Rob Van Dam indeed proved that he was the “Whole F’n Show” in WWE back in 2006, but could there have been more for Mr. Monday Night?
Speaking on the latest “1 Of A Kind With RVD” Van Dam went into deep detail about his relationship with Vince McMahon, but did make mention about how many familiar faces wanted him to do more to form a bond with the big boss. That initiative came into play when they needed someone to put the company on their back in John Cena’s absence. Names such as Shane McMahon, Michael Hayes and Stephanie McMahon all got into Rob’s ear about it and Bruce Prichard was one who really made an effort.
“Bruce Pritchard comes up to me and he says, ‘Hey Rob, you’re doing really good here and they’re really happy with you.’
[I said] ‘Oh, cool. That’s awesome. I’m enjoying it.’ He says, ‘Yeah, John Cena is going to be leaving in October. He’s going to be working on “The Marine” and doing this movie. So it’s going to be gone for a while.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’
“And he realized I didn’t get what he was saying. And he said, ‘Yeah, so this is a good chance for you to fill that spot, on that next level, put you in that position.’
Rob Van Dam Didn’t Know What Was Expected Of Him With Vince McMahon
RVD didn’t take Prichard’s words as constructive however and took it upon himself to defend the efforts he thought were being put in question.
“I got offended and I was like ‘Are you telling me that I don’t work hard enough?…Do you not see me work my ass off in the ring? What else do I have to do?’
“And he was like, ‘You need to build a relationship with Vince. Vince needs to know that he can trust you, that you’re the guy that he can invest in, that he can put the belt on and that can lead his company. You need to know he needs to know that. I’m like, ‘Are you saying I have to kiss his ass? Like I I’m out there having great matches, the crowd’s going nuts. I don’t understand what else you want from me?’ That’s one of the things that held me back as well. Oh, interesting. Same conversation happened with Shane and with Stephanie.”
RVD did up becoming the WWE Champion in memorable fashion when he defeated John Cena at ECW One Night Stand 2006, something that gets covered on a previous episode of “1 Of A Kind.”