Rob Van Dam's Contract Expires

[klunderbunker]

As previously reported, Rob Van Dam is not booked for tonight's TNA Impact tapings in Chicago. The reason for that is because his contract expired over the weekend. While both sides are currently talking about a new deal, at this time, RVD is a free agent.

Source:

http://pwinsider.com/article/76096/rvdtna-update.html?p=1

Thoughts on this? Should Van Dam re-sign with TNA? Would you want him to? Does TNA have anything to worry about by losing him?

Remember that this is a non-spam thread.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Van Dam has run his course, as far as I'm concerned. I haven't cared for what they've done with him for close to a calendar year, and I thought his X Division run was horrid. He wrestled once a month, at a PPV that often had little-to-no build whatsoever behind it and then disappeared for two to three weeks a time, usually popping up on the go-home show just before a PPV event to "promote" or "book" the angle of whatever meaningless match he was going to participate in that coming Sunday.

He's a tired face for me, and I seriously doubt they have much to lose by letting him go, unless there's something going on we're not aware of like large merch sales numbers, ticket sales for shows he's booked on, etc. My biased opinion says go though.

 

[ABMorales787]

Meh. He's more a perk than a needed accessory at this point. Van Dam is a good name to have around. But without a needed 2nd program, there's just no time to have RVD on TV weekly without knocking off a top talent. If TNA want's to keep him and he says yes, fine. But I just don't see where's the space. After all we have to make room for our reigning TV Champion, Devon.

 

[DX Mols]

I honestly don't think it would make a difference if he was in TNA or not. I don't feel as if he really adds that much to any roster at this point. He's never going to be a featured performer so no rush to get him back.

He's basically wrestled the same match for the last 10 years. Yawn.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

I'm on the fence if I want him to stick around TNA or not. He hasn't been important to them since 2010 but at the same time it's always nice to have guys like Van Dam who can jump around the card wherever you need them and have it look like there a threat to beat any heel champ.

At the same time if they let Van Dam go maybe they can use some of that money they were paying him to get a couple more x division guys back (Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt come to mind.) and odds are he'd show up in a WWE ring again depending on if he's still pissed at Vince over the way he handled WWEECW.

Bottom line i'm gonna say Van Dam will stick around cause he's probably getting a nice salary from them and last I knew him and Vince weren't on the best of terms so that option may not be on the table anymore. TNA however should let him go and use that money to get some X Division greats back.

 

[SydTinDad]

He's 42 years old and IMO brings nothing to the table. The RVD of ECW was a great novelty. The RVD of 2013 is a wasted roster spot. I have always thought he worked terrible programs in TNA and never made anyone look good. It was always about making HIM look good.

I was never really an RVD fan. Go back to Michigan and smoke your week Rob........and please stay out of the "E".

 

[IHW]

I don't care where he signs, he just needs to be wrestling. He still has plenty of years left in him. RVD doesn't have much of a character, but he has one of the most entertaining in-ring styles on TV today. If its TNA, he will continue to be shuffled around and if its WWE, it could be more of the same. Its a tough call with RVD, because it seems like he is almost never used to his potential. I just hope something works out.

 

[ThePrawnCurry]

imo RVD could slot into the mid card at wwe very easily

contesting either the US or IC titles

at TNA he has not been used to any great effect

ready made feus with HSlater and Cessaro for the 1st 6 months

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

I think if they do resign him he could have some direction. I could see him feuding with Bully Ray and Devon now that they are both top heels. I'm surprised he never had a full blown feud with Jeff Hardy other then the couple of matches they had Impact. But I agree he's not needed and he's run his course and they will probably save money by letting him go.

 

[Spinebreaker]

I feel the same way about RVD that I do about Jeff Hardy.

Both over-rated. Both top of their game 20 years ago, but now, wrestle the same match OVER and OVER again. I marked out a little when both of 'em turned up in TNA, but was soon pretty disappointed with their matches.

RVD has more interesting matches than Hardy, but he knows 15 or so decent moves, which is 13 more than Hardy does...

Botth of 'em are phoning matches in at this point, and it'd leave time for people who aren't just there to cash the paycheque.

 

[The Warlord]

Wouldn't mind seeing RVD finish his career on the big stage in the WWE.

I think a reunion with Paul Heyman would be great...and the "Heyman guys"...Lesnar, Punk, RVD would lead to some great television.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

RVD I think should go now, he really does not contribute to any storyline. His matches were what made him an asset but he's not really top level with those either anymore. He's wrestled the exact same match for the past decade pretty much. I haven't really enjoyed any of his time in TNA, just "meh" for me. It would also piss me off when he didn't job to people. Didn't job to Crimson when he was on his streak and RVD was midcarder at that time. Obviously him being "No Job Rob" may just be creative though.

The only way I'd be interested in RVD again (and it would probably still take much more) is if he did a complete 180 on his character. Change it up a bit. It's worked for Bully, worked for Devon (IMO at least) give it a try Rob!

 

[detroitking02]

With RVD getting older and he said that being on the road alot is not a option for him so TNA or ROH is his only chance and ROH doesn't pay money worth RVD time he's better off signing back with TNA and what limited dates and smoke his weed because WWE test for weed

 

[nel004]

I think Van Dam needs a manager again like back in ECW. He had a good run in WWE but it never had the same feel as his run in ECW. Bill Alfonso complimented RVD a lot because he fed his ego greatly which is RVD's core character a martial artist with a big ego. I think if they sign him he needs a manager and he needs to go back to that character that thinks he's the whole show and wins by any means necessary (like kicking a chair in someones face).

