In the late 90s and early 2000s, many pro-wrestlers jumped ship to WWE from rival ECW. One among them was an ECW champion, Rob Van Dam, who left an indelible mark on spectators. While he set ECW ablaze with his in-ring prowess, the performer soon became one of the top guys in his new promotion. Everything was running smoothly for this superstar until an untimely arrest brought it to a screeching halt. WWE legend Jim Ross recently revealed his thoughts about the infamous saga that derailed RVD’s push in the company.

Rob Van Dam should have been more careful, says Jim Ross

On July 1st, 2006, law enforcement officers arrested WWE superstars Rob Van Dam and Sabu for possession of cannabis. RVD was a double champion- holding both the ECW and WWE championships- at that point. His actions had grave consequences as McMahon and the creative booked him to drop both belts.

Within a span of 24 hours, Van Dam, who was the only pro wrestler to simultaneously carry the WWE and ECW belts, lost both titles. He lost his WWE Championship to Edge and the ECW Championship to the Big Show. The misery didn’t end there as the WWE suspended the superstar for 30 days.

Reminiscing the saga on the Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross said Van Dam’s arrest “made a headline, they had police involvement, all this other s**t.” 

The 71-year-old said while he felt bad for RVD, he was also angry at the carelessness shown by the superstar. “How do you allow yourself to get into this position? And it’s just, how do you do that?” he lamented. Ross said Van Dam’s advocacy of cannabis also led to his negative reactions as people weren’t as open about the substance then. “Part of the pushback at times for RVD was his advocacy of cannabis. Right. And that made some people uncomfortable,” he said.

The former ECW World Champion never received the same push after returning from his suspension, marking the end of his run as a top guy in the WWE.

Read More: Jim Ross Reveals Why Giving Rob Van Dam a Championship Match Against John Cena at WrestleMania 23 Would Have Been a Bad Move: “Like a Criminal, Couldn’t Do That”

Years later, Vince McMahon revealed his feelings about Van Dam’s arrest and how it affected him.

RVD’s arrest left Vince McMahon personally upset

Even though Vince McMahon booked RVD to lose his championships quickly, it is no secret that the WWE boss had major plans for the latter. Van Dam had won the Hardcore, European, World Tag Team, Tag Team, and Intercontinental Championships during his run with the WWE.

But the arrest hurt McMahon dearly. “It was so disappointing. I was personally upset over Rob’s actions because I thought he was above that,” he was quoted as saying during his appearance on the ‘WWE Icons’ documentary.

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However, that sentiment seemed to have eased over the years as WWE inducted RVD into its prestigious Hall of Fame in 2021. Vince McMahon was there to witness the coronation.