Rob Van Dam On Why He Was Hesitant To Sign With WWE

Rob Van Dam has revealed details behind his initial reluctance to sign with WWE in 2001.

The man from Battle Creek, Michigan made his name in Paul Heyman’s Extreme Championship Wrestling before making the switch to WWE once the Philadelphia-based company had closed it’s doors.

Van Dam would go on to enjoy six highly successful years in WWE, capturing multiple titles including the WWE Championship and six Intercontinental Championship reigns as well as lifting tag team gold with three fellow WWE Hall Of Fame members; Kane, Booker T and Rey Mysterio.

Van Dam’s 2021 WWE Hall Of Fame induction may never have come to fruition, however, had the former ECW Champion listened to his own doubts about joining WWE.

Speaking on a recent edition of his podcast, 1 Of A Kind, Van Dam revealed that he was initially sceptical about how he would be portrayed on-screen in WWE:

“That’s why I didn’t want to go to WWE in 2001. I was afraid that they would give me some lame character and change everything about me.

That really bothered me because, obviously, it’s always been important for me to be myself, and I really thought that was going to be up for battle. I thought they were going to come up with some lame, who knows what.

That’s why I was even upset … I didn’t tell them that I kissed Ted DiBiase’s foot because I didn’t want them to make an angle out of it.”

Rob Van Dam Names AEW Star He Wants To Wrestle

The 53 year-old is not ready to hang up his boots just yet and made a number of appearances for Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling in 2023.

Having battled the likes of Jack Perry during his brief stint, Van Dam has since revealed which three men he still wants to step into the ring to face.

H/T: WrestlingInc for the above transcription