Rob Van Dam Admits He Was Uncomfortable Wrestling in WWE’s PG Era

Rob Van Dam opened up about the challenges he faced working in WWE’s PG era and how it affected his in-ring style and mindset on the latest episode of 1 Of A Kind. The wrestling icon also compared his experience in WWE to his time in ECW, where he had much more freedom.

RVD admitted that wrestling under the constraints of WWE’s family-friendly programming made him feel restricted, even though some of those limitations may have been self-imposed. “I wasn’t super comfortable with that era, and then maybe I felt like I had tighter cuffs on me than I really did,” he said.

He added that fans often noticed the change in his performance, feeling that WWE wasn’t allowing him to be the same RVD they remembered from his ECW days. “It would come across to the fans like, ‘Dude, they’re not letting you be, you know, RVD from ECW. They’re not letting you do any of your s**t.’ But then I would know, ‘Well, I only have three and a half minutes for my whole match, and, you know, chairs are legal here.’ So of course, you’re not going to get the same RVD.”

Comparing his time in WWE to ECW, RVD explained that the biggest difference was the pace and structure. “Everything about ECW was different, but I think it all started with the fact — as far as my approach to the match, my vibe, my rhythm, whatever, I had no thoughts of time in my mind,” he shared.

“I thought, ‘Okay, I’m gonna walk around the ring a little bit. Maybe I’ll go to lock up, and then maybe I’ll just instead roll under the rope, go do some thumbs, high five some fans, and take my time.’”

RVD noted that WWE’s focus on live television required a much more structured approach. “With WWE, it just seemed like the whole agenda was about live TV and about getting everything done by that boom! That finishing mark.”

Van Dam’s candid reflections offer insight into how the transition from ECW’s anything-goes style to WWE’s strict PG environment affected him as a performer. While he adapted to the changes, it’s clear that the lack of creative freedom impacted how he approached matches during his WWE run.