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

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.

 

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  • 1969 Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres def. Karl Von Stroheim & Treach Phillips for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 1971 Dusty Rhodes def. Sputnik Monroe for the TSW Brass Knucks Title
  • 2003 Ichiban [1st] became the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2003 The Heatseekers (Karl Davis & Rick Styles) became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 2003 Outcast def. Tyler Bateman for the TPW Light Heavyweight Title
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  • 04-22 1968 The Spoilers (Spoiler #1 & Spoiler #2/Smasher Sloan) def. Fritz Von Erich & Billy Red Lyons for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 04-22 1980 Terry Gordy def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 04-22 1985 The Great Kabuki became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 04-22 2006 Michael York def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-22 2016 Brock Landers def. Mascara La Parka for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Title
  • 04-22 2016 Mascara La Parka def. Brock Landers for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Title
  • 04-22 2017 Double D def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 04-22 2017 Nikki Knight def. Skylar Slice for the ComPro Ladies Title
  • 04-22 2018 Chaz Sharpe became the ASP Inter-County Champion
  • 04-22 2018 Johnny Kove & Tristan Thorne became the ASP Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 04-22 2018 Damon Windsor def. Chandler Hopkins for the IWR Revolutionary Title
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  • 04-23 1974 Thunder Cloud & White Cloud def. Bob Sweetan & Seigfried Stanke for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-23 1978 Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear def. Ernie Ladd & The Assassin for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-23 2004 Michael Barry became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
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  • 04-23 2016 Athena def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
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  • 04-24 1999 Original Renegade def. Tarantula for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
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  • 04-25 2003 Ichiban [1st] became the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-25 2003 The Heatseekers (Karl Davis & Rick Styles) became the TPW Tag Team Champions
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  • 04-25 2008 Ky-Ote became the 3DW Heavyweight Champion
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