Kurt Angle explains how WWE failed Bill Goldberg during his first run
Goldberg returned to the WWE in 2016 and it's safe to say that the former WCW Champion has had a very lucrative run in the company over the past five years.
Fans were quite surprised when Goldberg decided to return after a 12-year absence. Goldberg was quite vocal against Vince McMahon's company during his time away from the business. The former WCW star was bitter about his first WWE run, and Kurt Angle believes that Goldberg had a good reason to be annoyed.
During the latest edition of 'The Kurt Angle Show' on AdFreeShows.com, Kurt Angle shared his honest opinions on Goldberg.
Kurt Angle admitted that while Goldberg was a complex human being, he was very easy to work with as Angle never faced any problems. Kurt Angle believes WWE didn't book Goldberg well during his first run in the WWE and the primary issue stemmed from the wrestler's lengthy matches.
Kurt Angle highlighted that Goldberg became a household name in WCW due to his dominating character. Goldberg's matches were one-sided squashes that rarely went long and that put him above other talents in the locker room.
Goldberg, however, was booked for longer matches when he came to the WWE, and that, according to Kurt Angle, hurt the superstar's gimmick.
"Bill was a complex individual, and he was easy to work with, and nobody had problems working with him. But, you know, what they did with him in the early 2000s when he first came into the WWE, they didn't book him right. Goldberg made a lot of money for WCW by being dominant. A beast. He dominated the matches."
That was the right call: Kurt Angle on Goldberg's win over Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series 2016
Kurt Angle explained the importance of having "eyebrow-raising" moments in wrestling and how they guarantee more money for the company. Goldberg was all about raising eyebrows, and his shocking win over Brock Lesnar from Survivor Series 2016 was an apt example.
Kurt Angle said WWE made the right decision to have Goldberg destroy the Beast Incarnate.
"They were two to three minutes tops, which raised eyebrows. Raising eyebrows makes money for the company, and WWE booked him; when he came in the early 2000s, he was doing 10,12,15 minute matches, and it just wasn't the Bill Goldberg that fans remembered him from WCW, and when he had the match with Brock Lesnar that only lasted 15 seconds, that was the right call."
Kurt Angle felt that fans always wanted to see Goldberg being portrayed as an unstoppable force. Angle added that WWE's call to book Goldberg in longer matches negatively impacted the veteran's on-screen act.
"That's the Goldberg that people want to see, and it does raise eyebrows. Raising eyebrows makes money for the company, and Bill Goldberg, I understand why he was bitter. I think that you know, with Goldust and the whole situation where he was a little worried, concerned about his character. I don't think that was anything that hurt him. I think that, what hurt him was having him wrestle longer."
WWE surely did learn from their mistakes as Goldberg shows up sporadically these days, wrestles for a few minutes, and makes millions of dollars at the age of 54.
What is your own honest opinion on Goldberg? Let us know in the comments section below.
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