Wrestling idol Bill Goldberg loses his last fight at WWE against Austrian star Gunther and retires. Fans in Goldberg’s hometown experience a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
An emotional finale for one of the most popular wrestling stars of the past decades!
28 years after his debut and the start of his legendary winning streak, Bill Goldberg has fought his last match. The 58-year-old lost his final duel with Austrian World Champion Gunther on the WWE show Saturday Night’s Main Event – and sent his fans on a nostalgic trip down memory lane beforehand.
WWE: Goldberg’s nostalgic final match
In the main event of the TV special in Goldberg’s adopted home of Atlanta – which WWE scheduled as a counterprogram to rival AEW’s annual highlight All In on the same night – the old master celebrated his legendary entrance from his WCW days one last time, this time with a particularly authentic touch.
FOR ONE FINAL TIME.
GOLDBERG. @nbc @peacock pic.twitter.com/LY8DmLiYtb
— WWE (@WWE) July 13, 2025
As in the past, Goldberg was accompanied by Doug Dillinger, the former head of security at WCW. Goldberg’s son Gabe, former WCW colleague Ernest “The Cat” Miller, MMA legend Josh Barnett, and actor and stuntman Chuck Zito (“Sons of Anarchy”) also got involved. The referee was Charles Robinson, whose career also dates back to the WCW era.
Goldberg started with a powerful opening offensive, and although Gunther then took control, WWE raised hopes once again that Goldberg could actually retire as champion: However, the legendary special moves Spear and Jackhammer were not successful – “Ring General” Gunther prevailed in the end with his sleeper hold.
At the end of the broadcast, WWE seemed to be under time pressure. After a commercial break, Goldberg was shown once again in the ring surrounded by his family and friends, and there was a very short farewell speech, which ended the show.
A legend of the nineties
Goldberg, who played defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL between 1992 and 1994, became a wrestling phenomenon of astonishing longevity in the late nineties.
With an impressive streak of 173 consecutive victories, Goldberg was portrayed as an indestructible superhero by WWE’s then-rival WCW. The highlight was Goldberg’s first world title win against Hulk Hogan in July 1998 in front of the largest crowd in WCW history, 40,000 fans, also in Atlanta.
Goldberg’s early career highlight was followed by a chequered career: WCW went under in 2001, Goldberg moved to WWE and became champion there, but never really felt at home. He left the league in 2004 amid acrimony – only to make a late comeback 12 years later, rounding off Goldberg’s career.
A final dispute with WWE settled
WWE reintroduced Goldberg, who was almost 50 at the time, in 2016 with a completely surprising lightning victory over his old rival Brock Lesnar, followed by an equally unexpected win of the Universal Title, a WrestleMania rematch against Lesnar, and induction into the WWE Hall of Fame a year later.
What appeared to be the end turned out to be the start of a longer comeback tour: WWE re-signed Goldberg in 2019 and continued to use him as a special attraction at major events until another break came in 2022.
The then-reigning WWE boss Vince McMahon denied Goldberg what he claimed was a previously agreed farewell match. Goldberg became a free agent and considered a move to rival AEW (which he ultimately decided against) and a self-organized farewell tour through Israel, the country of his Jewish roots.
In the end, Goldberg agreed with the new WWE management on one last ride together – which has now come to an end.
