Rob Van Dam posits that placing the blame on Vince McMahon for wrestlers’ reliance on painkillers and experiences with concussions is misdirected.
Van Dam recently voiced his opinions on McMahon, the former WWE CEO, on his “1 Of A Kind” podcast. He challenged the perspective of those holding McMahon responsible for injuries and issues in the ring, saying,
“Incomprehensible to me that blame would fall on Vince McMahon for my consumption of pain pills, contracting concussions, or the use of steroids, or my choice to compete while injured. It’s confounding to conceive of a reason, a truthful one at least, to make him the scapegoat for these choices.
“Surely, individuals carry their own experiences. I’m well aware that some of the guys gripe about being made to press on in spite of injuries. I opted out of informing them if I was in pain. The responsibility fell on my shoulders if I chose to work in pain. And I wasn’t, because I could sustain my work.”
Van Dam conceded that he holds McMahon accountable for the tragic demise of Owen Hart. He iterated,
“The case with Owen, however, is an exception. Owen incurred an injury on duty, and there’s a direct link to WWE’s production. But comparing that situation to someone who was wrestling there, consuming Somas, Norcos, Vicodin, Valium and the like, well before they came into McMahon’s orbit—and continuing the habit whilst there—and then making McMahon the villain? I find no reasons to champion such thought.”
McMahon’s contribution has been the subject of deep analysis in the past years. Janel Grant has recently filed a case against the 79-year-old.
This month saw the release of a Netflix six-part docuseries that delves into numerous WWE scandals, including steroid abuse and the infamous Chris Benoit incident.
Earlier, the same month, Van Dam introduced his plans for his ‘OnlyWrestlers’ platform. Uncover more about Van Dam’s future endeavours by clicking here.