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WRESTLING COLUMNS
Rob Van Dam: One Of A Kind
January 26, 2006 by Adam "The Adaman" Heap
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Hey Obsessees. Hope you’ve had a great Christmas slash New Year slash New Year’s Revolution. Okay, that was lame, but anyway. I give thanks to Kirsty, Brad and James here ? As you may have read in Kirsty’s editorial, I am then newest Official Columnist for OWW. Thanks, guys ? I will make sure my columns uphold that title. Let’s go!
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Now, I recently watched Armageddon 2003 on my DVD player. The main-event may have been Trips vs. Goldberg, but the match that stood out to me was the one for the Intercontinental Title. Randy Orton won it, but the original champion ? RVD ? was the man who made the match for me. I began watching his matches on previous Pay-Per-View’s, but I only managed to acquire one DVD ? Survivor Series 2003. He was in the Survivor Series match before he went to SmackDown! and once again, he put on a great performance.
Unfortunately, I didn’t start watching the WWE until the beginning of 2005, so I was unable to know anything about Rob Van Dam, as I only watched RAW at the time (big mistake). I got a taste of him during the 2005 Draft Lottery, in which Rob Van Dam was the last man to be traded to RAW. Carlito attacked him, however, and he was gone as soon as he came. And so now I had to wait again until whenever it was that Mr. Monday Night was coming back to RAW.
And so it turns out now that Rob Van Dam is coming back at the Royal Rumble; my favorite Pay-Per-View. RVD has an excellent Royal Rumble record. Discounting the 2005 Rumble where he was injured, RVD has been among the last six people in the Rumble from 2002-2004.
Now, I look at RVD’s title reigns. He’s held Tag Titles, the Intercontinental Title, the former European Title, and he could easily have held the United States Title; but he’s never held the top titles in any promotion. I wrote my second column on Eugene, and he’s the first person that comes to mind in a situation like Rob Van Dam’s. He’s Tag Team material, but not singles title material. Now, I look at RVD, and he’s so far ahead of Eugene it’s not funny. RVD has a unique fighting style. He’s got the mic skills. He’s got the ability, he’s got the company’s loyalty, but here’s my main point:
He doesn’t have the WWE Title around his waist.
Now, whether this is because Vince thinks he can’t do it, I don’t know. I showed you above that he’s got the right stuff. I’m going to make a quick comparison. John Cena was very much an "individual" when he won the title. There was no-one else with his character around. How much more individual can you get than one of a kind?
So, I’m eagerly awaiting the return of Mr. PPV at the Royal Rumble in a few days time. And I’m eagerly awaiting his first WWE Title reign. He may not have it now, but he will have it. I guarantee you that. The only question is when. This is the Adaman, signing out with one more comment:
His music says it all. He truly is One Of A Kind.
P.S. ? he has darn good entrance music too. I’m such a mark.
by Adam Heap --- [View Adam Heap's Column Index]....
[See What People Are Saying About This Column on the Forums]
Matt Kopp wrote:
Adam, I have just one thing to say. AMEN!
I, much like you was completely marking out when I saw RVD's return video, and I can't wait until he is given the three count at Wrestlemania 22 for his first WWE Title reign. Honestly, I think his injury was actually good for his career, becuase then fans are now so fired up to see him back after being gone for a year.
LaryLagerLout@aol.com wrote:
ive got to agree with everything you say in this article. I have also been wtchin some of his past matches and the guy is just brilliant. my most memorable was from summerslam 2001 against jeff hardy. what a match. i just hope he wins the rumble this sunday
Spiro K (Queens, NY) wrote:
Five years ago RVD was a different man than the water downed version that millions see today. RVD was not “the whole damn show” but he was “the whole F’N show.” RVD was one of ECW's greatest if not the greatest. If you haven’t watched him in ECW then you have no idea who RVD is. "One of a kind" says exactly what he is but “Walk” by Pantera sent chills up everybody’s spine in the buildings RVD made his 3to4 minute entrances. I will tell you why RVD hasn’t won the big one yet. Someone in WWE management doesn’t like him. Vince McMahon won’t have the pleasure of saying that he created Rob Van Dam and that is why he is kept down. Same goes for Booker T and every other stars that Vince can’t take the credit for creating. So watch some of Rob Van Dam in ECW and you will see the difference!!!!!
Jose Aguirre wrote:
I completely agree with you. I think It's RVD's time to be the Champion. He's much more deserving than other guys such as Triple H, and John Cena(nothing against Cena, his gimmick needs to be more mature). His year long injury is a good excuse for him to win the rumble, it worked for Triple H a few years ago, and I don't see why it shouldn't for RVD, but knowing the idiots of the WWE, I don't expect him to win, it'll probably go to Bobby Lashley or some other Rookie who hasn't had any real wrestling experience, but I'm still hoping.
