Will RVD ever be the wwe champion?

[Guest gearhead]

It is a question that has plagued wrestling fans for years now. Will RVD ever get his chance to be world champion/WWE champion? Many claim that RVD is the greatest athlete never to hold the title. This may or may not be true, but not many can argue with the fact that he is a very exciting, and very over wrestler.

 

I do think RVD will be a world champion, and I will only think this, if RVD is on SmackDown where main event talent is deseperately needed. On Raw, he was just falling behind in the pack of tremendous talent that Raw has. He was just left along with Booker T in the tag team division and was in desperate need of something new. Then he was sent over to Smackdown and a whole world of opportunities opened up for him. He had a series of excellent matches with Charlie Haas which helped both wrestlers, he had a small feud with Booker T, which also helped both wrestlers, and currently he is involved in his feud with the Dudley Boys which is looking very promising. What will be next for RVD? possibly a world title feud? a heel turn? only time will tell what will happen in the future for RVD, and only time will tell wether or not he becomes the wwe champion/world champion.

 

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think RVD will be a world champion? Does he deserve it? Ill post my thoughts later as more replies come in.

Edited May 24, 2004 by Goodear

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I think RVD should turn heel first before being considered for a WWE Title program.

 

But I would like to see a reprisal of the Guerrero/Van Dam feud from 02, but with the heel/face roles reversed.

[1234-5678 0]

Never never never going to happen. Summer/Fall 2001 was the time for this.

[CanadianChick 0]

It may sound like I'm reaching, but in Tokyo, isn't RVD facing Eddie? Maybe that's an early foreshadowment of RVD turning heel.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Wait...

 

Many claim that RVD is the greatest athlete never to hold the title.

 

They're wrong. Dead wrong.

 

He had a series of excellent matches with Charlie Haas which helped both wrestlers

 

Which RVD/Haas match was 'excellent'. I must have only seen the half-decent ones.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

No. I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I don't think he can be a good world champion.

 

1.) His attitude. He's known to shoot on the WWE in interviews (hey, he's had 8 IC Title reigns we never heard of). Also, If he's told to job to someone, you can tell within the first minute he's half-assing it.

 

2.) He's not the greatest selection for a spokesman for the company. World Champions define what the company is. RVD just simply doesn't sound like a good person for this.

 

3.) He can't WRESTLE. Sure, he can do entertaining spots, but that's all they are. SPOTS. The guy can't keep a match going by just wrestling to save his life, and his punches look worse than Lita's. This is more of a personal dislike.

 

4.) Mic-Skills. The stoner image isn't the greatest persona. Maybe if WWE gave him more chance,s he can be good, but from what he's done in WWF/E, he's worse than Benoit (who has improved IMO)

 

5.) He can't sell a move. Watch ANY match where someone works the leg. A moment later he's doing cart-wheels and back flips, and if he remembers, he MIGHT sell AFTER doing it. Just terrible.

 

 

I know some people will disagree EVERYTHING, but it's my opinion.

[Guest Goodear]

I think RVD is set for a Jimmy Snuka-style career where he maximizes out as a contender but never makes that final lunge to be the man on the top of a particular brand. He simply doesn't have the personality to carry a feud as his emotions are constantly, in a word, muted as though he really doesn't care about what he's doing or who he is fighting. Even when he's supposed to be angry, he doesn't pull it off really effectively in my book (which is why he'd fail hard as a heel). His other problems in selling and pacing have been talked about to death, so why do it again?

 

Obviously, moving to Smackdown was a good move for him since he's actually in a program now instead of being bounced around in limbo for a bit. They really could have gotten a bit more legs out the Haas and Booker T 'feuds' though and not seemingly rushed him into the tag matches with The Dudleys.

[Guest Trivia247]

You Know he's jinx when he couldn't even win the ECW World title when people like Justin Credible could..

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

He had a series of excellent matches with Charlie Haas which helped both wrestlers, he had a small feud with Booker T, which also helped both wrestlers

While I'm not about to dispute match quality, I'm puzzled as to how his matches with Haas and Booker helped them and himself. Haas went onto Rico almost immediately after, leading to a face turn, and Booker went onto a losing feud with Taker.

 

Anyway, I really doubt Van Dam will ever reach higher than midcarder / filler main eventer. He's been that for so long that it's clear that WWE just won't elevate him higher - do you know it's been almost three years since his WWF debut?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Many claim that RVD is the greatest athlete never to hold the title.

 

Are you serious? Let's look at better wrestlers never to hold the WWF Title:

 

Jake Roberts

Ricky Steamboat

Sting

Harley Race

Ted Dibiase

Owen Hart

William Regal

Rey Mysterio Jr.

Scott Hall

Roddy Piper

 

That good enough for you or should I keep going?

[Guest Loss]

I think every argument against RVD's ability is valid.

 

I do not think he should be anywhere near the world title now unless he's putting over someone else.

 

HOWEVER, RVD was the most over guy in the company at one point, and regardless of how 'bad' he ever was, that is the only thing that should matter when trying to push new stars. RVD would have drawn for 3-6 months in late 2001/early 2002, and he would have ended up right back where he is now at the end, but the road getting to this destination certainly could have been more fun for him.

