Goldberg on Hoping His Retirement Match Would Have Been at WWE PLE & Being “Pissed Off At The Way I Went Out”

A recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show podcast featured former WCW and WWE wrestler Bill Goldberg as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Goldberg’s thoughts about his retirement match against Gunther and his issues with it taking place on television and not at a WWE PLE.

“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. But to be given that opportunity on such a special show with the lineage of the show, to be able to go against the World Heavyweight Champion, to be able to go against Gunther, again, it was an honor and a privilege to be given that opportunity, and I had to make the most of it.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about his issues with his retirement speech getting cut off from this past Saturday’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event show and he will say more about the entire situation in two weeks.

“Yeah, absolutely. They cut me off (after) freaking 20 seconds with the microphone in my hand, for God’s sake.

I have two weeks before I can really spill the beans and make my feelings known about the entire rundown. From the inception of the idea to its delivery, it was a little less than to be desired, but again, I’m not gonna complain because not many people get that opportunity.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about his issues with WWE only announcing his official retirement match three weeks before the show which made it harder for him to contact people to be part of his walk-out entourage for his match.

“I would have loved for them to announce it in January and have a build up to it and do something I thought was maybe worthy of my career. But let’s just say that they chose to do it with three weeks notice. It is what it is. It’s part of the package.

It’s part of the meal that you get dealt. I would be remiss in thinking that I thought the meal would be different but it was shame on me for thinking that it would’ve been different. Don’t you love the way that I’ve been able to navigate my words?”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about him feeling pissed off over the way his wrestling career send off was handled by WWE.

“Let’s just say I’m pissed off at the way I went out. Because 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. Again, I’m not going to say that I’m not ecstatic with the opportunity that I got.

I think it could have been done a little bit differently. That’s all. I’m happy with my performance. I’m happy with the setting, but could it have been better? Absolutely, it can always be better.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about what specifically he would have done differently for his retirement match.

“Well, there’s about a hundred things. I did three interviews beforehand, Ariel. I did three in six months. They cut me off 30 seconds into my speech, bro. You don’t do that, but it’s all good.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about if his retirement speech getting cut off from the show’s broadcast was WWE or the network’s call.

“I think it doesn’t matter cause it’s live television and you can plan for it. That’s all.

I know it is what it is and the match might have gone long and this or that and whatever it is. But I just think that it could have been a little classier prepared than it was. And I’ll just say, that’s a mild understatement.

It is what it is. I got the opportunity to speak for 28 seconds.

I got an opportunity to have it for 28 seconds. Not many people get that, but it’s just everything throughout the years have built up to something like the ultimate rib. I guess that was the ultimate rib.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about if he had felt his retirement speech getting cut off was intentional.

“I’m not saying it was done on purpose by any stretch of the imagination. I’m saying that it wasn’t prepared for on purpose. That’s all. I mean, they wouldn’t do that to Taker, right? I don’t think they would. They’re not going to do that to Cena. Cena’s going around the world doing his retirement thing.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about the possibility of him ever wrestling again in the future despite having his retirement match.

“I can’t say that. In principle, yeah, I’m done, but I worked my ass off for five months. I don’t think I’ve dedicated that much of my life towards one goal, one night. I would be remiss in saying it didn’t feel as though it was a waste because I only went out there for 14 minutes and that was it. I’m 58 years old. My body is kind of torn to shreds. Hopefully, I was able to cover a lot of it up. I had my retirement match. I have 91 people fly in from all around the world that were personal guests. I don’t know if I want to kick start that again and say, ‘Guess what, I didn’t retire. I want to go one more time.’ You don’t plan stuff like that. In the world of professional wrestling, I guess you’re not retired until you’re dead. In principle, yeah, I’m retired.”

Goldberg also gave his thoughts about if he might be lingering around in WWE in the future.

“I don’t think I’m lingering anywhere around the WWE anytime in the future, by any stretch of the imagination. Wrestling world, you’re never retired until you’re dead. I ain’t dead yet. It was reinvigorating. It was a lot of fun. It taught me that I could do things that I never thought that I could do.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com, Fightful.com