In a recent episode of his podcast, “1 Of A Kind”, famous wrestler Rob Van Dam shared his experience with dealing with fans who tend to project their fantasies onto him. He discussed the unsolicited advice he often receives on how he should change himself to better fit their ideas of what a wrestler should be like, in addition to discussing the kind of wrestling matches he enjoys watching.
During the podcast, Rob Van Dam touched upon several interesting topics. Here are some of the key moments:
Speaking about fans who impose their own ideals onto him, he said, “Being in the limelight, you quickly realise many people dream about stepping into your shoes, and they love to speculate about how they’d do it differently, how they’d make you ‘better’. But in reality, this would mean diminishing my unique style and adopting more of theirs – a fact they often overlook.”
He went on to reflect on how his entire career has been filled with people trying to mould him into a different kind of wrestler – trying to make him more like other wrestlers rather than the unique persona he maintained. Despite the unsolicited advice, he has stayed true to his style, which has, over time, earned him respect and validation from many of his critics.
The wrestling star went on to share his own preferences when it comes to watching wrestling. He often enjoys delving into nostalgic moments from the past. For instance, he mentioned, “I sometimes like to journey back in time and revisit matches like the Ultimate Warrior. It’s interesting to rediscover the emotions they evoked.” He admitted that he didn’t have a particular favorite and usually found interest in any match-ups that offered a unique dynamic.
The episode gives fans an intimate and authentic insight into Rob Van Dam’s personal experiences in the wrestling world, his decisions, and the uninvited advice he’s had to navigate throughout his career.