Tommy Dreamer offered a critique of a sit-down interview segment between Michael Cole and Bill Goldberg, presumably filmed to build a hypothetical final match against Gunther. The WWE Hall of Famer argued that Goldberg’s tone came across as overly aggressive and potentially “arrogant,” which he believes could cause fans to cheer for his opponent instead.
“When I was listening to it… Goldberg came across more as the aggressor,” Dreamer said on his Busted Open After Dark podcast. “We talk about tone and inflection. I thought it should have been more of a humble Bill Goldberg, then ‘I’m gonna kick your ass.’ All that stuff could come across as arrogant.”
Dreamer explained that while he personally knows Goldberg is an intense person, that approach may not have been the most effective for winning over the audience in this particular setting. “And then I heard Gunther’s promo, and I knew I was right. The fans are cheering for Gunther,” Dreamer noted. This reaction led him to worry about the potential reception for Goldberg’s farewell. “Hopefully the fans don’t boo Bill Goldberg on his last match, because they were certainly cheering for Gunther.”
The ECW icon suggested an alternative approach that he felt would have been more sympathetic and ultimately more effective at building fan support for the legendary superstar.
“If he would have said, ‘You know what? Like, I’m a 58 year old man. But sometimes when I hear my music, I become 28 and then, you know, after the matches, sometimes I feel like I’m 78. But if you’re going to insult me and insult me in front of my fans and my family, I have to stick up’ and then build to that rage, as opposed to just this level at all times,” Dreamer proposed.
Dreamer felt this disconnect between the on-screen character and the person made Goldberg less relatable in the segment. “He came more as the aggressor and less likable,” he said, before clarifying his personal feelings. “And I like Bill Goldberg. I like Bill Goldberg a lot. I love Bill Goldberg, the character, and Bill Goldberg the person, is very likable, but don’t know if it came across in that sit down.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
