RVD believes AEW gives its wrestlers something he didn’t always see during his years in WWE — the freedom to speak up and express themselves. According to RVD, there were people in WWE who were so worried about keeping their jobs that they would simply do what they were told rather than risk saying the wrong thing.
Speaking on his 1 Of A Kind With RVD podcast, Van Dam made the comparison while discussing AEW and the possibility of eventually having another run with the company. Before getting into WWE, RVD gave AEW credit for proving it wasn’t just another wrestling promotion that would disappear after a few years.
“Yeah. They’ve definitely proven themselves. You know, like, it was so easy when they first came out to be like, ‘Yeah, well, let’s see how long they stick around.’ And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with any of us that felt that way because promotions over the years come up all the time.”
RVD admitted he’d seen plenty of companies arrive with serious financial backing and promises of becoming the next big thing, only for them to eventually disappear. AEW has managed to get past that stage, and he believes the company has established itself as a legitimate alternative.
“‘Oh, they got Major League Baseball money. This shit’s for real,’ and they got this and that, and it never lasts. And those guys, you know, really fill the void, and so it’s cool. Congrats to AEW, and they’re just going to keep growing.”
Van Dam also pays attention to what wrestling fans tell him they’re actually watching. From those conversations, he’s noticed plenty of people aren’t exclusively choosing WWE or AEW and instead follow both companies.
“You know, I always check with the fans and ask what they watch, and a lot of people are watching both products. I don’t know how much international distribution they have, but obviously they must be on in the places that they’re going to, at least.”
That’s when RVD got into what he believes separates the two promotions. To him, AEW still comes across as a company where the wrestlers themselves have a bigger hand in what they’re doing.
“But yeah, pretty cool. And it still — and I think always will — be coming across as, and I think for valid reasons, the boys being the ones that are kind of running the show more.”
His description of WWE was much different. RVD claimed there were wrestlers who feared losing their jobs, which could make them reluctant to question directions or push back against something they were being told to do.
“You know, whereas WWE was like a lot of people afraid for their job and doing whatever they’re told, and sometimes afraid to go against it or say the wrong thing or whatever.”
By comparison, RVD believes AEW gives its wrestlers more room to show what they can do on their own terms. That’s a big part of why the promotion feels more wrestler-driven to him.
“And this seems more like guys that want to be out there expressing themselves with their talent and doing it their way.”
RVD isn’t claiming every wrestler’s experience in either company is the same, but his own impression of the two environments is pretty clear. After watching AEW survive the early skepticism, he sees its wrestler-driven approach as one of the things that continues to separate it from the WWE environment he remembers.
What do you think about RVD’s claim that some WWE wrestlers were afraid to push back because they feared for their jobs? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
