RVD Says He Hasn't Been Utilized to His Fullest in TNA

[Kenny Powers]

This guy really has a chip on his shoulder. RVD has been in the main event since he joined TNA and won the TNA Heavyweight championship shortly after debuting. He has feuded with everyone in the main event from AJ Styles, Abyss, Sting, Angle, Anderson, and was even considered to be the leader of Immortal in the beginning. I can count on maybe one hand the times he has lost on PPV or on Impact. The guy always wins and is in the race for the Bound For Glory series. If he isn't in the main event he is in the semi main event. What is the problem?

 

[Dizzy]

I'm starting to think, TNA should drop him after BFG. You don't need a guy who is not going to appreciate the run he had and waiting his turn while we see Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Matt Morgan all of these guys have hit the main event scene, held a World title (some didn't) but none of them complain about not being utilized or pushed the way they want too.

I said before, RVD should move to the X-Division to make it more of a serious division instead of a midcard one. But I'm sure RVD will complain about that.

RVD and Flair should be released after BFG. TNA will be fine without them.

 

[rondiesel2005]

I'm starting to think, TNA should drop him after BFG. You don't need a guy who is not going to appreciate the run he had and waiting his turn while we see Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Matt Morgan all of these guys have hit the main event scene, held a World title (some didn't) but none of them complain about not being utilized or pushed the way they want too.

I said before, RVD should move to the X-Division to make it more of a serious division instead of a midcard one. But I'm sure RVD will complain about that.

RVD and Flair should be released after BFG. TNA will be fine without them.

some of these guys understands their position with the company that they are in, and some of them know if they want to work even harder than before, they have to change their gimmick a little bit to get to a higher level.

RVD has had the same gimmick for a very long time and I don't think he understands the position that he is in with in TNA and how things work there. They gave him a long title run when he first arrive and TNA probably notice he wasn't bringing up the ratings like they thought he was going to so they going to keep him around and put him in some big top storylines.

Am surprise he is complaining now when he should know by now how things are running in TNA, he should be happy that he at least is getting payed while other guys in TNA have to stay home and wait till they get a phone call from the company to let them know that they have something for them otherwise, if they are not happy they might as well go somewhere else where they are happy

 

[Brian in Austin]

Are you joking me? The dude is really starting become an arrogant jerk. I get that me may be snubbed a bit, but given the nature of his contract, he should be kissing Dixie Carter's feet for last year. One of the longest TNA reigns ever getting clean wins over half the roster despite deteriorating match quality. Does he really think he'd get that in WWE? Hell, I don't think he'd even deserve it there. As great as I've felt he is, I've also believed he's a firm fit of the upper-midcard scene. Where he happens to be. His horrid mic skills just are not gonna help him to stick in the main event.

I watched an interview/shoot he did with some obscure show/host and RVD really does think highly of himself. To hear him talk, he's THE expert in this business. Pretty arrogant guy. I think maybe the weed has finally gone to his head.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

RVD is full of himself, he always has been. He hasn't done anything new in forever, he still looks like he came out of an early 90s martial arts movie. He actually isn't that good in the ring. Jerry Lynn vs RVD is overhyped spotfests. I mean, in one match they blow a spot, then get up and do the exact fucking same spot. It's garbage wrestling. RVD is a spot monkey who doesn't do revolutionary spots anymore.

RVD is being used perfectly. I know this post will piss people off because spot marks (smarks) love to watch RVD land on his head then get up 4 seconds later and do flips and the splits and kicks then land on his head and do it again. None of it new stuff, same old stuff since 1997.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Join the club.

Pretty much every TNA wrestlers they have is not well booked and handled from the lowest wrestler on the totem pole to the biggest star. And that includes Hogan. Yes even if Hogan is booking and affect how things are presented he could be used and booked in a better way also.

Bear in my mind i'm not RVD's biggest fan, he's right there. He could be used better. But I don't think he would be used well by WWE either. It's just that we are in a stage in wrestling where those in charge are clueless and disconnected with what fans would like and how things should evolve. I know a number of ways RVD could be booked better. But at this point I don't think EB/Hogan/Russo have one good idea on how to use him.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I don't think TNA have pushed RVD that heavily since his initial premature title run, simply because he hasn't been that impressive in the ring since he went there. He has definitely slowed down and lost a step, and all his matches seem to be the same tired formula. Where is the innovation that he used to show that made him unique, exciting and led me to become a massive fan of his in his ECW and WWE days?

