RVD talks confidence and Paul Heyman's induction speech

“The Whole F’n Show” Rob Van Dam was not quite the whole show at the Sport Card Expo on Sunday, April 28, 2024 … but he was the only pro wrestling guest, surrounded by many hockey and baseball players and even WWE Hall of Famer William Shatner. RVD did a question and answer answer early on Sunday with Jian Magen and later sat down with George Mckay for an interview for Sunday Night’s Main Event Radio’s and Straight Talk Wrestling.

They discussed Paul Hayman’s Hall of Fame induction speech, ECW One Night Stand and John Cena and so much more. Below are some highlights.

On facing John Cena at ECW One Night Stand in 2005:

There is no other night in my whole career to compare it to that. Even John knew going into it, he was going to be the the underdog, he knew that they weren’t going to like him. I remember telling him “You know, this should be fun.” and he really did have fun with it. I know he did. He couldn’t have expected they’d (the crowd) throw his shirt back. Like, who would have done something like that. I mean, this is the top wrestler in the world.

On his self-worth and confidence throughout his WWE run:

My feeling of worth to the company would be go up and down all the time. I never felt like I was expendable. Every year around this time when wrestlers get laid off after mania (WrestleMania), everyone’s so shocked. “Oh my god, they’ve so so go,” it’s what happens. The whole time I was there, I might have a few good weeks and they might really build up my confidence, and then they would do a few things that would make me feel like “wow, they won.”

On sharing a special moment with Paul Heyman at the Hall of Fame ceremony:

He stuck his tongue in my ear and I don’t think the camera caught that special moment. I mean, there was probably a time when I thought it would happen, and there was a time when I thought it would never happen (Heyman being inducted). You know, that’s the whole experience of life, the longer you’re around, you see the bigger picture and you get to studying it, and you just know so much more and understand so much more.

On Paul Heyman’s induction speech:

I’m gonna watch it again when I get home. It was fantastic, but being there, I didn’t absorb it the way that everybody else did. For me, it was almost more like I was listening to him. It was kind of like watching a friend of mine working. … so I’m watching him in the ring, and I’m like, okay, good Good one. I’m watching it like that, and I missed a lot. So I need to go back because I know that he struck a lot of people in the heart and they are telling me that was the best speech ever and they and they loved it.

You can listen to the entire interview with RVD by listening to the latest episode of Straight Talk Wrestling on YouTube and on the Sunday Night’s Main Event Podcast Network.