Rob Van Dam has claimed his comments about Ric Flair during the Plane Ride From Hell episode of Dark Side of the Ring were misrepresentative.
A major Ric Flair controversy resurfaced back in 2021 when flight attendant Heidi Doyle alleged on Dark Side of the Ring that he sexually harassed her during the infamous Plane Ride From Hell. Despite denying the accusations, Flair’s merchandise was removed from WWEShop and he himself was removed from WWE’s signature opening for almost a year.
Aside of the attendant herself, various wrestlers who were aboard the plane were interviewed about the incident. One such figure was Rob Van Dam who claimed during the episode that Flair crowded around Doyle in an attempt to make her touch him. Following the episode’s airing, RVD took to social media to clarify his comments.
During the latest episode of his 1 Of A Kind podcast, Van Dam discussed his interview on the show and claimed he was “coaxed” into making certain comments that were edited in a way that misrepresented what he actually saw.
I had no idea that they were going to edit it to make it appear as if I said that I saw Ric trying to make a girl touch his dick. Like if you watch it, so that’s the way it comes across. I didn’t see that. I didn’t say that I saw that, and I was coaxed or coached into those words. Which, I didn’t realize why at the time. I didn’t have a problem with it, because it also described what I did see, which wasn’t nearly that bad.
I was just saying, you know, ‘He was all like, up on her, like crowding her space.’ And he’s like, ‘Like trying to make her touch him?’ And he’s like, ‘Well like, you know, she couldn’t get around him without having to touch him.’ And, ‘Was he trying to make her touch him?’ ‘Well I mean, you know, like she would have had to touch, like with his whole–‘ ‘Can you say that?’ ‘Say what?’ ‘Can you say, I saw him trying to make her touch–‘ Yeah, like he was trying to make her touch him.’ Boom.”
Later in the episode, RVD revealed that his experience in Dark Side of the Ring played a part in his decision to pass on being interviewed for Netflix’s ‘Mr. McMahon’ documentary.
Rob Van Dam Was Considered For A WrestleMania Match Against The Undertaker
During another recent episode of his podcast, Rob Van Dam reflected on his early WWE career and revealed that, at one point, the company was considering giving him a high-profile WrestleMania match against The Undertaker.
Unfortunately, however, the idea was scrapped as an unknown figure in the company believed that he wasn’t popular enough for such a spot.
h/t to 411Mania