I hate Rob Van Dam

[TWJC: The Beginning]

RVD has always been pretty over with the net fans. Am I the only one who's sick of him? In shoot interviews he sounds arrogant as hell. In the ring he's a spot monkey who hasn't come up with anything new in 15 years, so he's not even a good spot monkey. On top of it all, he NEVER jobs clean. Seriously, I'll give rep points to whoever can name the last time RVD has jobbed cleanly because I can't think of it.

In a nutshell, he's everything "smart" fans claim to hate. However, he doesn't get much hate on here. What do you think? Is it just me, or is RVD severely overrated.

 

[Catacomb]

rvd was good in his first wwe run, but as for his return you hit the nail on the head. the only time i can remember rvd losing clean was the triple threat match he lost the wwf title. rvd post return is a sad shell of his former self.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I thought he was great for a few years after arriving in WWE in 2001. He was always sloppy but he made up for it by being innovative, exciting in the ring and otherwise a pretty good worker with the right opponent. I'm not sure if it's a valid reasoning for his 'downfall', or just an easy connection to make but it seemed to me that he never recovered after blowing his ACL in 2005. After that he's seemed to be the same sloppy RVD except without the x-factor which kept me on the edge of my seat ten years ago. His return last year wasn't something that I particularly relished and, aside from that main event that he worked with Jericho (and, really, who couldn't work a great match with Jericho?) he hasn't proven me wrong.

 

[T2KFreeker]

RVD's best days were in ECW, the original ECW, not WWECW. Point is, he can still go, but he's getting old. His run in TNA actually wasn't too bad until the last few months in there. I have seen a couple of his matches from his current WWE run and they sadly look like wash, rinse, repeat affairs. Rob was the man at one time, but these days he really should be putting younger guys over and stepping aside. Not saying retire, but I don't think he should be featured as a main event player anymore.

 

[JWGunslinger]

At this point it's all nostalgia. Back in the day he was the man, anytime you were looking for a thrilling fast paced match he was the guy and people loved him for that and everything that came with it, they still do. I am a fan of his and always will be but I'll admit he isn't what he used to be, but what do you expect? He's not here to put over the young talent like a Jericho would in his shoes, he's back being TNA's a shit show and he the best thing for his career at his age is a legends contract. For now he's good for some decent matches(his match with Y2J last year was spectacular) and the fans can still get amped up to see Mr. Monday Night hitting a frog splash, nothing more nothing less.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Honestly, I think his old stuff was overrated as hell too. I've seen those "classic" Jerry Lynn matches. A few times, they'll blow a spot, then set the damn thing back up again. No concept of ring psychology. The shit looked cool though so it didn't matter as much.

So no one can tell me when he last jobbed cleanly? Lol, I mean in TNA too. Anytime.

 

[kadroan]

He's good for what he's doing - midcard. I don't expect much out of him. I'd love to see how he performs as a heel in the WWE.

Him, Rollins and Bryan could have some great matches

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan of RVD as far as character or personality goes. Generally speaking, as long as RVD stayed away from the mic, he was fine. RVD's strength has always lied in his athleticism inside the ring. It's really what brought him to the dance in the first place because it certainly wasn't his promo skills or personality.

Even well into his 40s, RVD's still crazy athletic and can still do most of his various signature high spots. He's not as fast, strong or as toned as he used to be but, as I alluded to, the man's in his mid 40s and he's in great shape. Most guys have long since begun going downhill physically by the time they're his age, so the fact that he's still able to go inside the ring is what's keeping him over. As long as he's able to still put on good, solid matches, then I've got no real issue with him. Still, a guy with RVD's style, limited character potential and low promo ability has a shelf life that I'd say is getting fairly close to coming to an end. Within another year or two, I think he'll ultimately hang it up for good.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

RVD has been the same character for too long now. A heel turn is needed as he was golden as one in ECW. Though I'm not sure I really see the point in turning somebody who'll be gone in a few months. In fact, I don't see the pount in RVD at all.

 

[MCMG]

Van Damn was one of my favourite wrestlers when he was at his best in the WWE. Around 2002-06 he was untouchable and, if it wasn't for weed, he could have made the company a lot of money.

Sure, there is a lot of nostalgia involved but RVD is still a good wrestler. His match with Jericho last year was of a damn good quality and he serves a purpose. Give a him a few weeks and he'll be in better shape and he will perform.

Back in the day, he was as exciting as anyone on the roster. He's a likeable character and it's always good seeing Mr. Monday Night back.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

He did job cleanly to both Bobby Roode (in a ladder match) and Kenny King in TNA.

In answer to your question, I think he's gotten to the stage were he is more than happy to just coast on his name. Even when there appeared to be a reason for him to put in some extra effort (the ECW nostalgia matches in TNA, Jerry Lynn's farewell tour, TNA World Title matches), he still looked as if he was just happy to coast. His returns to the WWe sit along with the TNA tenure - hardly motivated. The only way I could ever see that change is if companies just flat out refused to book him but, (with his resume) even if the WWe and TNA learned their lessons, he'd just return to commanding healthy money on the Independent and personal appearance circuit. Given the "whole f'n show" of recent times, not too many mainstream wrestling fans would care (or, to be even more brutal - notice).