For ppl who think he is overrated you have to look back at his matches, you can't deny he has given us a lot of great wrestling moments and great one-liners. To this day his line "I don't claim to be the Show Stopper I'm Rob Van Dam I'm the Fucking Show" is still one of the best I ever heard on a wrestling program. If he signs then give him a chance but he does need to have that edge again and he also needs to get back to the gym because he has been looking flabby and less believable in look since back in the day.

One other thing there are a lot of ppl out there who believe that there should be some sort of angle or storyline for every match on a card. Remember wrestling was invented on being a legitimate sport not on being a soap-opera, yes storylines are good and necessary but sometimes its good to just pair two guys who have nothing to do with one another and just WRESTLE a great match. It was designed to be a sport its spontaneous and gives it a fresher feel, it was what we all loved about ECW you had your great stories and you had your great one-off matches. Getting back to the subject if Van Dam signs he doesn't always need a storyline to be relevant just give us awesome matches like we know he can give us.

 

[Face/Off]

Woild love to see him back at the wwe as we head towards his twilight years. He was being misused in TNA I think.

 

[Jerichoholic8894]

Wouldn't mind seeing a feud between CM Punk and RVD. "Face Heyman Guy vs Heel Heyman Guy"

But I wouldn't be mad if he didn't come back. With RVD we generally know what we're going to get.

 

[Spinebreaker]

For ppl who think he is overrated you have to look back at his matches,

In his entire time at TNA he's wrestled EXACTLY the same match over and over.

2 exceptions, Match against Sabu at Hardcore Justice, and the match against Abyss the next Impact. Other than those 2, RVD does matches by numbers nowadays.

 

[Brewski]

In his entire time at TNA he's wrestled EXACTLY the same match over and over.

I was just going to say this. Not his entire TNA run but in the last years and a half yeah. I'm a big RVD fan from back in his ECW days where he was really one of the biggest reasons I watched. While he's still quite athletic he's definitely lost a few steps and failed to adapt to that. He's still great to watch but TNA has so many upper mid card guys right now that they don't know what to do with. They just really need to weed some guys out, save some money. They're on the road now so I imagine they have more expenses to cover.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I don't really care, but to be honest, I've never been a big RVD fan, ever. I'm not a big ECW enthusiast, and I've only seen a handful of RVD ECW matches on some WWE DVDs I own. RVD is fun to watch in the ring, but he's abysmal on the mic. I mean, he's really fucking awful. His stoner/surfer-dude shtick is horribly dull, and RVD isn't a "make-or-break" wrestler, so TNA shouldn't miss him, if he decides to leave, and go somewhere else.

RVD's run in TNA hasn't been spectacular or something to remember, and his presence on the roster is almost unnoticeable at times. Losing RVD wouldn't hurt TNA, and he's done everything he can do there, so I think it's time to move on.

 

[byrnside]

RVD needs a legends contract with WWE. I'm not suggesting he should come back full time or anything, nor should he have a spot like Brock, Rock, Triple H or Taker, but why not have him do what The Outlaws are doing now?... putting people over and giving guys the rub.

 

[Dirk]

This again? Okay, let's mention everything we did in the Bobby Rhoode-thread, except that Rob isn't all that good and he's a bit repetative in the ring.

TNA seriously has to CLAMP DOWN on their contracts and fire their talent-relations guy. Who is it - Hogan? I can see no other guy stupid enough to let this happen and this is the second time in a short while that the contract "just expired". Renewing contracts is a lot cheaper that negotiating from scratch.

 

[blockanWo]

When he came to TNA i was really excited. I missed RVD and loved seeing him in ECW and WWE. But he just wasnt the same.

You can tell hes older, more cautious, not as willing to take big risks and isnt really doing a hell of a lot.

If he stays great, if not its not a huge loss, he is not on TV that much anyway.

 

[Lowdown]

As much as I like Rob, I think he's done all he could do for TNA at this juncture. He could stick around and compete for the TV title, but I doubt he'd be the one to take it off Devon. But all in all, he'd probably end up lost in the shuffle if he re-signs.

 

[Straight-Edge]

Finally an explanation for why he missed the PPV last week. Pretty bad that another's guys contract was allowed to expire under Prichard's watch.

I don't think TNA will re-sign him on anything close to his former deal. He was paid a lot when he signed on a few years back but hasn't really delivered and part of that is due to their booking of him. They probably won't be able to work out a deal with him and he will be back to random one off appearances with WWE, ROH etc.

 

[MWRedskins]

my view on RVD is this.....if he's done with the drugs, go to WWE and there he will be likely with Midcarders or involved with Tag Teams. if he goes to TNA, he needs to then be put in a feud to help put over Ray, but that's all the ideas I can think of for him. I personally wanted RVD to be the VP of Aces and Eights as I thought 1) RVD needed a fresh heel turn and 2) a good story for him to be the VP. if RVD was in Bully's position and was the leader of Aces and Eights and had the title, he could use the Immortal Story to help explain his actions for what he did. and then throw in how he never had his rematch for that title. now with that said, I don't see him turning heel and if he does return to TNA, he should only go if they have a plan for him, if not, I think he should be let go as there's no need for him.