Goldberg, 56, last competed in WWE in 2022, facing off against Roman Reigns at the WWE Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event. Despite a loss, the wrestling legend made it clear that a wrestler does not retire until they leave the world. There have been speculations ever since he made his return in WWE 2016. Every match and at every event fans believe that this would be Goldberg’s last appearance in a wrestling ring. However, the legend has always made a surprise appearance on many occasions.

Goldberg is Ready for One More Wrestling Bout

In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Goldberg stated that he would be open to having one final match that he can deliver to be a blockbuster but would also be fine with the fact should it not happen.

Speaking on the podcast alongside Buba Ray Dudley, Goldberg said, “I would love to have a final match. I would love to do it in front of my hometown crowd, but I also understand the business of my time in the business has come to an end.” The former WWE Universal Champion also mentioned that he would like to have his final match even outside promotions like WWE and AEW, namedropping a few places like Israel and India for the last encounter.

Goldberg’s openness to having a final match outside of WWE and AEW has sparked interest among fans and wrestling enthusiasts. The dominant Goldberg rose to fame as one of the most intimidating figures in professional wrestling history, and his potential final match is sure to draw attention from fans worldwide.

An Undeserving WWE Hall of Fame Induction

Speaking further, Goldberg also highlights that his Hall of Fame Induction into WWE was a bit undeserving accolade, obviously according to him. The former WWE Universal Champion believes that he was never that much invested in the industry compared to other wrestlers like Buba Ray.

Goldberg’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame took place in New Orleans at WrestleMania 34, along with Buba Ray, and it was presumed that we might have seen the last of the legend inside a squared circle. However, there might be one last dance left for the WCW legend.

READ MORE: WWE Files Trademark for ‘Talla Tonga’: A New Addition to The Bloodline?

Currently, Goldberg is a free agent after his last WWE contract expired, so it remains to be seen if he will return to the ring, whether in WWE or another promotion. As the wrestling world continues to evolve, Goldberg’s potential final match is sure to be a significant event, regardless of where it takes place. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see if the wrestling legend will get the opportunity to deliver one final blockbuster performance.

YouTube cc: @BravesNYC

However, despite its dominance during the “Monday Night Wars” era, WCW’s downfall began with creative missteps and a series of corporate decisions that led to a severe decline in viewership and fan interest.

Inception of WCW

In the early ’90s, WCW rose from the ashes of Jim Crockett Promotions, emerging as a major player in the wrestling industry. Bolstered by the financial support of Ted Turner, WCW expanded its talent pool, poaching WWE’s top stars, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Kevin Nash, and effectively shifting the balance of power in the wrestling world. As the Monday Night Wars heated up, WCW’s “Nitro” and WWE’s “Raw” engaged in fierce head-to-head competition, captivating fans with unpredictable twists and shocking debuts.

WCW’s success, however, proved short-lived. The lack of a coherent creative vision and an overreliance on established stars led to the neglect of talented up-and-coming wrestlers. As a result, the product grew stale, and ratings began to plummet. Meanwhile, WWE, under the leadership of Vince McMahon, adapted to the changing landscape, embracing the “Attitude Era” and pushing the boundaries of entertainment, which further siphoned WCW’s viewership.

Towards the Declining Graph

In the late ’90s, WCW’s overindulgence in a “quantity over quality” mindset further exacerbated its decline. With a bloated roster, exorbitant contracts, and lacklustre storylines, WCW struggled to maintain financial stability. This financial strain allowed WWE to swoop in and acquire WCW in 2001, bringing an end to the Monday Night Wars and cementing WWE’s status as the undisputed king of sports entertainment.

Though the WCW brand would briefly continue under WWE’s ownership, its legacy was forever tarnished. WWE would occasionally reference WCW’s history through nostalgic nods, but its once formidable rival’s existence had been relegated to mere memories. The likes of Goldberg, Booker T, and Rey Mysterio may have found success in WWE post-WCW, but the promotion itself remained a cautionary tale in the annals of wrestling history.

