WrestleMania 33 Review: 10 Major Talking Points

2. Goldberg WRESTLES

Undertaker WrestleMania 33
WWE.com

If Triple H Vs. Seth Rollins was an expected triumph, Goldberg Vs. Brock Lesnar was an unexpected triumph. It wasn't the bloodbath Goldberg had promised, nor the ten minute match the Wrestling Observer reported twenty four hours earlier - but it was closer in spirit to the Undertaker/Batista prizefight at 'Mania 23 than it was the non-match squash debacle of Fastlane last month.

Lesnar approached his old, excellent form with a display of the fantastic selling and body language for which he doesn't receive enough credit. It was nothing out of his norm - he German suplexed Goldberg ten times in a 5 minute match - but the transitions to those suplexes were excellent, particularly his ultra-athletic leap frog spot. He expanded on his tedious one-note strategy in a dynamic, stiff and breathless match which just about excused Goldberg's mixed return. It was as good as anything he managed in WCW. The off the charts heat helped.

That surely marks the end of Goldberg's run - and on last night's evidence, it was a success.

The events of Survivor Series infuriated some, but Lesnar is more or less back where he started - and Goldberg provided much exposure, intrigue and income in the meantime.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!