WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has opened up about his decision to leave WWE in 2007, citing a loss of passion for wrestling and a desire to prioritize his personal well-being.

Speaking on his 1 Of A Kind With RVD podcast, Van Dam reflected on the pivotal moments leading up to his departure, including his 30-day suspension and the forfeiture of both the WWE and ECW Championships. The punishment stemmed from his arrest alongside Sabu for marijuana possession, which significantly impacted his mindset. Additionally, he felt that WWE’s version of ECW was deteriorating, further diminishing his motivation.

“I got suspended for 30 days, and then both championship belts were forfeited. Then I felt like ECW was in the toilet, swirling down the drain, and they wanted to flush it, so my passion was gone.”

WWE executives attempted to convince Van Dam to stay, offering him time off with the option to return at a later date. However, he ultimately declined, believing that having a set return date would prevent him from fully disconnecting and focusing on himself.

“I said, ‘I’m finishing my contract, and then I need a break, I’m not going to re-sign.’ We talked many times about what it would take for me to re-sign, and I chose spirit first. They offered, ‘How about you sign for six months, or a year, and then come back?’ And I was like, ‘I can’t do it, I need to know what it felt like to be free in order to grow.’”

Despite taking the time off, Van Dam admitted that he never truly found the renewal he was seeking.

“I needed my spirit to be healthy again… but it never f**king happened.”

Although he never returned to WWE on a full-time basis, Van Dam has continued wrestling on his own terms. He made a return to WWE in 2013 and still competes sporadically, with his most recent match taking place on the April 20, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite.

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