Rob Van Dam isn't going anywhere -- even after Bound For Glory.
The former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling champion returned to IMPACT this year, in a deal that was expected to go from WrestleMania weekend through Bound For Glory. However, when speaking with Fightful for an exclusive interview, RVD confirmed that he's already extended that deal.
He told us how he landed in IMPACT, and what has him staying.
"I talked with IMPACT! about what I wanted to do, which is mostly stay home unless the business reaches a certain level to pique my interest. And they came to that level. Everyone’s talking about AEW, and how they could be scaring WWE. I happen to know IMPACT! can afford RVD, so they’re something someone should be talking about too. It’s all business. I did a match, I think it was WrestleCon—Sabu and I had a tag match and first it was just a one off, and then Scott D’Amore in the office said, “Hey, what do you think about doing this other handful of matches?” Took me to October, and then recently we added a few more matches so I’ll be with them ‘til January. Then we’ll see how it goes after that," said Van Dam.
RVD intimated that he only likes to wrestle about a dozen times per year, a number he's already approaching since April. However, he says those numbers are a little bit distorted due to IMPACT Wrestling's taping schedule.
"I think it looks like I’m way busier than I am because the IMPACT! schedule is very favorable to me. Like, for instance, this week on Thursday and Friday we’re here in my town, so it’s very easy travel. But that doesn’t happen all the time, but what’s awesome is on Thursday and Friday they’ll have a month’s worth of television. It’s TV taping, and they’ll do two weeks in one day and then they’ll do another two weeks in one day, and boom! See you in next month. It’s pretty good. And I do some things outside of that, of course. ‘Cause I’m a big superstar celebrity, so I do some other wrestling, some other appearances, some acting, whatever. But, I’ve always been doing pretty well at my goal of doing less and making it mean more—more in the pocket, and more to everybody. More IMPACT!-ful, if you will," said RVD.
Van Dam made an appearance at this year's Raw Reunion, which turned some heads due to his association with IMPACT. RVD has been on both sides of the coin over the past decade, and said that he was both surprised and unsurprised about the entire situation
"Yes and no. Yes, the call was a surprise. And IMPACT! reacting the way that they did, in a favorable way, didn’t surprise me because when I talked to them about promoting my documentary Headstrong, they were happy to do it. And then ran a trailer on their show, on the weekly TV show, and they said “Hey, anything to help you, helps us.” So I just assume that’s the way they would look at me being on the RAW Reunion as well," RVD noted.
You can see our full interview with Rob Van Dam above, and you can see IMPACT Wrestling live in Las Vegas this weekend at Sam's Town Live. Check out Rob Van Dam's documentary Headstrong at this link.
