Celebrity appearances in wrestling have become more common than ever, with names like Logan Paul, Pat McAfee, and even country star Jelly Roll stepping inside a WWE ring. While many fans enjoy the crossover appeal, Rob Van Dam is not among them. The WWE Hall of Famer and ECW icon made it clear during a recent interview that he believes celebrity involvement damages the credibility of professional wrestling.

Speaking on the TMZ Inside The Ring podcast, RVD was asked if his stance on outsiders in wrestling has softened over the years. He was straightforward, explaining that while he accepts the industry continues to evolve, he remains unimpressed by the trend.

“I changed my mind to the extent of where I can say, look. I got no control over it. The business is changing in so many ways away from what it used to be, and I know there’s nothing I can do to stop it. So I’m watching it happen. I’m understanding it less and less. Am I enjoying it? No, not really… Celebrities coming in, I’ve always felt like it takes like, one, it really hurts the credibility of what we’re doing. Two, you got to work around them to make it look like they could do something that they really couldn’t do. And three, it’s just bad for the business. That one that I got taught, I was taught, protect the business first. That was the number one rule. And this is the opposite of protecting the business.”

Despite his criticism, Van Dam did offer some praise for Logan Paul, who has surprised many with his natural ability in the ring. RVD highlighted Paul’s athleticism and specifically applauded his execution of the Frog Splash, a move RVD himself helped make famous.

“I think his Frog Splash is excellent, fantastic, as I like to say, hey, yeah, you know, he’s obviously very talented, very athletic. He picked it up really quick. Do I feel different about him a little bit? There’s always exceptions. I don’t believe in absolutes anywhere, and he’s definitely an exception.”