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Goldberg returned to WWE on the July 19th episode of Monday Night RAW to the shock of the WWE Universe in attendance. Rumors were speculating beforehand that Goldberg was due to return to face Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at the SummerSlam pay-per-view this August.
Seemingly, a return that would be lapped up by fans wasn't seen to stick with some fans, who were vocal about being against the return of Goldberg. For different reasons, Goldberg seems to have a left a sour taste in the mouth of some.
That being said, let's take a look at five reasons why Goldberg doesn't deserve the hate he receives.
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#5 Goldberg brings more attention to WWE, which can only be a good thing
It goes without saying that Goldberg is one of the all-time greats, especially during his run the WCW. Goldberg held everyone's attention when he performed. Even when he was making his unique entrance, which presents him like a big deal.
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Now, many fans may go on the record to say that they're sick of Goldberg, or that Goldberg is taking someone else's deserved spot. Well, let's take a look at the numbers as to why Goldberg doesn't deserve that hate.
The July 19th episode of Monday Night RAW in which Goldberg returned, his segment was the most-watched out of all the RAW videos posted by WWE on YouTube, with 2.6 million views. It even beat John Cena's segment, which racked up 2.2 million views. It's clear that people are wanting to see him.
You can even look at WWE's all-time most watched videos on YouTube, and a Goldberg playlist appears in the Top 10 with a whopping 129 million views! It is an interesting metric to look at, but it can certainly explain why WWE wants Goldberg around.
Even the recent reveal of the TV ratings in the USA showed that there was a big jump with Goldberg appearing, bringing in 1.923 million viewers. This is RAW's highest TV ratings viewership since the night after WrestleMania.
So why is all that relevant to the hate that Goldberg receives? Well, the more eyes on the WWE product, the better. More opportunities to generate more revenue, more advertising opportunities, more chances to sign talent to better contracts, the list goes on.
Goldberg equals money for WWE. He brings eyes to the product, which in turn means it keeps WWE booming, on and off screen.
#4 Goldberg puts over talent
In Goldberg's most recent matches in WWE, he has put over Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre. Strowman's victory was also on the biggest stage at WrestleMania, with McIntyre's win coming at the Royal Rumble.
Even before that, Goldberg put over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33 after embarrassing him at the Survivor Series pay-per-view a few months earlier.
There are the odd exceptions, where Goldberg beat talents like Dolph Ziggler and The Fiend. But overall, those losses served a purpose for what was to come. There has to be a balance, and with Goldberg, that has been executed.
Goldberg understands what needs to be done to get talent over, especially one that is bursting into the main-event scene. Let's take Bobby Lashley now and their scheduled upcoming match at the SummerSlam pay-per-view in August. It is likely that it is being done to put Lashley over even more during his unstoppable run as WWE Champion.
Fans can direct their frustrations towards Goldberg, but it is clear he is giving back to the business by doing the right thing at the right time for the superstars that will be carrying the company going forward.
#3 Goldberg continues to put his body on the line for our entertainment
At the age of 54, Goldberg continues to put his body on the line to entertain the WWE Universe, bringing his unique aura with him. That in itself has to be hugely respected, as he could easily call it a day and walk off into the sunset.
Goldberg has always been a tough cookie, and even after a below-par showing against The Undertaker in Saudi Arabia, he built himself up and still wanted to give back. It takes time to get prepared and into shape to compete in a WWE ring, and he dedicates himself to that. Those are sometimes the things that we don't see.
He is smart, limiting his time wrestling, to keep his body fresh and not overdoing it by beating his body down at his age. As we've seen in the past, some wrestlers try and wrestle as often as they can no matter what age they are.
Goldberg told The Bump in 2020, in regards to a possible retirement:
"'Hey when are you gonna hang it up?’ The fact is that if I get a phone call and I can still do what I did back in the day and bring it to at least an acceptable level then I’m not gonna say no." said Goldberg (h/t WWE's The Bump)
#2 Goldberg has had a legendary career and has earned a lot of respect
Goldberg started his legendary career being trained at World Championship Wrestling's Powerplant in 1996. He was advised to take up professional wrestling by Lex Luger and Sting.
Following his training, Goldberg debuted for WCW and began one of the most incredible undefeated streaks we have ever seen in pro-wrestling. He went on a 173-0 undefeated streak before losing to Kevin Nash at the Starrcade pay-per-view in 1998, losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship along with the streak.
This period for Goldberg was by far his most successful, and he became WCW's most popular star during his rapid rise within the space of a year. The 'Who's next?' catchphrase was adopted during this time.
It put Goldberg on the map, with fans chanting his name and immersing themselves in his character every time he appeared.
Goldberg remained with WCW until its demise, then signed with WWE in 2003, and faced some of WWE's biggest stars, including The Rock and Triple H. His initial WWE stint only lasted one year, but it was clear that Goldberg was still as popular as ever. He, of course, returned to WWE in 2016, where his legendary career continues to this day.
His unique aura and how he held the audience in the palm of his hand from his entrance to his quick victories was admirable. He goes down as one of the greatest ever. Maybe not for his in-ring ability, but for the way he connected with the audience right from his debut until this very day.
#1 Goldberg is a WWE Hall of Famer
Goldberg's achievements and impact on professional wrestling were recognized in 2018. He was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, alongside the Class of 2018 which consisted of some legendary names such as Jeff Jarrett, Hillbilly Jim and The Dudley Boyz.
The WWE Hall of Fame honors those who have given so much to the business throughout their careers. The ceremony takes place once every year, usually on WrestleMania weekend.
Goldberg sits alongside some of the biggest names in the industry such as Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart and Ric Flair. It is an elite class, with recognition earned by those higher-ups in WWE. It says a lot about his legacy and popularity, that in 2018 Goldberg was in fact the lead inductee going into that year's class.
WWE Executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) told WWE.com as Goldberg was announced to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018:
"Goldberg’s unique athleticism, persona and intensity captured the imagination of sports entertainment fans around the world throughout his illustrious career. We are honored to have Goldberg take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame" said Triple H. (h/t WWE.com)
It goes without saying that Goldberg's smash-mouth style and unique character captured the hearts of many fans around the world. He deserves all the praise he receives for his achievements.
The fact that he is still relevant today tells you a lot you need to know about Bill Goldberg and his career, and also cements why the hate he receives may be unjust.
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