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Shock and awe is exactly what WWE needed

Posted: Nov 28th 2016 By: Mike Mooneyham

Not since Hulk Hogan turned heel at Bash at the Beach two decades ago or Brock Lesnar ended The Undertaker’s streak two years ago at Wrestlemania has there been such a visceral reaction to a major pro wrestling show.

Like those seminal moments in sports entertainment, Bill Goldberg’s epic dismantling of Lesnar in 90 seconds last Sunday night at Survivor Series was designed for a reaction that is sadly missing in today’s pro wrestling game. And that is surprise and unpredictability. Shock and awe.

No one saw it coming.

It was a gutsy move by Vince McMahon, but he knew the match was bigger than any finish. And it delivered.

Most fans expected Lesnar to handily dispose of a man 10 years his senior and pushing 50 years of age. Many expected Lesnar to at least tie the series up 1-1 after losing his only other match to Goldberg nearly 13 years ago.

But no one can deny that the finish of the match got fans talking en masse. Social media platforms blew up to a level that hasn’t been seen in a long time in the wrestling business. The buzz and fallout will continue.

Many fans understandably questioned the seemingly invincible Lesnar losing to a once-seemingly invincible Goldberg. WWE risked damaging the aura of its top star, who has laid waste to everyone in WWE who has crossed his path. But even seemingly invincible monsters lose every now and then. It
makes the product more believable and more unpredictable.

It took just four moves for Goldberg to defeat Lesnar. The match was kept short, no doubt to not overexpose a wrestler who hasn’t been in the ring for more than 12 years, and to prevent a possible injury that might have marred this spectacle and put future ones in jeopardy.

Most of all, though, the explosive Goldberg’s one-sided victory was meant to put an exclamation point on a return that many doubted would ever materialize. And he did it with exact and decisive precision.

Lesnar’s contract is up next year, and few expect him to stick around longer. Arguably WWE’s biggest star for the past three years, he’s made tons of money in WWE (and UFC), but he’s been an infrequent participant at best, wrestling only three to five times a year. He fully understands that
Sunday’s shocking loss will pay even bigger dividends down the road. He knows there’s big money in another match with Goldberg.

As expected, Goldberg has agreed to more appearances, and there’s plenty of time for Lesnar to exact some sort of payback. With more creative planning from WWE, there are a number of directions this story could go. And as long as Vince McMahon is willing to meet his big money demands,
Goldberg will be willing to step back into the ring.

The former WCW superstar already has agreed for an appearance in January when he will compete for a shot at the company’s world title at the Royal Rumble. His dominant victory over Lesnar proved that he still has another run left in him, and 60,000 fans will pack the Alamadome in San Antonio to see if he still does.

There’s a much bigger money match to come out of this, though, and it most likely will happen on the grandest stage of all. If not with Lesnar, a dream match pitting Goldberg and The Undertaker — two of the biggest stars of the Monday Night Wars era — would be a gigantic draw at Wrestlemania 33. More likely is an appearance by Lesnar that could cost Goldberg an opportunity to win the event and move on to a world title shot, setting the two up for a Wrestlemania showdown.

For those fretting about Lesnar’s status and doing the job in a virtual squash, he’ll come out of this OK. This feud won’t end with a lopsided defeat at Survivor Series. Vince will make his millions and everyone will go home happy.

This classic confrontation also has a good story behind it. Goldberg came out of retirement, initially, for just one more match. His 10-year-old son had never seen him wrestle live, nor had his wife of 11 years. His glory days in the business had ended before those connections.

“To be able to get the opportunity to be the guy one time in your life is an unbelievable opportunity. To be able to be that guy a couple times ... awesome. To have an opportunity to be that man again at my age ... what can you say,” Goldberg recently told ESPN.

After Sunday night’s match, Goldberg grabbed his son from the crowd and brought him into the ring to celebrate in front of a crowd that showered them with cheers. It was the kind of moment that legitimate sports outlets like ESPN love.

Many fans have forgotten what happened more than 12 years ago between Goldberg and Lesnar. Both were on their way out of WWE, it was a bad match, and it was Steve Austin who got the big pop and salvaged the debacle by stunning both men after the bout.

Most fans are unlikely to forget what happened Sunday night in Toronto.

Not everyone was surprised by the outcome of Sunday night’s match. Smart money from folks who knew the finish swung late odds decidedly in favor of Goldberg.

Remember that it is called sports entertainment.

A number of titles will be on the line when WWE brings its Holiday Tour to the North Charleston Coliseum on Sunday.

Kevin Owens will defend his Universal heavyweight title against U.S. champion Roman Reigns in the main event. Charlotte defends her WWE women’s crown against Sasha Banks. New Day defend their WWE Raw tag-team title in a four-way match with Enzo Amore and Big Cass, Luke Gallows and Karl
Anderson, and Sheamus and Cesaro. Former WWE champion Seth Rollins will lock horns with Chris Jericho.

Among others scheduled to appear are Sami Zayn and Bayley.

The show starts at 5 p.m.

OSCW Caged Carnage

Old School Championship Wrestling returns to the Hanahan Rec Center on Dec. 4 with a “Caged Carnage” main event between former WWE stars Gangrel and Kevin Thorn. Their rematch, stemming from an initial meeting in March, will be held inside a cage.

Former WWE star Chris Masters also is scheduled to return at the event.

The show was originally scheduled on Oct. 9 but postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. All tickets purchased in advance for that event will be honored at the Dec. 4 show.

For more information, call 843-743-4800 or visit www.oscwonline.com.