Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling recently chatted with Rick Bassman, a bigwig in the wrestling world. They talked about the rumors swirling around Sting and Goldberg's retirements, and it looks like they might both be headed to Jerusalem, Israel for a big event in September! But don't get too excited yet - there are some clearance issues to sort out before we can confirm anything.
“First of all, I’m actively in touch with Bill. I’m working on a date right now. I don’t promote much these days, but every now and then, something fun comes up, and it’s worth diving into. So working on a date in Jerusalem, Israel, for September of this year, and that would involve potentially both Goldberg and Sting. You have the AEW clearance issues of course, so that’s something I really hope to put together. Now, only because I’ve been in touch actively with Bill, and then also with his agent, Barry Bloom, who’s a longtime good friend, they are working on exactly what you described. But to my knowledge, it still needs to all be nailed down. That said, I would not be surprised to see Bill end up back at WWE for something massive. Who knows," Bassman said.
Bassman thinks Goldberg is still a major draw and could do something "big," but he's not sure who to pair him up with. Maybe someone who's not at the tippy-top of the talent pool but could still put on a killer show? We'll have to wait and see.
“He could, without question. The big question on top of that is, what is it creatively, [or] who, when you really get down to the talent that’s out there and available, let’s say independently, who do you program Goldberg with to make it meaningful? Or do you have to create something where you take guys who may not be at the top, top level, but be smart enough about how you shoot an angle or a program to make it meaningful to draw on the level a Goldberg should draw?" Bassman said.
As for Sting, Bassman thinks the retirement rumors are legit. He keeps in touch with the guy and says he's in good financial shape, so why not go out on top? Plus, if Sting wants a backstage gig, AEW or WWE would be happy to have him.
“I positively believe the rumor to be true. I talk with Sting maybe once a month, once every two months, and the impression I have is, the rumor you’re referencing is probably pretty accurate. He’s 64 now, and unlike most guys, especially from his era, he’s in relatively good physical condition. He’s in very, very good financial shape, so what else is there for him to do at this point? He’s been a top guy in the world for decades now. He’s well-liked, he’s well-respected. He’s still reasonably good in the ring, and he’s a guy that could absolutely afford, by every metric and measure to go out on top, so why the heck would he not? Then if he wants a place backstage, if that we’re something he was interested in, I’m sure that AEW and probably WWE for that matter would be very happy to have him," Bassman said.
Let's hope these wrestling legends take care of their bodies as they ride off into the sunset!
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