Evaluating Odds of Goldberg Making WWE In-Ring Return

After being slammed shut for so many years, the door to a Goldberg WWE return is open a crack.

It's not yet time to pull out one's old "Who's Next?" T-shirt, but there is more of a chance of the powerhouse stepping back into the ring than there has been in a long while. A video game deal, hints lodged into a recent interview and an apparently improved relationship between Goldberg and WWE speak to that.

On Monday's Raw, the company revealed that Goldberg will star in the upcoming WWE 2K17 video game.

The ad for the game sparked a surge of discussion online among fans. Not only was this the first association Goldberg has had with WWE in recent memory, but there seemed to be a hint of a future clash with Brock Lesnar. In the commercial, the former WCW world champ eyed a Suplex City sign, a moment one could read as a tease of a Lesnar-Goldberg rematch.

Those two last met at WrestleMania XX, a bout that ended up being Goldberg's last.

As intriguing as the idea of WWE revisiting that rivalry might be, that allusion from the ad isn't exactly concrete evidence of anything happening in real life. Chair Shot Reality host Justin LaBar reminded fans of the fantasy element of the game and its promotion:

Still, WWE has to love all the interest Goldberg's addition to the game has created. There is little doubt that bringing him back would result in a marquee matchup.

Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald offered similar thoughts:

Goldberg himself added to the speculation about his potential return. In an interview with Matthew Artus on WWE.com, the former Georgia Bulldog talked about getting back into the ring.

When asked whether he had one more match in him, he said, "I've got 50 more in me. It just depends on the ability to keep it up to my standards. I love everybody to death and I greatly appreciate their opinions, but none of it matters except for mine, because I hold myself to such high standards."

Credit: WWE.com

That's not the kind of denial Goldberg has offered in the past in response to that kind of question. He has long been critical of WWE and how the company handled his run in the early 2000s. Perhaps time has diluted some of his frustrations.

But while some have taken the video game appearance and these comments as proof of his impending comeback, there are ample reasons to be doubtful about him wrestling again.

For one, his current contract isn't wrestling-related. As reported on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Wrestling Inc's Marc Middleton), Goldberg's deal is with 2K Sports, not WWE.

Yes, Sting first signed a video game deal before working out a wrestling one, but there's no guarantee that his fellow WCW alum will do the same.

While The Stinger had been active with TNA before working out a contract with WWE, Goldberg hasn't laced up his boots in over a decade. His last match came back in 2004. That adds up to a lot of ring rust to shake off.

And in his interview with WWE.com's Artus, Goldberg noted how much things have changed since then.

"The reality is, you've got movies, TV appearances, a kid, you're 49 years old...things aren't like they used to be. It's a completely different day," he said.

There's also the issue of him and WWE Creative agreeing on a plan. Goldberg's in a position where he can walk away from the negotiating table if he doesn't want to execute the plan the company lays out for him.

If WWE doesn't place him high enough on the card, he may balk. If the money isn't right or WWE wants him to take a loss for some rising star, he's likely to say never mind to a return. His opinion of the company has been far from sterling.

Remember that this is the same man who once said he would consider a match with Ryback if WWE "knew how to do business":

All that being considered, it's not a safe bet that Goldberg climbs back in the ring, but it would't be wholly unexpected. Put a Goldberg return match at 18-1 odds.

That's far better odds than fans seeing CM Punk mend his relationship with Vince McMahon, but still far from a sure thing. All this Goldberg talk is mostly rumors and wishful thinking right now.

Sometimes, though, those things snowball into something tangible.