Bill Goldberg Age Not A Factor In Upcoming Royal Rumble
In just about any sport, whether it’s basketball, football, tennis, etc., once a player reaches their late 20’s and early 30’s, they are on the decline and trying to grasp at straws to get back a shade of their former glory. Once NBA players get on the wrong side of 30, their numbers, minutes, and overall productivity starts to decline. On the tennis court, the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, has largely been chasing his own accomplishments over the last half decade or so without ever quite reaching the top as he once did. There are a few exceptions, however, where talent, charisma, and sheer will can defy physics, gravity, and time itself. Case in point: Bill Goldberg.
With the re-emergence of Bill Goldberg back into the WWE fold, search queries like “Bill Goldberg age” have been trending. At 50-years-old, Bill Goldberg seems to have found a way to rejuvenate his career. While it may never be quite the cult-like following he had in his years in WCW (when he was spearing and jackhammering anyone and everyone that got in his way), there certainly is a buzz surrounding his return, and it’s hard not to get caught up in it. That said, it’s not just a matter of getting caught up in past nostalgia. At 50-years-old, Bill Goldberg is still bringing it — as intense and inspired as ever.
Watching the RAW segment from October, when Goldberg made his return to the ring after being away for 12 years, it’s hard not to get swept up in the lore of it all. As Bill Goldberg made his trademark entrance, complete with his signature theme, pyrotechnics, and the resounding chant of “GOLDBERG” coming from the guttural depths of all in attendance, his movements were a little less fluid, and his beard was considerably more grey, but this was (and is) very much the same Goldberg.
The segment was initially billed as a one-off. One more match for Bill Goldberg against the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. With all the hype and the build-up leading up to Goldberg’s return at Survivor Series, two spears, a Jackhammer, and 1-minute and 24-seconds later, Goldberg dispatched his opponent quickly and handily, as if it were WCW in the early 2000’s all over again.
Moving forward, however, with Bill Goldberg set to compete in this Sunday’s annual 30-man match at Royal Rumble 2017 in San Antonio, it’s clear that Brock Lesnar may not have been last on Goldberg’s list after all. As far as the Rumble match itself, most predictions don’t place Goldberg anywhere near the top of the heap in terms of walking away from the match victorious, but regardless of where Goldberg ultimately places at this Sunday’s Pay-Per-View, just the fact that he is suiting up and competing again is a victory in and of itself.
When you look beyond the nostalgia and the feel-good nature of seeing someone like Goldberg compete again and start looking into the probability of Goldberg embarking on a second wind, career-wise, with the WWE, it wouldn’t be impossible to imagine a scenario that would see Goldberg suit up for a few more years to come. At 50, while he may not be able to physically shoulder a full-time role like a lot of younger competitors on both the RAW and SmackDown Live roster, Goldberg could certainly compete on a part-time basis. Even if he isn’t always competing in-ring, having him do promos or spectate ringside would be yet another stream of revenue both for Goldberg and the WWE. If his re-emergence on RAW and his showing (though short) at Survivor Series are any indication, there is only one question in need of an answer: Who’s Next?
https://www.facebook.com/wwe/photos/a.10150602996611443.378989.7175346442/10154449000031443/?type=3&theater
[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Stringer/Getty Images]