READ MORE: The Importance of Promos in Professional Wrestling: Mastering the Mic

The rise and fall of WCW marked one of the most significant chapters in WWE’s storied past. WCW’s initial ascent and captivating rivalry with WWE made for an exhilarating period in professional wrestling. However, its eventual demise, plagued by creative shortcomings and mismanagement, serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of the industry. As WWE continues to thrive, it must look back at the lessons learned from the fall of WCW to ensure its own continued success in the ever-evolving world of sports entertainment.

When we talk about TV, it all boils down to the TRP, AKA TV ratings. A show is chosen to be doing good or bad based on the TV ratings it acquires over a period of time. A low rating specifies that the show is not being liked by many, whereas a high rating signifies the quality of the show.

TV ratings also help production houses to decide the future of the product. It gives companies an idea of how their show is performing on the national or global level and helps them in restructuring and redesigning the product in order to keep the audiences glued to their TV sets.

WWE is the pioneer of pro wrestling and is also the market leader of the given industry. There have been numerous other productions that have entered the market namely WCW, ECW, TNA, and many other local productions, but no one could survive as long as WWE did.

A Major Challenge

WWE faced its major challenge during the mid-90s’ when Ted Turner’s production WCW went past it in TV ratings. The reason for such an incident was poor creativity and a lack of innovative approaches in the company. WCW was also able to lure in many major Superstars of WWE back then into the WCW locker room, such as Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart, to name a few. Later in early 2000, WWE used its money power and bought WCW to not only extend its roster but also killed its only completion in the industry.

WWE TV Ratings

Till the advent of WCW, WWE really didn’t bother much if the ratings of the show went down for a certain duration. It was in the mid-’90s when the war for ratings began between the two stalwarts back then. 83 weeks. That’s how long the uninterrupted winning streak of WCW Nitro over WWE Raw was. For 83 straight weeks, Nitro won the wrestling war. However, that all changed on April 13, 1998.

The Employee Vs Boss segment really fueled up the audience, and the rating skyrocketed from there. There was no looking back from there. Increased ratings gave the Superstars an open hand in deciding their own creativity and building their own brand name. To overcome the WCW market domination, WWE revamped its product and creativity and announced the beginning of the Attitude Era. After WWE purchased WCW, there has been no competition for them in the market.

The Cascading TV ratings

In the ’90s, products were designed to attain ratings over a complete show. WWE was adamant about achieving greater ratings due to the WCW competition. WWE’s highest rating show was on 10^th May 1999. It is a huge thing to gain such a rating.

Over the years, WWE has been changing its product, keeping in mind the social and cultural aspects of its community. From weekly shows filled with bloodshed and adult content. WWE shifted its narrative towards a lighter side, restructuring its product around children, which has no bloodshed or 16+ content. The shows now are more family-oriented and children-friendly. This is also known as the PG Era, which is completely opposite of the Attitude Era.

WWE has gained a huge fan base over multiple decades. It dates back to fans from the attitude era. Now the new PG Era product is not really being liked by the core fans of WWE. It has seen a great dip in the TV ratings. From a rating as high as 8.1, it slipped down to a mere 0.35.

Initially, the company gained a complete rating for a particular show. Now the show’s ratings dip as it progresses through the night. 1st segment is the highest rated, followed by 2nd and final segment being the lowest. It clearly shows fans switching off their TV or switching to another channel as the show breaks into commercials.

Reviving of TRP

Given the reach and resources the company has, there’s no doubt that they can revamp their product and attract a huge set of audience in the near future. The positive side is that there’s no competition, so it’ll be easy for them to design and deliver a fan-centric product.

READ MORE: Tommaso Ciampa Challenges Dolph Ziggler for the #1 contenders match

Drug abuse and a concussion led the company to turn PG. If the company can just work on the story and get good bookings, it’s no rocket science for them to gain a healthy TV rating going forward.