10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Nov 12)

4. RVD Turned Down 'Paul Heyman Guy' Heel Run In 2014

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WWE.com

In 2014, Rob Van Dam fulfilled his last televised commitment to WWE by putting over Seth Rollins on the August 29 episode of SmackDown. Afterwards, he did appear in December to present a Slammy Award. Since then, Van Dam hasn't really been seen on WWE programming, aside from an appearance on the Table For 3 WWE Network show.

An interview between RVD and Sports Illustrated's Extra Mustard this week revealed what WWE's power brokers had planned for Van Dam in 2014. Instead of letting him leave, management wanted RVD to turn heel and align himself with none other than Paul Heyman.

Becoming a 'Paul Heyman Guy' would have made sense given the history between both men in ECW. That said, it wasn't something Van Dam could really get on board with. Viewing himself as someone who already had one foot out the door, he was more interested in occasional returns as a veteran babyface.

It would have been intriguing to see where a union between Van Dam and Heyman could have fit onto WWE programming in 2014. Quickly, RVD turned it down.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.