WWE News: Brock Lesnar Was Originally Booked To Defeat Goldberg At WrestleMania 20
The match between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20 is known as being one of the worst matches in WrestleMania history. Before the match even began, both Goldberg and Lesnar had mentally checked out, as both of them were leaving WWE immediately following their one-on-one encounter. Since that match, Goldberg has not appeared in a WWE ring, and Lesnar, of course, made his return to WWE nearly eight years later and is the current WWE champion.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer recently appeared on the Lapsed Fan podcast to talk about the history of WrestleMania, and mentioned that Brock Lesnar was originally booked to defeat Goldberg at WrestleMania 20, but, due to Lesnar deciding he wanted to quit WWE without giving much notice, WWE decided to have Goldberg defeat Lesnar.
Meltzer said in the podcast that a lot of the WWE talent resented Goldberg because he didn’t love pro wrestling, yet he was able to get so much out of it. Also, Vince McMahon resented Goldberg because he was one of the highest paid wrestlers on the roster and refused to work more than just couple of days per month.
It’s been well-documented that Goldberg wasn’t the easiest person to deal with during his one-year run in WWE, and that he had trouble getting along with a lot of the WWE locker room, most notably Triple H and Chris Jericho.
Vince McMahon believed that the best way to “stick it” to Goldberg on his way out of WWE would be to put him in the ring with Brock Lesnar and make him lose. McMahon’s thought was that even if Goldberg didn’t want to do it, and tried to “shoot” on Lesnar during the match, Lesnar would be able to hold his own. But after Lesnar decided he no longer wanted to be a WWE superstar shortly after signing a $1 million a year contract that would last for 7 years, McMahon decided he was more furious with Lesnar than he was with Goldberg, and changed the finish.
The WWE fans in attendance at WrestleMania 20 turned on the match before it even got started, and their were reports that WWE planted Shane McMahon in the crowd to lead a “YOU SOLD OUT!” chant.
WWE has reached out to Goldberg about returning for one more match over the past couple of years, but Goldberg has declined, however. He has publicly stated that he would be interested in doing one more match if WWE offered him the right opponent, and the right deal.
[Image via WWE]
