Rob Van Dam Talks WWE ID Program and Its Potential to Revive Territory Days

On the latest episode of 1 Of A Kind, Rob Van Dam discussed the WWE ID program, an initiative designed to provide independent wrestlers with a pathway to join WWE. The company has recently parted ways with several schools, including Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling, Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory, and Seth Rollins’ Black and Brave Wrestling Academy. Below are some key highlights from the conversation:

Van Dam shared his thoughts on the WWE ID program, stating, “If WWE continues to do this and partners with, and therefore legitimizes, certain organizations it could be like the old territory days, you know? Where companies all over the country could be under the umbrella of WWE, and that would leave the others to then be outlaws. That’s what I used to call the ones that were, not part of the big machine, and it could be just like a — that’d be interesting, just to see the history go back to where it came from. Which happens a lot, you know, and full circle. So I can see it. It looks pretty cool. WWE is on the grow, and you got to have places to put that growing energy. And man, they’re just a machine, for — they’re always finding new ways to grow and to put their growth into.”

He also touched on the new energy within WWE, saying, “Yeah, it seemed like it for the most part. yes. You know, it’s really — like those conversations. It’s really about the substance of wrestling, and thankfully yes that’s what NXT, and hopefully all the products of WWE will contain in their foundation. Because without it, man. It just it gets to be — well, everything but wrestling.”