Former WCW and WWE star Bill Goldberg admits he's considering a return to professional wrestling.
Goldberg, 49, was a guest of Jonathan Coachman on Wednesday's Off The Top Rope to promote his involvement with the WWE 2K17 video game, and was asked about the possibility of an in-ring return.
"I'm going to do a lot of soul-searching, and I'm going to talk to my family to figure out what Goldberg wants to do," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm greatly appreciative of all the fans that I was able to acquire over the years. I don't want to bastardize anything I did, let's just put it bluntly. So it's a big decision."
Goldberg's appearance in the video game marked a reunion of sorts between himself and WWE for the first time since his 2004 retirement, and the reunion fueled rumors of a comeback. But Goldberg was quick to point out his age as a possible deterrent.
"I'm an old man here. I'm 49 years old," Goldberg said. "A guy like Ric Flair at 49 could go out and do his character. A guy 49 going out and doing Goldberg again -- I don't know what the odds are."
Goldberg, an actor and former NFL player, said he would need until the end of the year to decide, but said "if anyone can do it, it would be me." He also talked about his motivation for considering a return.
"I have a 10-year-old boy. I got a wife who has never seen me wrestle, and I got a generation of kids who don't know who the hell I am except for looking online," Goldberg said. "The biggest thing about being a wrestler, and being Goldberg gave me, was the ability to be a superhero for kids.
"I want the ability to be that guy again. But there's a compromise here. To be that guy at 49 years old, do you risk losing your legacy? Is it something that I am going to regret?"
Goldberg came to fame in pro wrestling in the late 1990s with WCW, running up a mythical 173-0 unbeaten streak. He went on to work in WWE in 2003 but left after one year, citing his own immaturity as part of the problem. He admits his relationship with the company has been tumultuous ever since.
"I haven't had a word with Vince McMahon since I've left the business," Goldberg said. "He has done his thing very successfully, and I like to think that I have gone on my way and been fairly successful about my business. At the end of the day, I'm sure that he and I will speak sometime soon. I owe him a thankful handshake for giving me the ability to do this."
If Goldberg decides to return, the one name that tops his list of preferred opponents is Brock Lesnar, whom Goldberg defeated at WrestleMania XX in his final WWE match.
"I would be remiss in saying I don't owe Brock Lesnar a rematch," Goldberg said. "I was able to prosper and have my hand raised at the first meeting, and I think if I ever came back, that'd be the match. I would have to work my ass off to get ready for him, but you never say never. I've said it for 12 years.
"Brock's a different human being. Matter of fact, he's probably not even a human being. He's like a superhero alien guy -- big, strong, fast and mean. But I don't know, man, I beat him once."