Opinion: Why Goldberg, Triple H and The Undertaker need to call time on their in-ring careers

The Undertaker and Goldberg at WWE Super Showdown.
The Undertaker and Goldberg at WWE Super Showdown.

At WWE Super Showdown in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, we got to witness what many of us considered a dream match. A matchup between the legendary Undertaker, who was dominant for many years in WWE with his WrestleMania winning streak prior to 2014, and boasted Goldberg, who boasted the largest undefeated streak in WCW history.

This match was considered to be a pure fantasy match between these two combatants. Many of us didn't believe that this match would ever get to take place, given the age and status of both men. 15 years ago, it would have been the perfect to book the two legends, with both being in the prime of their careers back then.

It is certainly safe to say that the dream match didn't live up to the hype when both men are no longer in their prime. It was pointed out that Goldberg got busted open on the ring post in the first few minutes, possibly being concussed from it. Following that, the match never gained any further traction, with both Superstars botching moves for the remainder of the match. Several incidents like Goldberg's botched Jackhammer or The Undertaker's failed attempt at the second tombstone piledriver could have seriously injured either one of these Superstars.

It was very fortunate that both men escaped serious injury because this match really shouldn't have taken place. Both of these men are in their 50's and are a long way off from putting on a great match and being in ring condition. It did not seem that there was any initial planning of what the match would look like. .

Such bookings make the situation increasingly difficult to watch, seeing these legends being forced to come out of retirement just for a huge payday in Saudi Arabia. The people there may enjoy the nostalgia it brings, but they too weren't thrilled to see this match, given the age of both performers. You could basically hear the arena go quiet once botches started occurring one after another. It was like the air was sucked out of the arena.

It certainly seems that WWE and Saudi Arabia are going to have to rethink their strategy, letting legends close out these big shows. This was the second straight main event when WWE legends closed the show and things didn't go right in the match.

If we take a look at the first time, it was The Undertaker and Kane versus D-generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels). The match had very similar issues to this one and also it was Triple H who got injured last time, suffering a torn pectoral muscle. The similarities between these two events are that The Undertaker was involved in both and did not perform well.

Now would be the right time for many of these legends -- The Undertaker and Goldberg in particular, to retire from in-ring competition so that they don't cause any damage to their reputation and their legacy. Both these Superstars, along with guys like Triple H, have given us everything they possibly could, inside the squared circle. The longer they continue to perform, the more likely they are to damage their legacy.

Upon watching the recent matches of the Superstars mentioned above, it is clear to see how difficult it is for these part-timers to wrestle like they did during their prime. Their age and ring condition is no longer on their side and it was shown at Super Showdown.

During Super ShowDown, Triple H looked exhausted few minutes into his match with Randy Orton. The pace was slow as well to allow time Triple H to recover when he needed to. Understandably, it was hot over in Saudi Arabia at Super Showdown, however it would not have altered the ring condition of Triple H.

The Undertaker did look to be moving a little better this time since he has shed a few pounds, however, the match between him and Goldberg still was slow and exhausting for both competitors. It will remain a mystery how the match would have turned out, had Goldberg not knocked himself out only a few minutes into the match. The assumption would be thought that it certainly wouldn't have been a 5-star classic, but certainly good enough for the Saudi fans and us to enjoy.

Neither Goldberg nor The Undertaker really had to be involved in their heated exchange backstage. Both were asked to be there simply to give the fans a nostalgia-driven match between two legends. Neither man has been a full-time competitor for a number of years and is semi-retired, so botches were to be expected.

It is understandable why these three legends would agree to be in a match or matches in Saudi Arabia ( given how much they are paid for it ). There comes a time though when these three need to sit down and work out if its best for their own health, as well as the health of the other Superstars who they are facing before they continue to perform.

We, as WWE fans, appreciate everything they have done for us. However, they have nothing left to prove to us. They have all earned the right to be retired and taking care of themselves and their families. These men have given us everything they have and the memories they have given us will be remembered forever.

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