Rob Van Dam Recalls Being Rejected As Full-Time Star For WWE In 2013

On the latest episode of 1 Of A Kind, Rob Van Dam talked about being rejected by WWE in 2013 before returning on a part-time basis and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On being a fan of Demolition growing up: “Yeah you know, they were awesome. I loved their song. When I had the wrestling album, their song was one of my favorites on the wrestling album. And I did think that they were combined in the spirit of the Road Warriors. I figured maybe a lot of WWE fans weren’t familiar with the Road Warriors. That’s what I remember thinking when I saw them. And I do see them quite a bit at conventions. Super nice guys. They always go out of their way to say hello to me, and I just get nothing but good vibes from them. They seem like good guys, sit there at the table to meet the fans and stuff all day, and I never heard anything bad about them.”

On being rejected by WWE in 2013: “You know what, I’ve always felt like I was in demand or a sought-after talent. Always, always. Since three years into my career maybe, maybe even before that. And there was just one time, and that’s what came into my mind when I started to say, ‘probably.’ And then, like, ‘No, for sure, that’s happened.’ And I’ll share that story. It’s not a very well-known story, but it also wasn’t that long ago. I was wrestling for TNA Impact. 2012, somewhere around there, my contract had ran out. They said they wanted to sign a new one, but they were really dragging their feet on putting it together. And I went to see Booker T get inducted into the [WWE] Hall of Fame. And you know, saw some old friends there. People were like, ‘Hey, ready to come back? You ready to come back?’ And I’m like, ‘Maybe. You know, maybe that’s what the universe is telling me right now.’ And they said, ‘Well, you gotta call Hunter. That’s how it works now.’ 2013 this is, by the way… And then in the weeks following that, shortly after that, you know, they said, ‘You gotta call Hunter. Now, you know, he runs everything.’

“And I was like, ‘Oh, yeah? Okay, that sounds great.’ And I called and just said, ‘Yeah, you know, I was finishing up I think with TNA. And I was just checking to see if there’s a spot for me back there.’ Always, always, I was sought after. Everyone knew that. And I was always like, ‘I got my choices of anywhere that I can go.’ I’ve always felt like that. That’s what my ego told me, but also so did a lot of phone calls. But in 2013, after Hunter said he would talk to creative and talk to people or whatever, he came back and he said, ‘It’s a pass.’ And that was the first time that I’ve ever heard that. He was like, ‘You know, we just got too many people signed up that we’re trying to find room for on the cards that we’re obligated to and stuff. And right now, we’re just really busy.’ And I said, ‘Well alright, that’s cool. Just, you know, let me know if you–‘ I said, ‘You know that [Chris] Jericho just works like part-time with some of the guys or whatever. And if you just work there for a little bit, help some of the guys out out whatever, then let me know.”

On Triple H’s reaction to his part time offer: “He says, ‘Well, wait a minute.’ He said, ‘Now I didn’t know that was an option.’ I said, ‘F**k, are you kidding me? I don’t want to work full-time. No f**king way I could do that again, no way.’ And he said, ‘Well you know, Chris tells us when he’s not touring with Fozzy. And then we look at the schedule and we have him come in based around that. If you’re interested in doing something like that…’ I was like, ‘Sure.’ So that’s what got me my return run in 2013. I did 66 matches and a 90-day agreement that I signed on for. And then I was off for like a year. And then I ended up signing a five-month deal and going back in 2014, in which case they had nothing for me there. So I was completely jobbed out, set aside, just not utilized. Not appreciating my time there either that time. Like it really was — you know, if ever it was just a job, it was a job then. I wasn’t enjoying. It’s like everybody that I had beat, you know, ‘Oh, now I’m putting them over.’ Ad it’s not like I’m on our way out. Or maybe, you know, they — whatever. But anyway, still getting a lot of pops, still getting that connection with the crowd, and that’s what makes me one of a kind. But that one time I did hear, ‘it’s a pass.’ And that’s the story behind that. And it hurt the ego.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit 1 Of A Kind an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.