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WWE Rumors: Latest Reports on The Undertaker vs. Goldberg from Super ShowDown
June 13, 2019
More information emerged Thursday regarding last week's widely criticized match between The Undertaker and Goldberg at WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc.com), it is believed Goldberg suffered a concussion after he ran into the ring post. That spot also caused Goldberg to bleed.
Goldberg had a noticeable cut on his forehead before the match, which suggests blood may have been part of the plan.
After the match, Goldberg tweeted he was knocked out at one point and suggested that it impacted his performance the rest of the way:
Per Meltzer, both The Undertaker and Goldberg collapsed backstage after wrestling a nine-minute match in 100-degree heat. PWInsider (h/t Middleton) added that there is no truth to the rumor that The Undertaker and Goldberg got into a shouting match following the bout.
After the ring post spot, Goldberg appeared to land on his head while taking the Tombstone Piledriver. He later failed to complete a Jackhammer on The Phenom and nearly dropped him on his head.
The match mercifully ended when Taker hit Goldberg with an ugly chokeslam and then pinned him to pick up the win.
There was a deluge of criticism on social media regarding the match, but several wrestling veterans rushed to the defense of The Undertaker and Goldberg, included All Elite Wrestling star Chris Jericho and WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry:
Chris Jericho @IAmJerichoBoth @undertaker & @Goldberg are once in a lifetime, TOP LEVEL performers and money draws. And even though they might not be at their peak & had an outing that wasnt perfect, they are still better than most. I think @MickJagger & @OzzyOsbourne would agree. #Respect
Little was expected from the bout in terms of technical mastery since The Undertaker is 54 and works a limited schedule, while Goldberg is 52 and hadn't wrestled since WrestleMania 33 more than two years ago.
Had WWE limited the match to grandiose entrances, a staredown and roughly five minutes of signature and finishing moves, The Undertaker and Goldberg probably could have delivered a quality performance.
The match stretched beyond that in difficult conditions, though, and the result was an overall feeling of disappointment.
WWE's Saudi Arabia shows have featured several older and part-time Superstars in recent years, but after watching The Undertaker and Goldberg struggle at Super ShowDown, it is fair to wonder if WWE might shy away from that philosophy.
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