Will RVD ever be the wwe champion?

[Guest Goodear]

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.

I agree that he could have possibly been a draw, but it just seem likely to me considering his limited character and not-so-hot work inside the ring. I think a thirty-minute RVD main event is a recipe for disaster quite honestly... but I've been wrong so many times before I don't know why I'm even still typing.

[humongous2002 0]

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

So does face Funaki.

 

 

OMG FUNAKI FOR CHAMPION~!

More power to you if you think Funaki makes a good WWE champion .

[Guest Goodear]

As opposed to Bradshaw was the point...

 

As in Yokozuna would be a better World Champion than Bradshaw and HE'S DEAD!

[humongous2002 0]

Hey Yokozuna was good for an obese wrestler.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Hey Yokozuna was good for an obese wrestler.

But not that memorable a champion, I don't believe.

 

I agree he would be better than JBL though.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Sorry to be off topic, but I just noticed something.

 

Two months ago, Benoit was pegged as going after the 2nd-rate world title, while Eddie was the real champ. Now, Smackdown is crap, Eddies title reign is a disastor, and any credible challengers are either gone or on RAW, while RAW has several people who can easily main event (Benoit, Jericho, HHH, HBK, Kane) with people like Edge & Orton also being groomed for a main event run in the near future and can be filler-main eventers right now.

 

Back on topic: Being a great athlete means shit in wrestling. You either have a good (marketable) look, good mic skills, or a mix of them and being a good wrestler. The third being the least important.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Hey Yokozuna was good for an obese wrestler.

Yoko was actually quite the underrated heel.

[Dark Age 0]

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.

 

Well, it depends on your perspective on it. I have never thought of athlete only when thinking of a guy who can do alot of flips. This, I think, is why you think RVD is the best athlete in WWE (if that's what you think, which I'm not sure of).

 

For example, Shelton Benjamin is a much better athlete than RVD. He's not an athlete in a judo, or martial arts sense like RVD. But he is an athlete non the less. And a damn good one. Kurt Angle is a better athlete than RVD (but he's been Champ). I'm short of examples right now, but I have give you one in Shelton. Oh and I agree the statement is stupid anyway.

[Dark Age 0]

Now, Smackdown is crap, Eddies title reign is a disastor

 

I don't think Eddie's reign is a disaster. If anything, it's the only thing keeping me sane while watching SD. Eddie's carrying the show on his back, and that's plain for anyone to see. The booking, and everything around him may suck, but Eddie's doing his damn best to make SD! watchable.

[tbondrage99 0]

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 dont know about that, he seems to be able to sell his own frog splash quite a bit.

[Guest Trivia247]

Hey Yokozuna was good for an obese wrestler.

Yoko was actually quite the underrated heel.

he is underated in the 93-94 years at 500+ pounds he could move surprisingly well, and snap off savate and superkicks. And during this timeframe was his two world title reigns.

 

the short one and the Longer one.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

It'll be a Benoit "should have happened earlier, but oh well" sort of win.

[Guest Quik]

I like RVD and still don't think he should get the belt. He's good for mid-card spotfests. That's it. They should bring back the hardcore title and give it to him.

 

**Awaits the uproar of people bashing the Hardcore title**

[Dark Age 0]

Just so long as there is no 24/7

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Two months ago, Benoit was pegged as going after the 2nd-rate world title, while Eddie was the real champ. Now, Smackdown is crap, Eddies title reign is a disastor, and any credible challengers are either gone or on RAW, while RAW has several people who can easily main event (Benoit, Jericho, HHH, HBK, Kane) with people like Edge & Orton also being groomed for a main event run in the near future and can be filler-main eventers right now.

 

Within 2 months, Smackdown lost Benoit, Angle, Lesnar & Benjamin, four of the best wrestlers in the company. That is a big turn around.

 

I agree with Goodear, I think that an RVD World Title run would have been a complete disaster, at least in early 2002. He simply doesn't have a personality that connects with the mainstream audience. Benoit doesn't either, but it is still moreso than RVD, and the real reason for Benoit's popularity is that he has become almost legendary for his in-ring ability. 10 years ago, before the legacy, Benoit would be nowhere near the main event. 2002 was a flop with an infinitely more marketable champ in Jericho as it was. I really don't see that RVD would have done much. The real chance to put the belt on him was at Unforgiven 2002. He could have aborted the disasterous HHH title run, and by that point there was a brand extension and thus he wouldn't be exposed as badly. I think it might have worked then, at least for a short while. Of course, this is all speculation, and I won't deny that he was extremely over in the last days of the Invasion. At the same time I remember another extremely over wrestler given a chance despite a lack of talent at a time of slight business decline and then went on and had a disasterous title run. I really think that given a title run, RVD would have been this generations Ultimate Warrior.

