WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has shared his concerns about modern professional wrestling, criticising overly complicated in-ring sequences and suggesting that AEW’s creative freedom has contributed to a style he considers less polished than WWE’s current approach.
Speaking on Wrestling with Rip Rogers, RVD discussed how certain aspects of contemporary wrestling can undermine the sense of realism and competition that he believes should remain central to a match.
The former WWE and ECW Champion argued that performers should avoid elaborate moves requiring lengthy setups, particularly when those sequences disrupt the flow of a match or make the cooperation between wrestlers too obvious. “Even your moves: if the setup for a move you want to do in the ring takes so long that it kills the whole match and kills the feeling of competition, then don’t do it because it exposes the business. And now it’s so obvious watching the guys, the young guys. And, you know, especially in the smaller company of the two, I’m getting heat for bashing AEW, and I’ll talk about that in a second, which I don’t do. But that is a place where it seems more like the inmates are running the prison, you know? And it’s always been that way. I think that’s the idea with them: the boys have more control and power.”
Van Dam acknowledged that his comments about AEW have attracted criticism, although he maintained that his observations reflect longstanding preferences rather than an attempt to attack the promotion.
He went on to suggest that AEW’s emphasis on allowing wrestlers greater creative control has resulted in a wider variety of wrestling styles, but argued that the overall presentation can sometimes resemble backyard wrestling rather than a more structured professional product.
In contrast, RVD praised what he sees as WWE’s renewed emphasis on storytelling, simplicity and making matches feel believable. “I think the inmates are running the asylum. I think that’s what AEW is about: the wrestlers get to do more of what they want. And that’s why there’s more variety, and that’s why, overall, in the big picture of things, it’s going to be a different style that to me is more amateurish, just like backyard matches than WWE, who seems to be going back to telling stories with the wrestling, keeping it simple and making it make sense. It was getting so out of hand for a while.”
RVD also addressed some of AEW’s more extreme creative choices, explaining that certain violent or sensational elements have never appealed to him, despite his own history competing in hardcore wrestling environments. “With AEW, they burned someone’s house down, and I’ve never liked that. When someone put staples in their face and stuff, it’s been around a long time. It’s never been my thing.”
The WWE Hall of Famer concluded by responding to those who have accused him of hypocrisy over his criticism of AEW, insisting that his views on wrestling presentation have remained consistent throughout his career. “So, you need to learn what a hypocrite is. If you’re calling me a hypocrite, I’m the opposite. I’ve always been consistent.”
Van Dam’s remarks highlight his preference for matches built around believable competition and storytelling, even as he acknowledges the greater creative freedom and variety that AEW offers its performers.
