Here’s a question all wrestling fans would like to have answered sooner rather than later. Will Goldberg make his triumphant return to WWE and will he show up at Clash of Champions?
As if WWE’s Raw brand could not get more confusing, rumors of the former world champion appearing at the pay-per-view have ramped up a bit the past few days – and not just on wrestling cheat sheets. According to ibtimes.co.uk, the possibility of Goldberg seeking his next opponent on Sept. 25 could be a real possibility.
There is further speculation that Goldberg could be headed for a confrontation with The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.
When asked what he thought about squaring off against Brock Lesnar, 49-year-old wrestler said: "Brock knows where the gym is, Brock knows where I live, and I'm not contractually bound to any deal with the WWE. So I have no business being around anything they're doing right now and it's purely by coincidence. But hey, I could get a phone call from now and then. You never know."
The word of Goldberg making a return to the ring was started some time before WrestleMania 32 as a potential opponent for the Undertaker and a replacement for Shane McMahon in the Hell in a Cell match. Of course, that never materialized. But with Goldberg part of WWE 2K17 and his promotions of both himself and the video game, we can all see how these things have a penchant to take off.
If Goldberg makes his return to the ring, at Clash of Champions or before the end of 2016, what are the best booking options for him? Here’s a look at five opponents that would make sense.
1- Brock Lesnar
We can get this out of the way quickly. If Goldberg comes back and he continues to spout off about facing the baddest man on the planet, then book this match and get it over with already. There are some things to factor in when making this kind of a match happen. Lesnar is not the man he was 10 years ago and neither is Goldberg.
There is more of a mean streak to the former MMA and WWE world champion. Goldberg has been out of a wrestling ring for some time. It looks like a great match on paper, but it might be one of the bigger mismatches WWE could ever book.
2- Samoa Joe
Joe is going to be a force in WWE in the near future. I see him in a situation where he has to face a huge star to get over, much like Kevin Owens did coming out of the gate against John Cena. Joe’s style and his strength are a solid test for Goldberg, but the fact Goldberg is not a “wrestler” per say as he is a brawler might not make this a fair match either.
Joe has the ability to become “the man” in this promotion. A match like this would be more of a “feature” confrontation and nothing more.
3- Undertaker
This is the confrontation we all wanted to see at WrestleMania 32 that never materialized. Frankly, I could not see it happening so quickly. Too many variables to work on. The fact that both Undertaker and Goldberg would be a one-off deal. Undertaker is (or was) in great shape for his WM match with Shane McMahon, but he cannot wrestle on a full-time basis like he once did.
Goldberg needs one match to get him over. I doubt he falls to Undertaker in a match, but he can show well enough to prove he is no slouch in the ring. This could still be a WM 33 match in Orlando come April.
4- Randy Orton
Just like his match with Brock Lesnar, Orton becomes the perfect opponent for Goldberg upon his return. I doubt the match will result in the same ending as it did at SummerSlam. This is also a case of Orton having to carry the match, and he would certainly be better on the mic than his opponent.
Orton is now the guy WWE calls on to help put opponents over. He is not a “jobber” but he is the guy who helps enhance superstar careers. Where facing someone like Lesnar, Joe or Undertaker may be more brutal in the ring, Orton would certainly give him a better chance to look solid in the ring.
5- John Cena
Wouldn’t it be something if Cena wins the WWE World Title at No Mercy and Goldberg walks in Smackdown Live the following Tuesday and issues a challenge to the 16-time world champion? I’m not sure how I would feel about all of that, but it is certainly a possibility.
If Cena wins the title at No Mercy, you can be sure his title run will not last long as the company wants to move forward. What you can expect is a brief interruption for a confrontation like this one, if the company decides to go in that direction. We should not expect Goldberg to take the belt off Cena, or anyone while making a comeback.
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