Lance Crucifix wrote:
Good read. I too enjoy Rob Van Dams in ring work, and I for one would like to see him hold the WWE Championship. Edge vs Rob would be a hell of a match, but here comes the couple things I can't fully agree on. First, RVD's Mic skills. They are ok, don't get me wrong, but he shoots on people, while thats always cool it dosn't nessicarly work. Remember during a Hulk Hogan promo, Hogan would draw you in, with the way he played his character, because it was for the fans. When cuting a shoot as a face, which Rob normally is nowadays, it makes you sound abit Heelish and give you a mixed reaction, people with mixed reaction don't do so well as main eventers. John Cena, once people realized he sucked, he began to get mixed reactions, Edge gets boo'ed madly, and he's the WWE champ today. So until I see Rob, convert to the darkside of things, one more time, I don't see a WWE title in his future anytime soon.
J.J. Jacob wrote:
Rob Van Dam is truly one of a kind but in my eyes and alot of other fans, ROB VAN DAM is still the WHOLE F'N SHOW! He is one of my favorite wrestlers but his time in ECW is hardly compariable to the matches in the WWE. Dont get me wrong. He has had great matches in the WWE, but where else are you going to see RVD wrestle another Jerry Lynn or another Sabu. Not in WWE. His match with Jerry Lynn at Hardcore Heaven '99 could possibly be the best pure wrestling match ever. Or at least in the top 10. So, you could say that RVD is one of a kind. I, on the other hand say: He's the WHOLE F'N SHOW!
AJ Nye wrote:
This man, this "RVD" Rob Van Dam..who is he? He is by far one of the better...well let me rephrase that...The BEST wreslter on WWE today! He truly is one of a kind! so he has chosen the best possible theme song (which might I add is a great song anyway!)! he is and always will be "THE WHOLE DAM SHOW!" not only in my eyes but in all his fans all around the WWE world spectrum! ( i added this only because its nature is true but I noticed others sayign "He's The Whole F'N show" when in all honesty is WRONG...that just wouldnt go with his character, let alone him....Rob Van DAM...thats why I corrected them.
From one of RVD's many, many, many GREAT and LOYAL fans, I speak for us all when I say this..."RVD, HE's THE WHOLE DAM SHOW!!!" aand will continue to be even if by some chance he isnt wreslting anymore!!!!!
Clay Ford wrote:
Well, this is the first time I've wrote to OWW and that's because there's
been something that's really been bugging me and it's about time I get it
out. Being a huge ECW fan (I've been watching since Too Cold Scorpio was tv
champ in '94) I'm so ecstatic to see RVD finally getting a shot at being a
main eventer. He's one of the best athletes in the game, the MOST
entertaining to watch, and even though others disagree, one of the best on
the mic. If anyone's ever heard him in ECW they know that he could give a
speech with such confidence, charisma, and cockiness that he'd have the Rock
put to shame. What Vince should really do is try to get Fonzy back with RVD
and return Rob to what he used to be, the whole f'n show! That and I miss
the whistle.
But that's not what's been bugging me endlessly. I think Vince has totally
screwed up when he released a lot of the ECW guys that he actually had on
WWE contracts. Just to give a few examples; Taz, Rhino, and most of all,
Mike Awesome. We all know Taz is still kicking around, but as an announcer?
WHY? Taz is one of the most purest and aggressive wrestlers ever seen and
Vince didn't even give him a chance in the ring. I'm just thinking how great
would it have been to see a Taz vs. Benoit or Angle rivalry. That would have
probably given some of the best matches that WWE has seen in years. But hey,
I guess he isn't too bad in the announcers booth huh? Now on to Rhino. What
was Vince thinking here? He screwed up big time when he let go of Rhino. For
those that have never had the pleasure of watching him, they finally get to
see him shine in TNA and actually notice that well, he might not be as bad
as we thought. Again, he's got excellent ring skills for a man of his size
but was held back because of a 'lack of character' so he never got to shine
to his full potential. In a time when fans are starting to watch wrestling
for...well...wrestling and not storylines (this is evident by fans booing
Cena even though he is marketed as the future of the business) it should
tell just because you can't sell an image doesn't mean you can't sell their
skill. Everyone I know doesn't give a crap about storylines and they change
the channel whenever Shawn and Vince get in a heated battle or Micky
fantasizes about Trish. It's just boring, nobody cares, get to the damn
fighting. Anyways, back to the biggest mistake Vince has made in since the
ECW purchase, releasing Mike Awesome. WHY VINCE WHY? Have you looked at your
heavyweights over the last ten years? I don't think you have had one man
over 270 that give a half decent match that we haven't seen a million times
before (right Undertaker???). Mike was truly a phenom for a man of his size.
Amazing strength, toughness, guts, and aerial ability that you can't see out
of someone that isn't categorized as light heavyweight (with the exception
of RVD). And it's not like he was getting old, his match with Masato Tanaka
at ECW One Night Stand proved that he was still in top form and that he
would wrestle circles around any heavyweight WWE has today. Actually, I just
want to see him shut up JBL with the whole 'wresling god' line he uses,
that's such bs. But really, if Rhino and Awesome were still on the payroll,
who would be able to challenge them in the heavyweight division? With the
exception of Samoa Joe, nobody in the world would challenge these two. For
the company that pays millions for the best in the world, maybe you should
be firing whoever's in charge of WWE talent.
You think I'm mad now, don't even get me started on Lance Storm.....
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