Gillberg Makes WWE Return On Raw

And Goldberg had something to say about it...

Gillberg Return Raw
WWE.com

Former WWE Light Heavyweight Champion Gillberg returned to WWE television for the first time since 2007 last night.

Chris Jericho was hosting a Festival of Friendship for current WWE Universal Champion and called-out Goldberg, Owens' opponent at Fastlane, about halfway through. The music hit, the chants filled the arena, but it wasn't the former WCW Champion who hit the stage. Instead, Gillberg stumbled out from the backstage area flanked by his trademark "pyrotechnics," and KO wasn't best pleased.

Owens wrecked the returning jobber, then turned his frustration to Jericho, who thought the stunt would have been funny. The Universal Champion later turned on his best friend, destroyed the Festival of Friendship like he destroyed their relationship, then left Jericho for dead.

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Debuting in 1998, Gillberg was WWE's way of parodying Goldberg during the Monday Night Wars. Goldberg was WCW's top star at the time, and WWE originally had the idea of having Gillberg lose 173 consecutive matches to poke fun at Goldberg's infamous 173-match winning streak.

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Gillberg remains the longest-reigning WWE Light Heavyweight Champion of all-time, and first came face-to-face with Goldberg in April 2003. That meeting ended predictably for Gillberg, who was promptly choked-out, and Goldberg wasn't too impressed by last night's antics either:-


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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.