RVD just looks lazy in the ring to me now, which is a shame as he used to be one of the very best. I don't know if its age or just lack of interest but I do not look forward to an RVD match any more, when they used to be the guaranteed best on the card. Some of his early work still blows me away.

Plus, the guy STILL can't cut a good promo after so many years in the business. Why would TNA push him as one of their main guys when he cannot carry a feud on the microphone? He truly is awful on the mic, and bores the hell out of me. I really hope we see a motivated RVD again, as I think he CAN still do it, it just looks like he doesn't feel the need to push himself and give 100% right now.

Oh, and to those people who say they expect RVD to get a phone call from Triple H, that is very unlikely to happen. Rob has been very vocal in his criticism of The Game in the past, and blames him in part for RVD being kept out of the main event for much of his WWE run. Bad blood there between the two, and as RVD is getting on in age now, I can't see him getting a main event spot in WWE even if he ever returned there. I think his time there is over for good.

 

[The Death Rattle]

I think RVD has a point in his assessment. He was given a monster push upon entering TNA that culminated in him being champion. Let's look at what happened after that moment.

Granted, his contract complicated things and led to him being stripped of the title. I lay the blame on TNA management for putting themselves in that situation. If you are going to go all out for a guy, you had better make sure he is able to run his course as said champion. The silliness with Janice taking him out only served to devalue the title, not elevate Abyss.

Since then he has floundered, sometimes not even appearing on the show. Let's take a hard look at their roster. I admit, RVD is not their most valuable asset. You could name guys who are, and should be, ahead of him on the card. But what is the point of having the guy who ended Styles' 6 month reign wrestling pointless matches that benefit no one. If you take the time to invest in a character, you have to continue to push the guy or it just comes across as a waste.

RVD is not motivated right now, which has been obvious in some of his more recent matches. But why should he be? I know he's a paid professional and should (in theory) bust his ass every time he goes out there. TNA is a different animal than WWE. RVD is certainly not the only guy not giving one hundred percent in the ring. I don't feel he should be the only one called out for that.

I understand TNA is currently pushing newer talent, which is what must be done. But who are these guys going to beat to truly be elevated up the card? You can't have AJ Styles put over everyone, or he is done as a main event guy.

RVD doesn't have to be champion, but he should at least be in major contention. He is over, has a uniqueness about him (in ring style and persona), and is more then capable of elevating one of the newer stars. People have said his match quality has gone down. Fair enough, it wasn't what it was in 1999. However, it's not like he is some 3 move scrub incapable of putting on good matches. We expect so much out of wrestlers sometimes that we fail to recognize talent that is still apparent.

Is it really so bad to have a guy out there putting on 3 to 3 1/2 star matches on a regular basis? RVD has shown over and again that when given the proper motivation he is able to deliver in the ring. Put the man in the main event, where he belongs. That is why he was brought in. You can't have a strong main event scene without guys in the upper midcard/main event. RVD is one of the few guys currently over and qualified enough to carry that mantle.

Look at the terrible booking of Mr. Anderson and his two sad runs with the title. I feel that RVD could have done much more with those reigns, which could have given a much bigger rub to the guy who beat him for the title.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Why is RVD complaining? 1. He's past his prime, and 2. There's younger guys then him who have more talent, that are probably getting pushed worse then him.

 

[Coco]

I guess as WrestleZone's number one RVD fan, I should weigh in here. So here it goes: RVD is right. Did he win the world title in impressive fashion and get a semi-lengthy reign with the belt? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he was utilized to his fullest. Compare this to the situation with CM Punk in the WWE right now. The man had won the big gold belt three times and MITB two years in a row. He's gotten to feud with Jeff Hardy, Undertaker, Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio. And even after all that, before this recent feud with John Cena there was still a reasonable argument that could be had about him being under-utilized. So if you can't reconcile kayfabe accomplishments with a lack of utilization, you're pretty thick skulled.

