Bill Goldberg’s farewell speech was cut short after just 28 seconds at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, in a shocking way for his career to end. Many have expressed outrage over the handling of the former Universal Champion’s final moments as an active talent, and now Bill’s son Gage Goldberg has weighed in.
Speaking with Bill Apter for Wrestlebinge, the younger Goldberg addressed the incident that left his father visibly frustrated. While many have taken issue with WWE for the disruption, Gage isn’t going to blame the wrestling promotion.
“I don’t see it as a WWE standpoint. I see it as an NBC stand. NBC has a specific time they can show WWE, and a specific time they’re going to show the news. They’re not going to screw up the news for WWE because they have to keep their contracts going and everything.”
Gage, who has teased a future in WWE if his football goals don’t pan out, was quick to absolve WWE of wrongdoing. Instead, he made it clear that “WWE didn’t want to cut him off like that. I don’t think they would at all.”
WWE has since tried to make ammends, including uploading Goldberg’s speech in full on YouTube. For Gage, this speech was never truly intended for those watching around the world, but the select few who had made the trip to see Goldberg’s final match in Atlanta.
“I feel like the people that were there in that point in time, that’s who he was really talking to.”
Gage’s calm, thoughtful response to a highly personal and public moment reflects a level of insight well beyond his 19 years—standing in stark contrast to the intense criticism directed at both WWE and NBC from wrestling personalities and fans alike.