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A WWE Hall of Famer has unveiled early plans for the upcoming retirement of another legend. He has also provided an update on his own future.
Rob Van Dam and Sabu are longtime friends who worked as partners and opponents over the years. They had almost 150 matches together in seven countries, and held the ECW World Tag Team Championship twice. The ECW Originals helped pave the way for a different style of pro wrestling before their WWE runs.
Sabu recently talked about his serious health issues, but also revealed that he wants to wrestle his retirement match this year. He named RVD as his hopeful opponent, and gave his insight into what kind of match he wanted. However, The Whole F'N Show discussed Sabu on his podcast and dished on plans for a new project with The Human Highlight Reel. The former WWE European Champion was asked if the match could happen, and if he was Sabu's final opponent.
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"Absolutely, it can happen... I've definitely seen wrestlers in worse condition than Sabu pull it off. Hell, a lot of guys did their whole career in worse condition than Sabu is, and with less mobility, you know what I mean? But anyway, the style is different now... So, you gotta be good, and be athletic, and be tough, and be able to move, and entertain in that ring like never before," he said. [0:54 to 1:30]
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The six-time WWE Intercontinental Champion recalled linking up with Joe Clark of Backrow Studios for a meeting with Sabu earlier this month. Clark was RVD's partner for his Headstrong documentary. The duo wanted to do a documentary on Sabu, and that's when he told them about wanting a final match. Van Dam went on to talk about how his ECW partner was dead-set against working NOAH dates in Japan two years ago because of his health.
"But now, he's feeling better, he's working out because he's feeling better, and he's feeling better because he's working out, and he said to us that night, he wants to have a match... And wow, we're trying to do a documentary on that. Imagine the timing of that, training for that, just that whole agenda and adventure and part of him with the backstory that he can share while he's getting for his last match. That sounds awesome," he said. [3:25 to 3:55]
Van Dam said Sabu was not interested in any other opponent, and he was thinking July or August for the date. It appears WWE might not be involved in this bout, if and when it happens. Mr. Monday Night did not commit to the match, and no concrete details have been announced, but he hoped it could happen and Sabu is all in.
WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam recalls retirement tour plans with Sabu
The last singles match between longtime friends WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam and Sabu came at TNA Hardcore Justice in August 2010. RVD picked up the win in the bout. The last tag team match came at the IMPACT TV tapings on June 6, 2019, as the former ECW World Tag Team Champions were defeated by Ethan Page and Josh Alexander.
Speaking on his recent 1 Of A Kind podcast episode, The Whole F'N Show talked more about the retirement of The Homicidal, Suicidal, Genocidal, Death-Defying Maniac, and how he was apparently feeling better than ever. The 2006 WWE Money in the Bank winner also revealed how they discussed a retirement tour a few years back.
"Either way, he's he's working out, and he feels better than he ever did, and I would love to be part of that match. We used to talk back in the day, about if it worked out chronologically, we would have a retirement tour, if we were both ready to retire at the same time, and go to all the different countries that we wrestled in before, like Japan, and England, and everywhere you know, of course Australia. It would just was an idea that seemed like it might be feasible, like 10 years ago or whenever, maybe longer," he said. [4:18 to 5:00]
The three-time WWE Tag Team Champion continued and said if he does work the non-WWE match, Sabu will be the only one retiring.
"We talked about that because I just figured he would wrestle himself into the ground. So since I'm a little bit younger... Maybe it would just work out that way, but I don't see this being my retirement match if I am able to be a part of it. But of course, I would be honored, thrilled... I hope that I am his opponent and I'm really looking forward to him growing through this adventure, and us capturing it, thanks to Joe Clark from Backrow Studios," he said. [5:01 to 5:39]
RVD's last match saw him team with Hook for a win over Alex Reynolds and John Silver on the October 25, 2023, edition of AEW Dynamite. Sabu's last big match was a win over Matthew Justice on October 17, 2020, at GCW's The Last Resort. He's made indie appearances since then and did some work for AEW in 2023.
What are your favorite WWE memories of Rob Van Dam and Sabu? How would you book both of their retirements and should WWE be involved? Sound off in the comments section below!
If you use quotes from this article, please credit 1 of a Kind podcast and add an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
