The WWE experienced quite a behind-the-scenes jolt when Vince McMahon retired over the summer, following a much-publicized controversy. By and large, the aftermath has been positive, as the fans have been happy with various creative decisions as of late, and previously released superstars like Braun Strowman are slowly making their way back to the company. With that said, not everyone believes returning to the post-Vince WWE is in the cards, as Rob Van Dam is one of a few athletes thinking he won’t return now that the former CEO is gone.
Rob Van Dam appeared as a guest on the Cefe de Rene podcast, and was asked about his previous comments saying he was displeased about Vince McMahon leaving the WWE. RVD shared his further thoughts on the matter, and went on to say he doesn’t see himself joining the company's ranks again as a result of the mogul's retirement.
Do I like that Vince is no longer with WWE? No. I personally don’t think there’s anything in it for me, because Vince was a friend, and there’s no reason for me to believe at this point that the current guy that’s running things has any more interest in me than Vince did. For those reasons, just from my selfish perspective, I think [it was] better for me when Vince was there.
It doesn’t seem like Rob Van Dam believes he’ll be welcomed back to the WWE in too gracious a manner with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon currently running things, though it's worth noting he hasn’t been entirely active with the company over much of the past decade. Outside of his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2021, RVD appeared on an episode of Monday Night Raw in 2019, and [rior to that, his last wrestling match with the company was all the way back in 2014.
Rob Van Dam may not be as celebrated in the WWE as past icons like John Cena or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are, but there’s no denying he’s a hardcore legend in his own right as one of the notable wrestlers of the 2000s era. RVD worked for WCW, developed his superstart status with ECW, and then flipped over to the WWE. He’s a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion, and anyone with a Peacock premium subscription can relive the scores of iconic matches he's had within the brand.
At the same time, one might wonder exactly what spot there is in the WWE roster for a guy like Rob Van Dam. Matt Riddle is already filling the brand’s quota for the “implied stoner” gimmick, and with the WWE already waiting on talents like Cody Rhodes and Big E to return, there isn’t a lot of room for past veterans to come back for another marquee run in the ring. It's unknown if that would’ve been any different with Vince McMahon still running the show, but RVD seems to believe it might be better for him if that reality persisted.
Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. While we likely won’t see Rob Van Dam there anytime soon, but there is some mysterious “White Rabbit” arriving that we believe might finally be Bray Wyatt. It would be an absolutely wild swerve though if it were RVD, after pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes beforehand.
