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When it comes to the world of professional wrestling, there are often wrestlers who are spoken about in the same breath as one another. For instance, Shawn Michaels and Bret “The Hitman” Hart will always be connected, as will great rivals like The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, storyline brothers and sworn enemies The Undertaker and Kane, and all three members of The Shield - Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose. Two who share that connection, though perhaps not quite on the same level as those mentioned and for all the wrong reasons, are Brock Lesnar and Goldberg, mostly due to them having one of the most infamously bad matches in WWE WrestleMania history. On-screen, the pair have been rivals on multiple occasions, but in reality, they are friends.
The Careers Of Brock Lesnar & Goldberg Will Always Be Intertwined
There are similarities to be made about Goldberg and Brock Lesnar with their respective careers. They each came into WCW (Goldberg) and WWE (Lesnar) in dominant fashion, rising the ranks quickly to win the World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Championship. Although this came in different eras, their imposing physiques and connection to the audience did draw comparisons, and when they ended up in WWE at the same time, it was a dream match that people wanted to see.
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However, due to the pair each leaving WWE after WrestleMania 20, their dream match turned into a farce, with fans turning on both men, leading to both Lesnar and Goldberg giving little effort. It is among the most bizarre matches in history. Goldberg eventually made a return twelve years later, with he and Lesnar having a rematch at Survivor Series 2016 when Goldberg squashed his opponent in 90 seconds. According to Goldberg, speaking on the Talk Is Jericho podcast (h/t Fightful.com), he revealed that it was Lesnar’s idea, which goes to show the respect he has for Goldberg.
They would then have a rematch at WrestleMania 33 which was a lot of fun. The pair successfully managed to redeem themselves, and this added chapter further connected their legacies. Working together brought about a lot of respect between the pair, and it also brought about a friendship.
Goldberg And Brock Lesnar Are Close Friends Outside WWE
Often, backstage heat and real-life feuds are the main talking point of wrestling, so having a change of pace and learning about real-life friendships can be nice, as it reveals the lighter hearted side of the business. Goldberg and Lesnar on-screen seem like two people who would be hard to befriend, but it appears as though they get along great behind the scenes.
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Goldberg went into his relationship with Lesnar in an interview with The Fan (h/t ProWrestling.net). “Brock, as a young kid, he succeeded in every single thing that he did… And then going to MMA and succeeding and becoming the World Heavyweight Champion. Whatever Brock wants to do, I’m in his corner. He’s a good buddy of mine and we talk frequently. I just hope at the end of the day he chooses his health on a positive note. We all know he’s had some issues over the past number of years.”
Of course, Goldberg is referencing the injuries and illnesses that led to the end of his UFC run, but it is nice to see that even back then, in 2012, Goldberg seemingly took a great deal of focus on Lesnar’s wellbeing, further proving how close the pair must be outside the ring. It is a shame how their initial encounter went at WrestleMania, especially since they had a good relationship, but their friendship and respect likely led into the success of their reunion and rematches in 2016 and 2017 upon Goldberg’s triumphant return to WWE.