 

[Jaffa]

I think Van Dam let Del Rio go over him clean at Battleground last year in the Hardcore match for the World Title.

 

[Alex]

Yeah you can argue that RVD's coasting on his name and nostalgia but Ric Flair and the Undertaker did/do it.

Regardless they would still try and put on as good a match as they possibly could/can.

 

[BenChillin]

He's starting to bald HBK style. It'll be over for him soon.

Hopefully we get a Van Daminator before then.

That's about it.

 

[enviousdominous]

I think the problem is that Van Dam is severely adorable above anything else over his entire fan-base, thus it might be a little difficult to recognize his more high-brow qualities.

A clean job from RVD that's worth watching?

[YOUTUBE]_26Axh738Co[/YOUTUBE]

I don't know if that's the last time he jobbed clean, it was a long time ago so it doesn't serve as much of an argument for his willingness to job clean. I shared that video to show that he is capable of putting on an epic match for the sole purpose of making a star of a fresh face, I'm pretty sure that Randy used that face plant DDT for the first time in that video.

Yeah, these days he's on kind of an undeserved hot streak. I don't mind seeing it because I was a staunch ECW mark back in the day and the appeal lingers even today. He's filler for fans like me and I don't see him being too intrusive into the major story-lines. Maybe he'll win the triple threat at the PPV, either way he's not going to be a major part of the Swagger Cesaro feud for much longer.

 

[sTyLnK]

RVD has always been pretty over with the net fans. Am I the only one who's sick of him? In shoot interviews he sounds arrogant as hell. In the ring he's a spot monkey who hasn't come up with anything new in 15 years, so he's not even a good spot monkey. On top of it all, he NEVER jobs clean. Seriously, I'll give rep points to whoever can name the last time RVD has jobbed cleanly because I can't think of it.

In a nutshell, he's everything "smart" fans claim to hate. However, he doesn't get much hate on here. What do you think? Is it just me, or is RVD severely overrated.

I wish so many IW fans would stop taking things for granted. Be grateful. He won't be around forever. Embrace the fact that he came back and just try to enjoy it.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I wish so many IW fans would stop taking things for granted. Be grateful. He won't be around forever. Embrace the fact that he came back and just try to enjoy it.

Why? I'm not taking him for granted. As I said, even his prime was overrated. In his prime, he was basically the best spot monkey in the business. No long-term selling or ring psychology.

Why should I enjoy him going over (cleanly) and never putting over (cleanly) young guys. I know I preach that win/loss doesn't matter, and it mostly doesn't, but when it's over and over and over and over again....and you're 40, clearly coasting....come on. I'm grateful for RVD being around the same way I'd be grateful if Fred McGriff were still playing first, he's a legend and was once great, but I'd really rather see someone younger.

I think my main point in all this is that RVD gets a pass where most other guys in his situation would be getting shit on.

 

[Catacomb]

I wish so many IW fans would stop taking things for granted. Be grateful. He won't be around forever. Embrace the fact that he came back and just try to enjoy it.

why should we try to enjoy an older, slower, shell of his former self rvd? thats one of the dumbest things ive heard. next i bet youll be telling everyone to enjoy a great khali match. Embrace a middle aged man who cant perform to the level we are used to seeing? I think not. hbk walked away before he became a shell of himself, as did austin, other should look to that example.

 

[lilroach420]

RVD had one of the original crowd-interaction taunts, of which have been EXTREMELY popular over the past couple years(see: YES, Feed Me More, Uce-OH, etc). Not that it has any weight in this conversation, the one of why you "hate Rob Van Dam".

If he's not your cup of tea, that's fine. Not everyone has the same tastes. But he still gets a great pop, and still puts on great matches weekly when he is around, according to most people anyway. I sort of get your argument about his older stuff being overrated, but it sounds to me as if you just went back and watched a few matches and made your mind up. His matches with Jerry Lynn were popular, but nowhere near his best. There was a point in time in ECW where the fans would literally chant "RVD" the ENTIRE night, throughout EVERY match, until the main event where he would defend the TV title which was meant to be a secondary belt. He didn't gain that popularity by being a spot monkey, especially not in front of the rabid ECW crowd.

Apart from what others have some about him being a cool, like-able guy, he's also got a reputation as a legit badass backstage. There's a story about Taz getting too big headed and taking his MMA gimmick too seriously backstage and bullying some of the newer guys in ECW, and Van Dam laid him on his ass.

 

[olson]

My big issue with RVD is his absolute denial of adapting to the current decade. His look is awful and his style has never changed (I never liked it).

I really don't know why WWE keeps bringing him back? There are better gap fillers out there who can actually work a decent feud over several months.