream matches WWE can book at the moment. This potential bout would've been fantastic five years ago, as immeasurable buzz surrounded both men. Even though it may have lost some of its appeal at this point, this contest is still worthwhile.
Goldberg issued an open challenge after he won the Universal Championship at Super ShowDown in February 2020, and Roman Reigns boldly accepted the offer. The match was set for WrestleMania 36, and the two powerhouses exchanged words leading up to the event.
But due to the outbreak of a deadly pandemic, "The Big Dog" decided to pull out of the event due to his health concerns. Braun Strowman replaced Reigns and went on to defeat the Hall of Famer to win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36.
Reigns later returned to WWE at SummerSlam 2020, and he quickly aligned with Paul Heyman and became the Universal Champion. Since then, "The Tribal Chief" has been on a tear. Kevin Owens, Edge, and Daniel Bryan have all failed to unseat Reigns, and "The Head of the Table" seems unstoppable.
Goldberg probably wouldn't defeat Reigns, but the Hall of Famer has already teased an encounter with the Universal Champion. He hinted that he wanted to face Reigns at WrestleMania 37, but WWE went in a different direction.
Now, while he is past his prime, Goldberg is a plausible challenger to Reigns, and this dream match would be worthy of closing out WrestleMania.