Goldberg’s status as free agent following the expiration of his WWE contract has sparked considerable speculation among wrestling fans. While many believed he might make a move to AEW, Goldberg himself recently debunked such rumors and now Tony Khan has responded to Goldberg’s comments as well.
Despite fan anticipation, Goldberg’s anticipated debut at All In last year never came to fruition. His decision to steer clear of AEW surprised many, especially considering his recent criticism of the company, labeling it as “too cheesy” for his liking.
In an interview with Josh Martinez on Superstar Crossover, Tony Khan addressed recent comments made by Goldberg. Khan explained that he had multiple meetings with Goldberg where they discussed the possibility of Goldberg working with AEW. Despite these discussions, Khan was surprised by Goldberg’s recent remarks, which didn’t align with their previous conversations.
“Bill wanted to work here. I met with Bill several times. Bill was looking to work here. It’s funny because I had a bunch of really nice meetings with Bill and would have honestly been interested in doing something. I have a lot of respect for Bill. I was surprised by that because that certainly wasn’t what he said to me when he was talking to me about working here at some point, which I’ve always been open to and I really like Bill. It’s all about timing and we’re doing a lot of exciting things right now. Sting just finished up and went out on his own terms doing things he liked and felt strongly about. I know Sting and Bill are good friends. I really like Bill and have respect for him.”
Khan continued to praise Goldberg, highlighting his iconic status in wrestling and expressing his support for him, regardless of the remarks. He acknowledged that Goldberg is entitled to his opinions, even though they differ from their earlier discussions. Khan mentioned that Sting’s recent farewell in AEW might have influenced Goldberg’s perception, but emphasized that anyone who saw Sting’s send-off had positive feedback.
”When I saw that, Bill has talked to me about working here, so I don’t think he had any problem with any of that content and anyone who saw Sting’s send off has had positive things to say. I’m not sure what that was about, but I do respect Bill and I like him very much. I wish him the best and God bless him. He’s a great name in wrestling. I love what we do in AEW, and he’s entitled to his opinions. Certainly, when I talked to him in-person, several times, in-person and in Zoom and phone calls, we’ve had very nice conversations, and he hasn’t said that. It’s good to know that’s how he feels and maybe that’s an opinion he holds now, but certainly in our past conversations he’s always been a positive and nice guy.”
With Goldberg’s clear stance on not joining AEW in the foreseeable future and a return to WWE seemingly out of the question, wrestling fans are left to speculate on what the legendary wrestler’s next move might be. The news has elicited mixed reactions among fans—some relieved by his decision not to join AEW, while others are disappointed by the prospect of not seeing Goldberg in Tony Khan’s promotion.
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