Just days after competing in what was billed as his retirement match, WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg has broken his silence on the bout—offering gratitude, but also frustration with how it was handled.
The July 12 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event saw Goldberg fall to World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER in the main event from Atlanta, Georgia. The match, which aired on NBC, marked the end of Goldberg’s in-ring career. While fans in attendance witnessed a moving post-match speech from the WCW legend, that segment was cut short on television due to time constraints.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Goldberg didn’t mince words:
“You always have your dreams of how you’re going to do things… ultimately, to have a little bit more control over the time and the space would have been much more preferred. Let’s just put it that way… Freaking 20 seconds with the microphone in my hand, for God’s sakes.”
Goldberg emphasized that he appreciated the opportunity to retire in front of a hometown crowd and acknowledged WWE’s efforts to set up the match with GUNTHER, which had reportedly been in development since late 2024.
However, he admitted the execution of the send-off left him disappointed, citing lack of control and rushed production:
“The entire rundown… from the inception of the idea to its delivery—it was a little less than to be desired… I put so much into it and I don’t feel as though the effort was reciprocated to put a stamp on what I’ve accomplished.”
“Could it have been better? Absolutely. It can always be better.”
Goldberg hinted that he will speak more openly about the circumstances behind the scenes:
“I get two weeks before I can really, you know, spill the beans… and make my feelings kind of known.”
While Goldberg has called this his final match, his comments suggest there may be more to the story yet to be told. Whether a future documentary, shoot interview, or public statement is coming remains to be seen.
Despite his dissatisfaction with the structure of the event, Goldberg ended the interview making it clear that his in-ring performance and the support of the Atlanta crowd were the high points of his retirement night.