How has Van Dam been under-utilized? Well after Sacrifice last year, his title reign was put on the back burner in favor of increased focus on Sting, Abyss, Anderson, Hardy, and so forth. He was barely a factor in the build to his Slammiversary and Victory Road title defenses and he was even marginalized in the road to Hardcore Justice of all things. Recently, there was a PPV Rob wasn't even on at all. Now Rob doesn't have to be a prominent world champion constantly, but he has more to offer than what he's being given now. If people are going let their silly notion that Rob has no charisma blind them to that fact, then (once again) they're thick skulled. My take on what to do with him? Put Rob in prominent midcard feuds on a regular basis and give him television time to do what he can to make those issues important. Anything less than that is under-utilizing him.

That said, does he have a huge ego? Of course. Anyone who points to himself for a living must. He's certainly not the only person who can move like RVD anymore. It's 2011 after all. But that doesn't mean he's wrong about having more to offer.

 

[He's Phenomenal]

I would tend to agree with Rob Van Dam in that he's not being used to his fullest lately. But thats inevitable giving the ratio of top stars to TV time in TNA. Not everyone can be used to their fullest all of the time. I would suggest that maybe 15-20% of the roster can be used to its fullest at any given time. Until TNA get some more TV time, guys are going to be under used. That's just a fact.

As already mentioned in previous posts, Van Dam received a big push upon arrival in TNA but unfortunately he cannot be pushed like that all of the time. It hurts the product if one guy is constantly in the top spot (see WWE). Although it doesn't seem like Van Dam is suggesting he should be the sole focus anyway.

Me personally, Van Dam would be one of those 15-20% that the show is focused on. Van Dam is one of the greatest of all time for me and I would certainly have him as a main player. He's still one of the best in the ring and can go up against any style opponent. People can say RVD has no mic skills, which obviously isn't true, but the most important thing for a pro wrestler is crowd reaction. And where ever the Whole F'N' Show is, he only has to point to his shoulders and the whole arena chants his name.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Well RVD doesn't have mic skills, His ring skills was his money, I never heard an RVD promo that I was captivated in unless he was saying "Rob...Van...Dam."

 

[New Hot Fed]

I would tend to agree with Rob Van Dam in that he's not being used to his fullest lately. But thats inevitable giving the ratio of top stars to TV time in TNA. Not everyone can be used to their fullest all of the time. I would suggest that maybe 15-20% of the roster can be used to its fullest at any given time. Until TNA get some more TV time, guys are going to be under used. That's just a fact.

As already mentioned in previous posts, Van Dam received a big push upon arrival in TNA but unfortunately he cannot be pushed like that all of the time. It hurts the product if one guy is constantly in the top spot (see WWE). Although it doesn't seem like Van Dam is suggesting he should be the sole focus anyway.

Me personally, Van Dam would be one of those 15-20% that the show is focused on. Van Dam is one of the greatest of all time for me and I would certainly have him as a main player. He's still one of the best in the ring and can go up against any style opponent. People can say RVD has no mic skills, which obviously isn't true, but the most important thing for a pro wrestler is crowd reaction. And where ever the Whole F'N' Show is, he only has to point to his shoulders and the whole arena chants his name.

He's really not that good anymore though. He's gotten old and RVD cannot do near whan he could do in his prime. I can't count one great match he's had in TNA.

 

[He's Phenomenal]

He's really not that good anymore though. He's gotten old and RVD cannot do near whan he could do in his prime. I can't count one great match he's had in TNA.

I can come up with 4 without even really thinking about it. Sabu at Hardcore Justice, Abyss at Bound for Glory and the Whole F'N' Show and Jerry Lynn at Destination X. That's just off the top of my head and my memory is pretty crap to be honest.

 

[ABMorales787]

I guess as WrestleZone's number one RVD fan, I should weigh in here. So here it goes: RVD is right. Did he win the world title in impressive fashion and get a semi-lengthy reign with the belt? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he was utilized to his fullest. Compare this to the situation with CM Punk in the WWE right now. The man had won the big gold belt three times and MITB two years in a row. He's gotten to feud with Jeff Hardy, Undertaker, Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio. And even after all that, before this recent feud with John Cena there was still a reasonable argument that could be had about him being under-utilized. So if you can't reconcile kayfabe accomplishments with a lack of utilization, you're pretty thick skulled.

How has Van Dam been under-utilized? Well after Sacrifice last year, his title reign was put on the back burner in favor of increased focus on Sting, Abyss, Anderson, Hardy, and so forth. He was barely a factor in the build to his Slammiversary and Victory Road title defenses and he was even marginalized in the road to Hardcore Justice of all things. Recently, there was a PPV Rob wasn't even on at all. Now Rob doesn't have to be a prominent world champion constantly, but he has more to offer than what he's being given now. If people are going let their silly notion that Rob has no charisma blind them to that fact, then (once again) they're thick skulled. My take on what to do with him? Put Rob in prominent midcard feuds on a regular basis and give him television time to do what he can to make those issues important. Anything less than that is under-utilizing him.

