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Rob Van Dam might be one of the most likable stars in pro wrestling, but Kurt Angle has revealed that he didn't spend much time with the WWE Hall of Famer outside the ring.
RVD's love for marijuana is no secret, as he was a voracious smoker even during the prime of his career. The former ECW Champion faced Kurt Angle in both WWE and TNA and while they were friendly, the Olympic gold medalist admitted that he didn't hang out much with RVD.
Angle explained that during the early 2000s, wrestling stars associated themselves with talents who shared similar interests and habits. As the WWE Hall of Famer wasn't a smoker, Kurt noted that he and RVD weren't regularly catching up on the road and had different friend circles.
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The 5-time WWE World Champion did get along really well with RVD, as he clarified below on The Kurt Angle Show:
"Back then, you know, this was the early 2000s, back then, you hung out with the people that were more susceptible to what you do. In other words, smokers that smoked hung out with smokers. I didn't smoke! So, Rob was a smoker, and you know, it's crazy because there a lot of wrestlers that don't smoke and a lot that do smoke, and Rob was just one guy that was on the other side of me. So I really didn't spend a lot of time with him. I was friendly with him. We were friends, we got along really well. But I didn't hang out with Rob." [From 9:00 onwards]
WWE legend Kurt Angle recalls his first interaction with RVD
Before joining WWE, Kurt Angle made an infamous visit to an ECW show in 1996 that unfortunately gave him a negative perspective on pro wrestling after he saw Sandman get stuck to a cross using barbed wire.
While Angle stormed out of the event and would spend the next couple of years changing his views on the business, he met RVD for the first time at ECW High Incident.
The Olympic hero revealed that Rob Van Dam came up and introduced himself and came across as an amiable human being. However, more than RVD's laidback attitude, Kurt Angle was impressed by the veteran star's performance against Jerry Lynn, which he termed the night's best match.
Angle added:
"Yes, I remember meeting Rob. He was very nice and very friendly. Went up and introduced himself to me. What I remembered about Rob the most was he, and Jerry Lynn had a banger of a match. I mean, this match was incredible. He stuck out to me; he was above everybody else on that roster. I'm not taking anything away from Taz, but RVD seemed to be the guy that really stirred it up that night and had the best match of the night." [From 7:07 onwards]
What is your favorite RVD moment from his WWE days? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Kurt Angle Show on AdFreeShows.com and H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription.
