WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has voiced his frustration with what he sees as a growing issue in modern wrestling, pointing to a recent moment on NXT as an example of what he believes is poor in-ring fundamentals.
The discussion stems from an incident involving Blake Monroe, who lost the NXT Women’s North American Championship after failing to properly kick out during a pinfall against Thea Hail. Speaking on his YouTube livestream, Rob Van Dam addressed the moment and made it clear that it struck a nerve with him.
“You saw the botch with NXT where the wrong girl became champion, right?” Van Dam said. “That’s one of my pet peeves. In fact, if you listen to me enough, you know that I try not to have pet peeves. It’s when someone doesn’t get their shoulder up on a kickout. It’s so lazy.”
RVD went on to explain that the issue isn’t simply a mistake, but a fundamental breakdown in how wrestlers approach in-ring storytelling.
“And [when the referee counts] one, two, [they] just kick their legs,” he continued. “I point it out all the time. It happens so much. I’m always rewinding it, and I’m going, ‘Watch, they got pinned. The match is over. Watch.’ They don’t get off of them. All they do is kick their legs. Their shoulders are still down, and the person is still on top of them.”
According to Van Dam, this reflects a broader problem in modern wrestling, where performers sometimes focus more on choreography than realism.
“That’s what’s wrong with the business right now,” he said. “They just think about their part like it’s a movie instead of feeling like they’re in a fight and feeling like they’re competing, and that changes everything”
Despite the controversy, Van Dam praised referee Felix Fernandez for handling the situation correctly by counting the fall, adding that he hoped there would be no backlash toward the official. Reports following the incident have indicated that Fernandez is not facing any disciplinary action from WWE.
The moment has reignited debate among fans and veterans alike about fundamentals in modern wrestling and whether younger performers are being taught the basics of ring psychology with enough emphasis.
Is Rob Van Dam Retired From Wrestling?
Rob Van Dam has not officially announced his retirement from wrestling and instead said that he has adopted a “go with the flow” mentality in that he isn’t seeking out any bookings, but if the right booking for the right amount of money is offered, he will accept it.
His last match to date came at MLW’s Battle Riot VII event, where he competed in the 40 Man Battle Riot match for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship, which was won by defending champion Matt Riddle.
