WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash has come to the defense of Bill Goldberg, firing back at critics who have been dissecting Goldberg’s recent complaints about his retirement sendoff. On his Kliq This podcast, Nash argued that those who have never been in the ring have no right to judge how a veteran performer should feel after their final match.
The conversation began as the hosts were discussing Goldberg’s appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show, where he expressed frustration that his post-match speech was cut short. Nash immediately took issue with the online commentary surrounding the situation. “It’s always these motherf—ers, man, that have never been in the ring, have never done anything in their life except comment on wrestling,” Nash began.
“How Do You Know?”
He was particularly incensed by fans claiming they would have been happy with the sendoff Goldberg received. “They’re saying, like, ‘Well Bill, you know, if I would have had that send-off, I would have been happy with just that.’ How do you know? You never even had a f—ing match,” Nash stated. “How do you know, after f—ing all these years, that that send-off would appease you, dude? You’re just f—ing happy jacking off talking about this sh–, like, shut the f— up. You’re nobody.”
Nash also pointed out that Goldberg’s path into wrestling was different from most, which he feels is an important part of the context. “Bill didn’t wake up one morning at 12 years old and go, ‘I want to be a pro wrestler.’ Bill tore his groin off the bone, playing for the Rams, and said, ‘What am I going to do now? How about wrestling?'”
A Solid Performance
Nash, who watched the match against Gunther, felt Goldberg performed well given the circumstances. “To me, I thought he did a really solid job,” he said. He noted that Goldberg’s cardio looked good and that Gunther did a great job of structuring the match. “Kudos to Gunther, because Gunther kept him close,” Nash explained. “You could tell… they were working their way through things.” He also praised specific spots, like Goldberg spearing the ringside barricade, as a solid way to deliver a big moment.
While he may have booked the finish differently, Nash understood the story they were trying to tell. He also defended Goldberg’s emotional state, noting the immense pressure and physical toll of preparing for one last match. He revealed he had personally recommended stem cell treatment to Goldberg to help him get through his training. “I think that he put so much into it,” Nash said. “I know that he put as much as he could into it.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Kliq This TV with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
