Rob Van Dam Talks Working With Younger Talent, Dream Match With Hulk Hogan

Bleacher Report columnists Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin recently interviewed Rob Van Dam and talked about Sunday’s WWE Money in the Bank PPV, Paul Heyman, ECW and more. Here are some highlights:

Mike Chiari: Since returning to WWE for your latest stint you’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the company’s fastest rising stars, specifically Cesaro and Bad News Barrett. As a veteran performer do you take pride in helping some of these younger stars get over and reach their fullest potential?

“Yes and no. I place no focus on that. If somebody is willing to take some advice, then I have some, and that’s just life in general. A lot of people don’t want to hear anything. These guys, and everybody at WWE right now, is so good that the standard of the pro wrestler compared to maybe 10 years ago: night and day difference. I came back last year and I was so impressed. Guys that come up now through NXT, a lot of them, maybe most of them, seem to be growing up in the business and with only four or five years’ experience. They’re already 10-12 year veterans. I’m more happy, with the caliber rising, that I can still get in there with my style and ability and still be relevant with the new age of wrestlers coming up just like it was back then.

“So, are they getting a rub from wrestling with me? Probably so, but these guys, I don’t feel like they need me. These guys have a great future and are heading to the top with or without wrestling Rob Van Dam, they just might have a few more bruises after wrestling me.”
Mike Chiari: You’ve faced most of the top stars in the business over the past two decades, but who is someone who you either haven’t wrestled at all or have only wrestled sparingly that you’d like to work an extended program against in WWE?

“Hulk Hogan. Bring Hulk Hogan back, I want to work with him.

“I don’t really worry about those things. When people ask me about guys I don’t say yes or no, but I go where the money is. Any chance I have to be a main event at a pay-per view, like main eventing WrestleMania, is that important to me? At this point, it’s something that would be really nice.”