One of the most talked-about moments from Goldberg’s retirement match against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event was the instant he seemed to laugh off one of the champion’s signature, brutal chops. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the WWE Hall of Famer explained that his reaction was genuine, and he immediately felt bad for breaking character.
An Unexpected Reaction
Goldberg explained that after taking countless chops over his long career, he was prepared for the worst from the notoriously hard-hitting Gunther. However, the impact wasn’t what he expected, which caused him to have a surprising and unprofessional reaction.
“I just really apologize… I laughed when he chopped me, but I didn’t know what to expect,” Goldberg began. “You know, you feel these chops throughout your career a little bit, and they’re loud, man, it looks like they hurt… I thought it was going to hurt more, that’s all, and it just startled me. And I didn’t mean to do that, and I really apologize, because I didn’t mean that. That’s not a rib. I’m not trying to, you know, downplay his move, but it’s just it caught me off guard, and I completely broke character.”
An Honorable Opponent
Despite the awkward moment, Goldberg had nothing but praise for his final opponent, calling him an “unbelievable guy to work with” and saying it was “freaking awesome” to have his last match with him. He noted that Gunther’s talent made it possible for him to have a great match at 58 years old.
“The kid’s extremely talented,” Goldberg said. “And man, what I’d love to have a chop fest with him. And, you know, have 10 more of those matches, because each one you do with them is… is better… It was an honor to work with the kid, and I really am appreciative of him helping me out and making this old man look, you know, like he could do some stuff.”
Goldberg was ultimately defeated by Gunther in the hard-fought World Heavyweight Championship match, which served as the main event of the Saturday Night’s Main Event premium live event in Atlanta, Georgia. Click here to read Goldberg’s comments about his retirement speech being cut off by NBC.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
