One of the most infamous matches in recent memory came mere days before the global pandemic changed the wrestling world. WWE Super Showdown 2020 was headlined by WWE Universal Champion ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt defending his title against WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg in the same city he won it in four months prior. The bout clocked in at less than three minutes, with Goldberg scoring the 1-2-3 over the previously unpinned Fiend after just one Jackhammer. Fans and critics alike dragged this outcome, as The Fiend had been built up as an indestructible force that could withstand dozens of weapon shots just to be defeated by a single vertical suplex.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The following pay-per-view, WWE WrestleMania 36, was completely altered by COVID-19. Goldberg would defend his newly won WWE Universal Title against Braun Strowman rather than the initially-planned bout with Roman Reigns, while Wyatt’s singles match with John Cena would become a cinematic “Firefly Funhouse” bout. Even before the pandemic got in the way, initial WWE SuperShowdown plans set up a very different WrestleMania.
“Let’s put it this way. I’ve never said anything that wasn’t true in the wrestling business. I’m a talent and I do what the boss tells me to do. I flew to Saudi Arabia knowing that I was gonna lose,” Goldberg told SHAK Wrestling. “Then somehow it changed and the finish was different. And it surely wasn’t me. Because it’s an extremely selfish move, number one, to do. Number two, then truly it wouldn’t be about the business, it would be about myself. And number three, who the hell am I as a part-time guy to come in and demand anything. Truly I mean I’m not.”
The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion doubled down on his comments, noting he’s “never said no” to putting an opponent over.
“I’ve never said no to put anybody over. Maybe back in WCW I didn’t agree with Jericho over or something like that, if I can remember correctly,” Goldberg said. “I didn’t think it was time for the character to be involved in any comedy. But not in a million years in that Fiend situation in Saudi would I have done that. No way in hell! And I’d love to get on the phone with Bray and tell him, I’d love to see him face-to-face and make sure there’s not one percent of his being that believes that I changed that match.”
Goldberg’s last WWE appearance came at WWE Elimination Chamber earlier this year, where he was defeated by Roman Reigns.