10 Best Raw Segments Of 2017 So Far

Goldust's involvement in The Golden Truth seemed to be the underwhelming final chapter in the storied career of The Bizarre One. Even his initial betrayal of R-Truth failed to captivate the audience, with his sudden turn garnering a muted and mostly unresponsive crowd reaction. However, seeing Goldust subsequently return to an earlier incarnation of his persona the next week was a completely unexpected delight.

Sat in a director's chair once again, the heel turn allowed Dustin Runnels to channel the unhinged and unsettling characteristics that made him such a fascinating character to begin with 20 years ago. He snarled, caressed himself and inhaled in his unique, over-exaggerated way with a renewed energy that the character had been distinctly lacking for some time. In some ways it was even an improvement on the original; gone were the homophobic overtones that frequently spoiled the enjoyment of the original presentation of Goldust.

His speech about never fading and lasting forever gave him new motivation, explained his sudden turn on R-Truth, and imbued the character with an arrogant obliviousness to his own decline that makes for an engaging and heel-ish character flaw. All in under two minutes, which is even more impressive. Raw has unfortunately been running incredibly similar promos from Goldust every week since, leading to some severely diminished returns, but for a brief, flickering moment, one of wrestling's greatest personalities was completely reinvigorated and The Golden Age truly had returned.