He's not in a main angle? He's in the BFG Series right now. I get the lack of focus right now, but as I understand, TNA doesn't want to expend his contract days like last year. I'd rather have him show up once in a while with no feuds than have him on the shelf just because he can't work a full schedule. To me, he couldn't be more involved in feuds. He got just as much a chance to build up his match with Jerry Lynn as AJ and Daniels did for their own. He's been butting heads with Anderson and Sting for a good part of the year until now.

That said, does he have a huge ego? Of course. Anyone who points to himself for a living must. He's certainly not the only person who can move like RVD anymore. It's 2011 after all. But that doesn't mean he's wrong about having more to offer.

If he had more to offer, I wouldn't notice. His run in TNA has made me cringe every time he grabs a mic and his skills aren't what they used to be. I'm a huge fan of the guy, but I feel he's been getting quite a lot in such a short time. I get that he could be more active on feuds and help put over fresher talent. But that's not what he's pointing to when discussing this. The philosophy of presenting yourself in a higher ground to get yourself there doesn't work well when everyone can see you're already on top.

 

[finkd]

RVD sucks he does not care for tna all he cares his about his paycheck and nothing else

 

[Coco]

He's not in a main angle? He's in the BFG Series right now.

So is fucking Devon Dudley. Just because someone is in a series of matches, doesn't mean they're involved in a prominent storyline.

I get the lack of focus right now, but as I understand, TNA doesn't want to expend his contract days like last year.

You mean last year where they wasted some of those days on thirty second run ins?

Oh yeah. TNA really knows how to get all they can out of him.

I'd rather have him show up once in a while with no feuds than have him on the shelf just because he can't work a full schedule.

Yeah, those are he only two options.

Here's one: How about they don't use the time they do have him for on pointless garbage?

To me, he couldn't be more involved in feuds. He got just as much a chance to build up his match with Jerry Lynn as AJ and Daniels did for their own.

After being left off of Slammiversary.

He's been butting heads with Anderson and Sting for a good part of the year until now.

His feud with Anderson was a poorly built afterthought. He was basically a second stringer in the overarching issues involving Sting, Anderson, and Immortal. Hardly stellar.

If he had more to offer, I wouldn't notice.

He still has more to offer than thirty second run ins, backstages segments, or being an afterthought.

His run in TNA has made me cringe every time he grabs a mic and his skills aren't what they used to be.

I get the same feeling every time Ken Anderson grabs a mic. Maybe your taste is wrong.

I'm a huge fan of the guy, but I feel he's been getting quite a lot in such a short time.

As I said, that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve more. See the CM Punk case.

The philosophy of presenting yourself in a higher ground to get yourself there doesn't work well when everyone can see you're already on top.

a) Poorly worded.

b) If he was on top, he'd be on top. He's not. He's an afterthought occasionally mingling with the real stars of the show.

 

[New Hot Fed]

For a guy not being well booked he pretty much beats everyone in the BFG series.

 

[He's Phenomenal]

RVD sucks he does not care for tna all he cares his about his paycheck and nothing else

So what you're saying is he's the same as me and 99% of the Worlds employed. Why else would you go to work if not to earn a pay cheque? If my company turned round and said they are no longer going to pay me, I wouldn't come to work. It's that simple, people go to work to earn a living.

 

[LorenzoVargas1977]

RVD has made it clear in interviews and other media that he doesn't need to wrestle to earn a living.He does so because he WANTS to.How can you say he doesn't care about TNA?

 

[Psykohurricane55]

It'S just RVD being RVD. I'm not a really big fan of the guy as a wrestler never was never will be but the one think i've been seeing from this guys ever since he became a major star in ECW is that when something doesn'T go his way or he not use as a major draw, he starts complaining about it. RVD to me isn'T a big star. I've seen pretty much everything he did during his career and for the most part, it'S always the same high spots that he does. So in a way, i'm happy that he's not the focus of the company right now because just like Mr. Anderson, the guy became boring and the less i see of RVD on TV the better it is.