On a recent edition of his “1 Of A Kind” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam offered his perspective on today’s wrestlers not executing strong kickouts of pinfall covers in matchups anymore.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On how wrestlers don’t truly kick out anymore: “You know what I hate now is when people don’t kick out. Every time I watch wrestling, I see it. They think just by kicking their feet they kick out, but their shoulders are still down and the person’s still on top of them. I hate that. It’s one of those things that annoys me when I watch wrestling. I want to tell them but I always tell whoever’s next to me.”
On how wrestlers only kick their feet now: “They just kick their feet; kicking your feet don’t do nothing. And every once in a while — like, when I was in WWE — they would say, ‘Well, the referees need credibility. You count them down if they don’t kick out.’ They haven’t done that in a while and they need to because they haven’t done a credibility check in years. I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”
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In the world of professional wrestling, executing a strong kickout of a pinfall cover is a crucial element of a match. It adds drama, excitement, and suspense to the action in the ring. However, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the way wrestlers nowadays perform this move.
During an episode of his podcast, “1 Of A Kind,” Van Dam shared his perspective on the lack of proper kickouts in modern wrestling. He pointed out that many wrestlers today simply kick their feet without actually lifting their shoulders off the mat, leading to an unrealistic portrayal of a kickout.
Van Dam expressed his annoyance at this trend, stating, “You know what I hate now is when people don’t kick out. Every time I watch wrestling, I see it. They think just by kicking their feet they kick out, but their shoulders are still down and the person’s still on top of them. I hate that.”
He emphasized the importance of executing a legitimate kickout, where both the feet and shoulders are lifted off the mat. Merely kicking the feet does not have any impact on the outcome of the match and can diminish the credibility of the wrestlers involved.
The former WWE superstar also highlighted the role of referees in maintaining the credibility of matches. He recalled that during his time in WWE, referees were instructed to count down wrestlers who failed to kick out properly. This added a layer of realism and ensured that matches were not compromised by sloppy kickouts.
However, Van Dam noted that this practice seems to have diminished in recent years. He believes that referees need to enforce a credibility check by counting down wrestlers who do not execute a convincing kickout. This would not only enhance the realism of matches but also restore the importance of proper execution in the eyes of the audience.
In conclusion, Rob Van Dam’s comments shed light on an issue prevalent in modern professional wrestling – the lack of strong kickouts during pinfall covers. Wrestlers often rely on kicking their feet without lifting their shoulders, which can undermine the authenticity of the match. Van Dam advocates for a return to proper execution and emphasizes the role of referees in maintaining credibility. By addressing this issue, wrestlers can enhance the overall quality and realism of their performances, ensuring an engaging experience for fans.