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Goldberg on WWE retirement match: ‘It’s a huge risk’

Posted: Jun 20th 2025 By: Joseph Currier

Goldberg knows he’s taking a big risk by returning to the ring for one more match.

After a three-year layoff, Goldberg will get back in the ring when he challenges World Heavyweight Champion Gunther at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta on July 12. With a title on the line, this has not officially been announced as Goldberg’s retirement match, but WWE is billing it as his final ride.

Goldberg’s most recent match prior to this was against Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia in 2022. During an appearance on The National Football Show with Dan Sileo, Goldberg explained that he wasn’t happy ending his career with that bout and now wants to go out on his own terms.

“There’s a lot of reasons why I’m doing it. If push came to shove, I wouldn’t have planned it at 58 years old, but that’s just the way things go,” he said. “Unfortunately, my last match with the WWE contractually, it was against Roman Reigns, it was in Saudi Arabia, there were a number of things that were wrong with that scenario. First and foremost, me coming off of COVID three weeks before. You know, I hadn’t trained for three months, I had COVID. So to make an extremely long story short, it just wasn’t the right way for me to go out. That’s all.”

Goldberg — already a member of the WWE Hall of Fame — understands that he’s putting his legacy at risk with this return. But he knows he has to take that risk if he wants the potential reward that comes along with it. He’s gotten the chance to properly train for this match and is determined to put in a good showing.

“I ain’t freaking going out the way I went out — period, end of story,” Goldberg said. “So at 58 years old, if I have to go in there hobbled, if I have to go in there 30 pounds lighter, I don’t give a sh*t. Because I have a point to make. And at 58 years old, can I still make that point? I don’t know, but I’m going to do my best. And my best — 50 percent of me is better than 99 percent of the pricks on the planet, I believe. So if I still give that effort and have the work ethic, though I’m not who I used to be, but [mentally] I am. I mean, we don’t lose that. So it’s a risk. It’s a huge risk. Am I risking the legacy of Goldberg in the ring? Yeah, I mean, always. Every time you step in there you risk that. But it’s risk versus reward.”

Goldberg said he isn’t just doing this match for himself. It’s an opportunity for his son Gage to see his dad wrestle one more time. Gage — who is a member of the University of Colorado football team — is expected to walk his father to the ring at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The build to Gunther vs. Goldberg began in October 2024 with an angle at WWE Bad Blood. Goldberg told The National Football Show that it’s an honor to get into the ring with Gunther and challenge for his title.

“He’s a formidable opponent. I mean, he’s the World Heavyweight Champion. I remember meeting him years ago right when he broke in. The guy had a shooting star up his ass at that point, and I knew he was going to be destined for big things,” Goldberg said about Gunther. “And, hey, it’s an honor for me to get in the ring with him. It’s an honor to step into a position to be vying for the World Heavyweight Championship at 58 years old. I mean, I don’t know of any other ones who have retired with a match like that.”

Gunther is a two-time World Heavyweight Champion. He dropped the title to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41 but won it back on the June 9 episode of Raw, becoming champion again in time to set up this Goldberg match.

Supplemental Information

Spotlight in History

2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title

04-26

Justin Dynamic Apr 26th Today!
Karl Kox Apr 26th Today!
Havoc Apr 26th Today!
Yasu Fuji Apr 27th
Siva Afi Apr 28th
Chance Snodgrass Apr 28th
Ichiban [2nd] Apr 28th
Sunshine Apr 29th
Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th
Joe McCarthy Apr 30th
Billie the Kiid Apr 30th
Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
Prince Maivia May 1st
Barrett Brown May 2nd
Americos May 2nd
Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
Big Bossman May 2nd
Kari Wright May 2nd
Don Fields May 2nd
Lester Welch May 3rd
Johnny Humble May 3rd
Lily McKenzie May 3rd
Malik Mayfield May 4th
Dory Funk May 4th
El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
Jay Hazzard May 4th
Bull Schmitt May 4th
Princess Victoria May 5th
Maria Brigitte May 5th
Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
Olivier Vegos May 5th
El Gallardo May 5th
El Matador Dos May 5th
Zane Morris May 5th
Bill Watts May 5th
Claire Watson May 6th
Hercules May 7th
Richie Adams May 8th
Jake Danielsson May 9th

2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles

More Look Back In History

Card Results

Current Champions

Native American Wrestling

Tag Team Champions
Simply Old School

Heavyweight Champion: Michael H
Indigenous Land Champion: Floyd Maystorm
Openweight Champion: Stephen Nitro

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