– Goldberg’s surprise appearance on WWE Bad Blood got everyone talking after he was involved in a heated confrontation with WWE World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER. Fans immediately speculated whether this could be the start of Goldberg’s return to the ring, especially since GUNTHER made condescending comments about the wrestling legend during the event. However, according to the latest update from Dave Meltzer, there are no concrete plans for a match between the two at WWE Crown Jewel 2024.
At WWE Bad Blood 2024, GUNTHER mocked Goldberg as a “one-trick pony” while he sat ringside with his family. In a dramatic reaction, Goldberg jumped over the barrier and tried to confront GUNTHER, but security intervened before the situation could escalate. The moment fueled speculation as to whether Goldberg would step into the ring again. Triple H reinforced these rumors when he tellingly said at a press conference, “Never say never” regarding Goldberg’s possible return.
According to Meltzer, despite the intense confrontation, there are currently no plans to have a match between GUNTHER and Goldberg take place at Crown Jewel. Goldberg, who normally receives $2 million per appearance at such major events, is not expected to take part in this event. Instead, it is already certain that GUNTHER will compete against Cody Rhodes in Saudi Arabia. A match between GUNTHER and Goldberg is currently not planned for future major events such as the Survivor Series or WrestleMania, although the final WrestleMania plans are often finalized in October.
However, Meltzer made it clear that a meeting between the two was not completely ruled out. The WWE is known for its unpredictable twists and turns, and Triple H’s comment at least leaves open the possibility that Goldberg could return in the near future. So it remains exciting to see whether the wrestling legend will fight another big match.
Goldberg has not competed in a WWE match since his last match against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2022. Whether and when he will return for another high-profile match remains uncertain, but the WWE world is known for surprising comebacks.
– After WWE transitioned to youth-friendly programming in 2008, several rule changes were implemented to accommodate the new classification. These included reducing strong language, eliminating violent storylines and making gun use safer – all measures aimed at pleasing sponsors.
During the Attitude Era and the Ruthless Aggression Era, blading – the intentional cutting of skin to cause bleeding – was widespread. But with the switch to PG, it was completely banned. Wrestlers who violated this ban faced heavy fines.
However, in the Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre during the WWE Bad Blood event, this ban appeared to have been at least partially relaxed. Both superstars were covered in blood by the end of the match. McIntyre’s bleeding was the result of an unfortunate accident in which he was hit by a toolbox, while Punk’s bleeding wound was apparently planned. Ultimately, CM Punk won the match.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE has begun allowing blading again in special cases and during important matches – particularly significant storylines. With Vince McMahon no longer having the final say, WWE has become more open to allowing blood in big matches, but wants to avoid excess as much as possible.
What’s interesting is that WWE didn’t originally plan on making Drew McIntyre bleed during the match. Although CM Punk had hinted in advance that blood might play a role, McIntyre’s bleeding caused unrest behind the scenes. Due to the intensity of his injury, there were concerns behind the scenes about how badly he was injured. They even considered bringing a doctor into the cage to stop the bleeding. But because it was a Hell in a Cell match, they decided against it. Instead, they tried to wipe the blood off McIntyre with a towel. However, McIntyre remained calm and signaled that he had the situation under control. He stated that if he felt dizzy he would give a signal and then the match would be stopped immediately. Since he showed no signs of a concussion, the match continued and ended as scheduled.
WWE is now entering a new era as 2025 approaches, and Blading’s return is a step in the right direction for many fans. Especially in a brutal match like the one between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, many felt the blood was a necessary addition to enhance the intensity of the Hell in a Cell fight. It remains to be seen which future feuds will also include blading.
