RVD Says Younger Wrestlers Don't Understand The Concept Of Kayfabe

[Rollie Forbes]

In the latest episode of his 1 of a Kind podcast (via Wrestling Inc), Rob Van Dam spoke about why he doesn’t think younger wrestlers understand the concept of kayfabe. For those unfamiliar, kayfabe is when wrestlers stay in character at all times.

He spoke about working with younger talent and said he’d only turn down moves if they’re “something where I have to have an instruction manual just to take your move.”

RVD added: “They do moves that don’t make sense to me in my mind. I’ve turned down some of that stuff … One example that comes to mind was in Ireland and this was a few years ago … The idea was that I’m standing in the corner looking away from the ring and [the] dude is gonna reach up under my legs, and grab my head, and pull my head down so my head goes under the second rope turnbuckle and now I’m stuck standing there with my head between my legs. And I’m like, ‘What? What’s keeping me there?’ The answer was kayfabe. No.“

 

[VegetasHairline]

They don't understand ring psychology or selling either.

 

[Hey_zeus]

I hate that corner spot with the superkick with the head trapped. He's right. We're in an era where the work overall is the best ever. While at the same time the moves mean lesser than ever.

 

[MrFirst2doit]

I'm a big RVD fan, but I mean, if we're being honest he's one of the architects of the unrealistic Flippy style .. Now, no way am I saying he's as phony as the stuff today but he kind of got the ball rolling

 

[Elim Garak]

This is one of the many reasons wrestling is generally boring now. The shyt makes no sense, I keep being told it's the best work ever supposedly.

 

[NYChase718]

Kayfabe in 2023

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

They don't understand ring psychology or selling either.

 

[LordDeathwatch]

Real shyt, that was an excellent summation.

 

[Busby]

This was an amazing watch…

 

[Damnshow]

I'm a big RVD fan, but I mean, if we're being honest he's one of the architects of the unrealistic Flippy style .. Now, no way am I saying he's as phony as the stuff today but he kind of got the ball rolling

Ehhh yeah you are sort of right. Flippy stuff works 100% on small guys like Rey Mysterio where the small guy has to do acrobatic moves to avoid getting hit by bigger opponents.

RVD is a JCVD gimmick. Doing all those flippy crazy moves, usually just for the sake of doing. I like him too, he's one of the best ECW wrestlers ever and madly underrated by WWE bookers. He's no classic old school slow paced American style wrestler.

 

[sbud]

When it started I thought I wasn’t gonna watch the whole thing but goddamn did I stay tuned in. This was awesome.

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

I'm a big RVD fan, but I mean, if we're being honest he's one of the architects of the unrealistic Flippy style .. Now, no way am I saying he's as phony as the stuff today but he kind of got the ball rolling

He's style was mixed with martial arts so his stuff made sense. He wasn't jumping all over the place aimlessly

 

[El Cocodrilo]

I'm a big RVD fan, but I mean, if we're being honest he's one of the architects of the unrealistic Flippy style .. Now, no way am I saying he's as phony as the stuff today but he kind of got the ball rolling

...Thunder

 

[Da King]

All that’s left as faq marks who just think they’re all bookers

 

[Legal]

Right message, by maybe wrong messenger. After all, one of his signature moves was throwing his opponent a chair, them standing with the the chair in front of their face, and then him throwing a jumping spin kick at said chair.