Bill Goldberg On If Brock Lesnar Should Be Punished, Conor McGregor, If CM Punk Should Fight Again
- Former WWE and WCW superstar Bill Goldberg appeared on a recent edition of "Submission Radio," a combat sports podcast from Australia. While on the program, Goldberg was asked his thoughts on all the "hate" that Conor McGregor received after making comments directed towards current and former pro wrestlers.
"I thought the funniest thing I've ever seen was (Randy) Orton calling him 'Conor McDonald'. I think that is one of the funniest things I have ever seen," Goldberg said. "Hey man, you have to embrace it. It's the same crowd. One grows up and feeds into the other. You can't tell me, and I said this before, that 75-percent of the guys wouldn't die to be professional wrestlers that are fighting, and vice versa. We have a lot respect for each other, a lot of us train in martial arts and a lot of them walk around and act like they're us. So the cross-promotion ? Dana White is Vince McMahon in training. I've said that 20 years ago. I think it's business, I think it's smart business.
"Whether it's (Ronda Rousey) at Wrestlemania, whether Conor is working this thing. I can tell you one thing, I was around when Brock responded to Conor (laughs) and nothing that Brock does is a work. So the words that came out of his mouth, he fully believes and I do also. And I think that if it wasn't a work, then it's a sad situation when you have to talk crap about other organizations that you know your paths are never going to cross competitively. So at the end of the day, you're kind of like a keyboard warrior unless you want to step into the guy's gym or unless you want to do it on TV, you know, meet in the middle. I always thought that was kind of cheap, but hey, you know, he (Conor McGregor) doesn't know what he's talking about if he actually thinks that. I think that the cross-promotion is brilliant, as long as it doesn't get hokey for the UFC and as long as WWE can capitalize on the realism of what the UFC brings. It sure enhances Brock's stock when he walks over to do sports entertainment, I mean, let's be honest."
Goldberg had a brief feud with Lesnar during their time together in the WWE, but Goldberg still respects what Lesnar accomplished during his MMA career despite a recent failed drug test. Lesnar tested positive in July around his return vs. Mark Hunt at UFC 200 for banned substances.
"Absolutely, man (I want to see Brock fight in the UFC again). And I don't even know what that thing is he took," he said. "I never broached anything along those subject matters with Brock. That's his business. And like I said, what you just said is the second time I've ever heard of whatever that was, and the first time is when I read it. I don't even know what the hell it does. But obviously, you know, if you're cheating, then you should be reprimanded. Period. End of story. And do I think that he deserves an opportunity to go back? Absolutely. Because people have been caught before and had served suspensions and paid fines and come back. And at the end of the day, they're instant heels. So I mean, it further adds to the mystique of Brock ? except for that fact that he turned a leaf and was being a baby face in that last fight. So that's kind of where I stand on it."
Goldberg also felt that Hunt, who lost a decision, would have been more aggressive against the returning Lesnar when they met earlier this year. The fight was the first in several years for Lesnar, a former UFC champion.
"I'm surprised that Hunt didn't attack him a lot more. I think that his stand-up ability could be exploited a lot more than it was and I think it could have been a huge difference in that fight," Goldberg said. "I think he's (Mark Hunt) also shown the ability to stop takedowns a lot better than his first match in Pride ? (laughs) which I was there for ? so it was different than I thought it was going to go, truthfully. But I'd like to see it again. I really would."
Another former WWE champion, CM Punk, recently made his MMA debut. Punk lost to Mickey Gall in the first round at UFC 203, and Goldberg hopes that was the last time we see him fighting inside the Octagon.
"There's no question he should not fight in the UFC. That would be blasphemy," he said. "It would be a slap in the face to all the guys who work their asses off to make it to prelims on FOX, on undercards and on the main event card. At the end of the day, from a promoter's standpoint, from a competitor's standpoint, from his standpoint, there's no logic to him stepping in that octagon again.
"If he still has the passion for it and wants to train and compete, then yeah, lower-level shows are where he needs to be. Because at the end of the day, you know he'll get 'seat time' That's my analogy cause I like to race cars, but you know, the more "seat time" you get, the better you are at something. And, you know, I spent eight three-minute rounds this morning and though I didn't go one-hundred percent and I didn't kick, I just went hands, at the end of the day, every little bit helps you. So the more time he has at his new craft or his passion, then the better he's going to get at it, the more comfortable he'll be."