Goldberg On His “Bittersweet” HOF Induction & Most Recent WWE Run

2018 Hall of Famer and former WWE Universal Champion Goldberg made a recent appearance on The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast where he was asked about his recent run in the WWE, whether he would make a return to the ring again and how he felt about his induction to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Talking about his return to the WWE, Goldberg said, “I am an extremely lucky human being to have been afforded the opportunities that I have had in the past and that I am able to twelve years removed from the business go back and do what I did as a father along with just being a normal human, I am one of the luckiest guys in the world.”

“You can understand and millions upon millions of guys can understand the situation that I was in and that I am in everyday being a father. To get that opportunity to basically be on a rocket and shot to stardom again in front of your eyes of your son in real time. How can you write it any better than that?”

Goldberg returned to the WWE ring for the first time in 12 years when he made his return in October 2016. He headlined Survivor Series where he defeated Brock Lesnar under 1 minute and 26 seconds and Fastlane where he defeated Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal Championship.

Even though he lost the title in what would be his last match in the WWE to Lesnar at WrestleMania 33, his short run and comeback were memorable.

Goldberg returned to the WWE again this year as the headliner of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2018 where he would be inducted by none other than Paul Heyman.

Goldberg was asked about the induction ceremony and whether it felt if it was the pinnacle of his career, to which he described it as “bittersweet.” Goldberg maintained that he was honored and happy to be a part of the Hall of Fame, but he wasn’t happy with the fact that half the audience had left the event when it was time for his speech. According to him, the “strange” send-off was “unfair” and “unceremonious.”

“Yes and no. It’s bitter sweet. I’ll start with the yes in that I was extremely and will always be forever honored to the people who chose me to be a member of the Hall of Fame period end of story. The people that I rubbed shoulders with in that hall I don’t deserve to be there by any stretch but did I enjoy being last when half the people left because of a six hour ceremony when people go on and on and on and unfairly try to encapsulate their five to thirty five to forty years in the business? It was an unfair and unceremoniously strange send off because it is just tough.

You try to be professional in consideration for others and I’m not saying that the others were inconsiderate because they deserve their time and you deserve to sit out there and talk for an hour and make people understand how appreciative you are of the accolade and induction and the stories that encapsulate your career.

It’s an injustice for people to not hear those things. But at the same time it makes for an extremely excruciating experience (laughing) sitting out in that crowd. Even more excruciating for someone that has to follow them and capture their career in a short period of time which is what I tried to do and hell, I forgot about Sting and he was sitting in the front row thank God and I forgot about a million people because I didn’t have time.”

Goldberg continued, “I gave my suggestions to Mr. McMahon afterwards and then you carry on to the next night and you carry onto Mania where you are introduced and I was out of there like a hot potato because as long as I am physically able and as I’ve said have the ability to do the things that I used to do, I’m not saying I want to be out there doing it but its tough being around.

It is like being in pads and sitting on the side lines waiting for the coach to put you in but you can’t because you are ineligible. It’s just that I am a competitive person and it is tough to sit back and watch people do it whether it is wrestling or anything else. That transition that is kind of forcefully retire when you get this Hall of Fame induction I am just kind of uncomfortable with that whole situation. I am still walking tall.”