Rob Van Dam Discusses Pro Wrestling Having A Potential Off-Season

(Photo Credit: WWE)

WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam (RVD) recently appeared on an episode of his โ€œ1 Of A Kindโ€ podcast, where he discussed a number of topics including pro wrestling having a potential off-season.

RVD said, โ€œSo an off-season for wrestling, I mean โ€” You wouldnโ€™t get the same f**king energy out of it. I donโ€™t think that wrestlers can take time off. You know, hereโ€™s one of these rules of thumb, or expressions in the business: they say that a wrestlerโ€™s worst enemy, Iโ€™ve heard this like my whole career. A wrestlerโ€™s worst enemy is time off. Iโ€™ve always heard that, and I take that to mean, especially from the wrestlers telling me that, that when they stop moving, thatโ€™s when all the pain sets. And thatโ€™s what Iโ€™ve always heard. Theyโ€™re active, theyโ€™re bumping, bumping every night, theyโ€™re conditioned to go with it. And then when their job ends, or theyโ€™re not getting booked or whatever, and they sit home then all of a sudden, then theyโ€™re feeling all the aches and pains and stuff. And then itโ€™s not easy to to go back and do it again. I think if they continue their lifestyle on the time off, then it could work. Even for me, like I mean, I continue to be active on months in between matches. Most people couldnโ€™t do that I donโ€™t think, the way that I can. Iโ€™ve always people say, โ€˜Oh, I donโ€™t know. Iโ€™m feeling a little rusty tonight. What about you?โ€™ No, but I do feel better and more conditioned after day one, especially if we spend a lot of time off. And then if like, a tour to Japan, letโ€™s say. Day oneโ€™s the hardest. Day two a little bit better and then, boom, pretty soon youโ€™re like, โ€˜Okay, I got the hang of it.โ€™ You feel all the bumps and bruises from that first night. So it would be counter-conducive to give wrestlers time off in some ways. But you know, it could work. But like [Katie Forbes] was saying, I think they would have to report to a ring, depending on their experience, at least a couple times a month, if not more on the time off.โ€

On how to protect yourself from an unsafe worker:

โ€œWell first off, at my level you shouldnโ€™t be in the ring with unsafe workers too often. Sometimes I do work [with] some green person that a promoter wants to give a rub to instead of other like main eventers. That does happen sometimes. But by receipting them. So if somebody is unsafe, then thereโ€™s a physical way of letting them know by you know, kind of shooting on them, hopefully for just one move. But it could be a little something. Itโ€™s like โ€” thereโ€™s like a balance and checks system out there. But if thereโ€™s someone thatโ€™s overall unsafe with everything and heโ€™s just unsafe, probably doesnโ€™t belong in the business, you know. So what are you paying me all this money for to be in there with someone like that? So people that I wrestle โ€” you know, TNA, AEW, WWE. Even if once in a while somebody does something thatโ€™s a little careless, I donโ€™t think anyone that I work with I would consider an unsafe worker, like overall.โ€

You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.

(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)