Report: Goldberg Boosts WWE SmackDown Viewership, Could Be In Line For WrestleMania 36 Match
Is The Doctor Of Thuganomics next...
On last week's episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Goldberg returned to WWE to declare that "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt was next. The two Superstars will now go one on one for the Universal Championship at Super ShowDown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 27.
With Goldberg's involvement, SmackDown attracted 2.538 million viewers. The quarterly ratings were also released recently and Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter the former Universal Champion's segment boosted viewership on FOX by 18.7 percent, an increase of 468,000 viewers. This was the largest increase in viewership on a wrestling TV show since Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair returned to Raw on September 30.
With Goldberg attracting almost half a million people to SmackDown, this has fuelled speculation that the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion is now in line for a match at WrestleMania 36. A number of possibilities are currently available for Goldberg as he may come out on top in his match with The Fiend and defend the Universal title against Roman Reigns at The Showcase Of The Immortals. WrestleVotes also noted on Twitter that Goldberg could still face Reigns in a battle of Spears without a title being involved, or he may even take on the returning John Cena.
They tweeted: "Some smoke around these 4 superstars and their Mania placements. Nothing definitive, but they could be tied together. How would you like to see if play out? Wyatt vs Reigns for the title & Cena vs Goldberg - OR - Wyatt vs Cena for the title (record #17) & Reigns vs Goldberg?"
With Goldberg's involvement, SmackDown attracted 2.538 million viewers. The quarterly ratings were also released recently and Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter the former Universal Champion's segment boosted viewership on FOX by 18.7 percent, an increase of 468,000 viewers. This was the largest increase in viewership on a wrestling TV show since Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair returned to Raw on September 30.
With Goldberg attracting almost half a million people to SmackDown, this has fuelled speculation that the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion is now in line for a match at WrestleMania 36. A number of possibilities are currently available for Goldberg as he may come out on top in his match with The Fiend and defend the Universal title against Roman Reigns at The Showcase Of The Immortals. WrestleVotes also noted on Twitter that Goldberg could still face Reigns in a battle of Spears without a title being involved, or he may even take on the returning John Cena.
They tweeted: "Some smoke around these 4 superstars and their Mania placements. Nothing definitive, but they could be tied together. How would you like to see if play out? Wyatt vs Reigns for the title & Cena vs Goldberg - OR - Wyatt vs Cena for the title (record #17) & Reigns vs Goldberg?"
Written by Aidan Gibbons
Editor-in-Chief of Cultaholic.com Twitter: @theaidangibbons
