WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has added his voice to the growing criticism surrounding the booking of Goldberg vs. Gunther for Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12th, calling the sudden announcement “insulting” and a blatant disregard for logic in wrestling storytelling.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray didn’t hold back, expressing his frustration with the way WWE inserted Goldberg into the World Heavyweight Championship picture without explanation or narrative buildup.
“I despise lack of logic in wrestling. I get it. It’s wrestling. I get it, it’s sports entertainment. I understand creative liberty… This is not wiggle room.”
He compared the fan response to accepting illogical booking to blindly re-electing politicians who repeatedly fail to deliver:
“You know how certain politicians get voted into office, and they consistently do a bad job, but yet, every voting cycle… the people continue to vote this politician back into office? That’s what’s going on here. Until the WWE Universe decides that they hate this and walk away from the product… nothing will change.”
Bully Ray’s primary criticism was the complete lack of a storyline reason for the match being confirmed. Goldberg simply appeared on RAW, said “You’re next,” and the title match was booked—without explanation from management or any challenge from Gunther himself.
“Did Gunther issue an open challenge? No. Did Gunther say, ‘no matter who it is… you get the next title shot’? No… Who made the match? Why did they make the match? What’s the logic behind them saying yes?”
Calling the decision a force-fed narrative, Bully labeled it a disservice to fans:
“A storyline like this, to me, is insulting because it’s just ramming something down your fan base’s throat and just expecting them to consume it.”
However, the ECW legend didn’t stop at criticism. He offered a well-thought-out alternative booking scenario that would’ve made the same match feel more earned.
“How about Goldberg comes out? You do the segment exactly as it’s done… Then you go to the back. Nick Aldis walks in says, ‘Mate, I’m sorry… I can’t agree to this.’ And Goldberg says, ‘I want an answer, and I want an answer now.’ … All of a sudden, we have a camera follow Goldberg through the arena… right by Triple H.”
“Triple H looks up, takes off his headphones… gets up, stands right in Goldberg’s face… puts out his hand, shakes Goldberg’s hand. There’s the match being made right there. It’s a story… That would have made more sense than just going, ‘Hey, ladies and gentlemen, Goldberg versus Gunther.’”
While the clash of eras between Gunther and Goldberg has undeniable appeal, Bully Ray’s comments underscore the ongoing tension between spectacle and story—especially when stakes like the World Heavyweight Championship are involved.
Stay locked to PWMania.com for more updates on this developing story and the full build to Saturday Night’s Main Event.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
