Kurt Angle Defends Rob Van Dam's TNA Run, Says He Wasn't Just There For The Paycheck

In the mid-to-late 2000s, it was commonplace to see former WWE stars competing in TNA. While the most notable of these transfers are Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, and Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam was a beloved addition to the TNA roster when he debuted for the company in 2010. While RVD did win the TNA World Championship mere months into his tenure with the company, many don't look back on his time in TNA as fondly as his time in ECW and WWE. Despite this, fellow TNA legend Kurt Angle set the record straight that RVD's demeanor in TNA was practically no different than it was when they were both in WWE together. 

During a recent episode of The Kurt Angle Show (transcribed here by Wrestlingnews.co), Angle discussed his relationship and rivalry with Van Dam, saying that "The Whole F'n Show" was consistent in his attitude regardless of where he was wrestling. "That's Rob," Angle explained. "He just wasn't vocal. He wasn't trying to be a leader. He wanted to go there and do his thing and perform... It's not like he didn't care about the company."

While Angle often discussed his desire to elevate the company during his run with TNA from 2006 until 2016, RVD held the belief that his in-ring output was his primary obligation. "If you're Rob Van Dam, as long as you give everything you have in that ring every single night you go out there, that's all you need from Rob because he's not going to give you anything more," Angle said.