The disastrous 2019 Super ShowDown main event between The Undertaker and Goldberg could have been entirely different. TNA star Elijah, known in WWE as Elias, recently revealed he was originally slated to face The Undertaker at the Saudi Arabia event.
During a recent “Evening with…” event hosted by Inside The Ropes, Elijah claimed that The Undertaker expressed regret over the opponent change immediately following the heavily criticized match with Goldberg. After returning backstage, The Deadman allegedly told him, “Should’ve been you.” Elijah added, “Yeah. I agree. But what can you do?”
This revelation casts a new light on a match widely remembered as a dangerous failure. The contest in June 2019 was marred by several severe botches that put both legends at risk. The issues began before the bell, as Goldberg later admitted in an interview with Chris Van Vliet that he gave himself a concussion by headbutting his locker room door during his entrance. He sustained a second concussion early in the match after running into the ring post.
The bout’s quality deteriorated rapidly from there. A poorly executed chokeslam from The Undertaker was followed by a frightening Tombstone Piledriver where Goldberg’s head struck the mat. The most alarming moment came when a disoriented Goldberg failed to properly lift The Undertaker for his signature Jackhammer, dropping him on his head and neck. The match ended after another chokeslam from a visibly upset Undertaker.
At the time, The Undertaker was seeking a redemptive performance. After a disappointing match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33 and a chaotic tag team match involving D-Generation X at Crown Jewel in 2018, he was looking for a fitting high-profile encounter.
The match with Goldberg drew immediate and harsh criticism from fans and peers. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter named the show the “Worst Major Wrestling Show” of 2019. While wrestlers like Matt Riddle labeled Goldberg “unsafe,” veterans Mark Henry and Ric Flair defended the two legends, citing their part-time schedules as a major factor in the poor performance.