WWE SummerSlam 2016: 10 Things You Might Have Missed
1. The Goldberg Irony
Bill Goldberg was in New York last night, and months after being announced as WWE 2K17’s first official roster member, it was widely rumoured that he’d return to WWE last night.
This didn’t happen, of course, but that didn’t stop the Barclays Center crowd chanting for him during the Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton beatdown. Goldberg has spent the past few weeks inciting speculation with a series of non-committal interviews domestically and abroad, fans had cottoned-on to the buzz, and it was a considerable surprise when he didn’t appear.
Given the last time Goldberg appeared on WWE television, this is gloriously ironic. His last WWE run was generally disastrous, and it came to an end in March 2004. Both Goldberg and Brock were on their way out of WWE when they wrestled at WrestleMania XX, and the fans’ negativity absolutely destroyed what has gone down as one of the most embarrassing matches in ‘Mania history. They were both booed out of the building, and while Brock returned 10 years later, Goldberg hasn’t been seen since.
The best part? That match also took place in New York City. The very same fanbase that booed both men into oblivion 12 years prior was now cheering them to face-off again. Isn’t that wonderful?
The WWE Universe has changed dramatically in those years, of course, and there’s a strong chance that only a handful of the ‘Mania XX crowd were in attendance last night, but it remains one of SummerSlam 2016’s oddest easter eggs.