 

He should have been the world champion headed into 2002. His detractors should be able to acknowledge the reactions he was getting REGARDLESS of what they think of his ability.

[CanadianChick 0]

Wait...

 

Many claim that RVD is the greatest athlete never to hold the title.

 

They're wrong. Dead wrong.

 

I dunno. He's certainly not the greatest wrestler to never hold a title, not by a long shot. But it'd be hard to find someone more athletic than RVD.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I completely agree with Man of 1,004 Modes. He said exactly what I was going to say.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

It may sound like I'm reaching, but in Tokyo, isn't RVD facing Eddie? Maybe that's an early foreshadowment of RVD turning heel.

I saw that as well. But then on the next day, they have him teaming with Rey Mysterio in a tag match against a heel team.

 

think RVD is set for a Jimmy Snuka-style career where he maximizes out as a contender but never makes that final lunge to be the man on the top of a particular brand.

I believe I read that Snuka was going to be given a title run but either he had a drug problem or it was around the time where that women died in his hotel room.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

It's pushing it, but let's add Dusty Rhodes to the list, as well as maybe Dean Malenko (first person to be #1 PWI 500 without winning a World Title in the WWF or WCW).

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

Add Curt Hennig to the list.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I'm sure we could easily get a list of 50 guys who were more suited for a title run than RVD.

[Guest Loss]

Regardless of all of this, the point stands that arguing that RVD shouldn't have worn the title in 2001 or 2002 is like arguing that WCW never should have put the belt on Goldberg in 1998. Yeah, they're both bad workers, but they both appealed to the audience, were fresh and were more over than everyone else. They both also peaked at a time when interest was waning in their respective companies. There are a lot of comparisons actually.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

He definately should've gotten a run in early 2002. I was just arguing he's probably dead last to call best athlete to never hold the belt.

[CanadianChick 0]

Just for clarification:

 

The statement is "Best athlete to never hold a World Championship", not best wrestler.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

The only time WWE had a chance of making RVD champ was at the end of the Invasion angle. He was still over, had a good attitude, and was putting on good matches with most workers.

 

Since then, he just slowly gets worse in every department.

[Guest Goodear]

Thats a fair statement Loss but its also fair to say that the RVD persona is a hell of a bitch to write for considering its sooooo laid back. Its quite possible that his weakness would have been exposed much faster if they put him at the top of the ladder rather than keep him in ten-minute-at-most matches against bump machines like Jeff Hardy who honestly made RVD look like a million bucks. Afterall, Hogan was probably the most over guy in the company after Wresltemania whichever and they rewarded him with a title run that was a complete bomb at the box office. Being over from a cheering perspective doesn't always translate to dollars.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

There is no doubt that RVD was at the "championship" level at beginning of 2002, but they missed the boat. But he simply couldn't carry the title on Smackdown, simply because they don't have the guys that could work with him and make it good outside of Eddy. But honestly, to say that he is the greatest to never hold the title is a stupid comment to make.

[CanadianChick 0]

Afterall, Hogan was probably the most over guy in the company after Wresltemania whichever and they rewarded him with a title run that was a complete bomb at the box office. Being over from a cheering perspective doesn't always translate to dollars.

But RVD was never given the chance to draw. Sure, it is quite a big possibility he would have bombed as champ, but he may have very well succeeded too. To say he's not a draw (which I know is not what you said Goodear, but I have heard that before) is quite ridiculous, seeing as he's never had the oppertunity.

[Dark Age 0]

That's not even taking into account all the guys who have been used in the lower card for years who are much better athletes than RVD.

 

Oh, and whoever created this topic REALLY exaggerates everything. Great matches with Booker and Charlie? Yeah, ok.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Meh. Best athlete...maybe.

 

I just read it as athlete = wrestler.

 

Still, you have guys like Steamboat, Owen, ReyRey and Hennig to rival RVD on athletisism.

[humongous2002 0]

The only way for RVD to get a world title run at this point in his life is if he turns heel, he was great as a cocky heel and didn't look out of place while cutting a promo. Right now Eddie is the #1 babyface and it seems Cena is destined to take that spot soon, heel RVD as a world champion sounds better than JBL WWE champ.

[CanadianChick 0]

That's not even taking into account all the guys who have been used in the lower card for years who are much better athletes than RVD.

 

Oh, and whoever created this topic REALLY exaggerates everything. Great matches with Booker and Charlie? Yeah, ok.

Like who? I'm actually curious on who's a better athlete than RVD.

 

By the way, I think that saying someone is the greatest athlete to never hold a belt is a stupid statement anyways. Who cares? Being athletic doesn't always transfere to being a good wrestler.

[King Cucaracha 0]

heel RVD as a world champion sounds better than JBL WWE champ.

So does face Funaki.

 

 

OMG FUNAKI FOR CHAMPION~!

[Guest Cheech]

Lets hope not, but if he turns heel soon and feuds with Eddie, then maybe.