5 superstars once considered to be the next Goldberg

#5. Ryback

The Goldberg-rip off.

And we end this list with perhaps the most overt carbon-copy Goldberg gimmick since Gilberg. Following a brief stint as part of the Shield, the man formerly known as Skip Sheffield was repacked as the muscle-bound, ever hungry Ryback.

While other superstars have had one or two traits similar to Goldberg, Ryback appeared to be a kind of homage. Everything from his approach to the ring to his finishing move reminded people of the former WCW Champion. This was not something the WWE Universe were willing to keep quiet about either, as they literally started chanting 'Goldberg' during Ryback's matches.

In the lead up to Wrestlemania 29, there were rumours of a match between the two, which could have had the potential to make a lot of money for the company. Instead, Ryback was turned heel following a loss to Mark Henry and despite a WWE Championship feud against John Cena, his career took a bit of a nosedive.

It's difficult to say whether the Ryback character was a genuine attempt at reliving the magic of Goldberg or just an example of lazy booking from a company fresh out of ideas. Whatever the case may be, the original was eventually brought back for a feud against Brock Lesnar in 2016, reminding us all that there can only ever be one Bill Goldberg.