Steve Carrier on July 17, 2025
Goldberg officially closed the book on his in-ring career with a match against GUNTHER during the July 12 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. The moment capped off a decades-long journey, but many fans felt it lacked the emotional punch of a true retirement sendoff. What most didn’t know is that AEW had actually tried to give him just that.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, AEW offered Goldberg a legitimate retirement run months ago. While WWE ultimately locked him in for their own event, the motivation behind the timing may have had more to do with competition than tribute.
“I knew for months that this was going to be Goldberg’s retirement match weekend. We had reported that. They really should have given him more time for a proper speech, but honestly, that wasn’t their priority.”
“What they did care about was scheduling it on the same weekend as AEW’s biggest show. That was the focus—putting it head-to-head with AEW’s biggest show. And for what it’s worth, AEW had actually offered Goldberg a legitimate retirement run.”
Goldberg had previously confirmed that he held conversations with AEW President Tony Khan. In the end, though, he didn’t feel the company’s tone matched his legacy, reportedly calling AEW “too cheesy” for his taste.
Despite that, rumors have swirled that his WWE retirement might’ve been a calculated move to throw fans off the scent of a surprise AEW appearance. Only time will tell if he’s truly done—or if there’s another twist waiting down the road.
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Did WWE do enough to honor Goldberg's legacy with his final match? Or should he have accepted AEW’s offer for a full retirement run? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
July 17, 2025 6:21 am
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