10 WWE Creative Success Stories In 2017

4. Goldberg's Last Stand

Bill Goldberg's WWE comeback told a simple story. Returning for the first time in 12 years, the grizzled old gunslinger wasn't just back for one last shot at glory, but to fulfil the long-held ambition of wrestling in front of his son and wife for the first time. That's all there was to it, and while Goldberg's run was initially met with widespread trepidation, it was all washed away after Survivor Series 2016.

The feud with Brock Lesnar really picked up in 2017, with Goldberg eliminating 'The Beast' from the Royal Rumble, keeping their longstanding beef alive. The ex-WCW man didn't win the match, but was awarded a Universal Title shot regardless, and put Kevin Owens away in just 22 seconds at Fastlane, setting up another colossal showdown between him and Brock.

With the odds stacked firmly against his tired, broken, 50-year-old body, Goldberg somehow delivered the best match of his career. He lost, but his and Lesnar's five-minute WrestleMania 33 blitzkrieg was utterly perfect. A manic, berserk sprint, it was a great a great way for Goldberg to go out, and he cut a fantastic retirement promo after the following night's Raw.

Much has been written about part-timers taking big spots in 2017, but Goldberg couldn't have hoped for a more effective last stand.