Rob Van Dam expects to wrestle several more times before the end of 2026, although the WWE Hall of Famer isn’t anticipating another extended run with a major promotion.
RVD spent close to a year sidelined after breaking both heels at MLW Battle Riot VII. He eventually returned to the ring in Australia this past February before competing for Juggalo Championship Wrestling at Strangle-Mania on April 17.
Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, the 55-year-old discussed his current approach to professional wrestling and admitted he isn’t expecting any major opportunities to suddenly arrive. “Thank goodness that I don’t have anything because I don’t think anything’s coming my way,” RVD said. “You know what I mean? I don’t expect it to.”
Despite that outlook, Van Dam believes fans will likely see him compete another handful of times before the year comes to an end. “I very likely might have three, maybe four matches between now and the end of the year, going at the speed that I’m going now,” he said. “I’m okay with that.”
As for potentially signing with a promotion for another sustained run, RVD isn’t completely ruling out the possibility, but he isn’t planning around it either. “Am I expecting a run to come along, like with one of the companies? No. Is it possible? Yes.”
Van Dam explained that he is comfortable taking opportunities as they come rather than setting specific goals such as another championship reign. “I feel like I don’t expect anything to come my way,” RVD said. “So, if I did have something, if I was like obsessed with, ‘I gotta be a tag team champion again,’ whatever my goal would be, if that’s something I got to do, I think I would be disappointed because I don’t think that’s probably going to happen.”
However, RVD made it clear that he isn’t completely closing the door on whatever wrestling opportunities may develop. “It could, but I don’t expect it to, and I just live in the now.”
Van Dam has made several appearances for AEW in recent years, wrestling six matches for the promotion. He made his AEW in-ring debut on the August 9, 2023 episode of Dynamite, unsuccessfully challenging Jack Perry for the FTW Championship.
He later faced Swerve Strickland in a hardcore match on the January 31, 2024 edition of Dynamite. RVD’s most recent AEW match came at the April 20, 2024 Rampage taping, where he defeated Isiah Kassidy, Komander and Lee Johnson in a four-way match.