 

As for the best athletes never to win the WWE Title, there are several that would come to mind before Van Dam. Mike Rotundo, Scott Steiner ('93 era), Ken Shamrock, Steamboat, and Curt Hennig are the guys that I would think of immediately.

[Guest Trivia247]

Just so long as there is no 24/7

Blackman!!!!!

 

we need Steve Drag his ass out of his martial arts school

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I actually wouldn't mind the Hardcore Title coming back, as long as it's not the piece of trash belt, and doesn't have the 24/7 Rule. That died after Crash Holly lost the title for good.

[cabbageboy 0]

I'm the only one here who thinks RVD will eventually get the title, mainly because they will probably put it in his new contract (if he indeed signs a new deal). I doubt he'll get a lengthy rein but for god's sake they were going to put the title on Chyna at one point to get her to resign. It's not like SMDN has all these guys more qualified to be world champ. They've been pushing FUCKING BRADSHAW lately.

 

There are a few ideas I have that would make for a solid RVD title run:

 

1. He has to turn heel. The face side on SMDN is loaded but they have no heels to speak of.

 

2. After said heel turn, he needs a manager and maybe a flunky to play off of. Teddy Long or Heyman would be fine if they hate Bill Alfonso.

 

3. Once he wins the title have him say it's in his contract that he can do whatever he wants in a match (echoes of Raven's Rules). This makes him more of a dick, and also gives him a chance to have violent hardcore matches, which are his forte.

 

Eventually Van Dam would probably be turned face again much like in ECW, but it'd make for a nice run while it lasted.

[Guest JMA]

If RVD stays with the company for at least another year I see him getting a run with one of the World titles. They can only delay the inevitiable for so long. He doesn't get injured and he's still very over. Of course, this is assuming he doesn't leave the company during said year.

 

As for his laid back attitude -- I like it. It's different (and better, IMO) than the stale overacting by many of the top guys.

 

Oh, and wasn't it Kurt Angle who said RVD was the best athlete never to hold a World title?

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Oh, and wasn't it Kurt Angle who said RVD was the best athlete never to hold a World title?

Again, where does it say you have to be a great athlete to be a headliner in wrestling?

[NYU 0]

Oh, and wasn't it Kurt Angle who said RVD was the best athlete never to hold a World title?

Again, where does it say you have to be a great athlete to be a headliner in wrestling?

When people say Chris Benoit should be made the Heavyweight Champion based on his athletic skills.

 

It suits one person in Benoit but not another in Van Dam?

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Oh, and wasn't it Kurt Angle who said RVD was the best athlete never to hold a World title?

Again, where does it say you have to be a great athlete to be a headliner in wrestling?

When people say Chris Benoit should be made the Heavyweight Champion based on his athletic skills.

 

It suits one person in Benoit but not another in Van Dam?

Comparing RVD to CHRIS BENOIT is like trying to compare Bradshaw to Ted Dibiase.

 

Thats a big thing if anyone needs it broken down. Benoit has all the requirements in my book to be a good champion. He's a good worker, good in promos (as long as theya ren't long winded), handles himself well outside the ring, and doesn't have attitude problems. If you bothered to read my first post, you would know why RVD wouldn't make a good champion.

[Guest Loss]

I do think RVD was worth taking a chance on in 2001-2002 though. What did they have to lose? They instead took a chance on Jericho, which bombed through not fault of his own, but business actually stayed level. RVD was getting huge reactions and yes, that alone doesn't translate into money, but had they stuck with him, he probably would have been a draw just because he was so unique. I think a lot of his heat was based on his spots rather than his character, meaning that people were more into watching him flip flop than following the struggles and perils of his character, so admittedly, his appeal was somewhat shallow.

 

Because WWE has focused on the weaknesses of the wrestlers more than the strengths (that mentality bothers me here too -- we should be asking with all the upper midcarders how they could use them effectively on a main event level, not coming up with reasons why they shouldn't), that mentality has left them in the state they're in now where they're still profitable, but only because they have bent over backwards cutting corners, and guys like HHH and Rock that still have gas in the tanks are so overexposed on top that they're no longer special and the aura is gone. They came up with a reason not to elevate every single person who got over from 2000-2002, and the joke ended up being on the company in the end.

[Dangerous K89 0]

It is absolutely hilarous that some of you are comparing RVD's wrestling skills to Warrior or Goldberg.

 

Jesus Christ.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

It is absolutely hilarous that some of you are comparing RVD's wrestling skills to Warrior or Goldberg.

 

Jesus Christ.

Can you even name a match that had ZERO spots and just wrestling with him that was GOOD? Because I sure as fuck can't.

[Guest Loss]

Nobody compared RVD's wrestling skills to Goldberg or Warrior. The point was made that Goldberg and Warrior were both the hot new wrestlers with limited ability that were pushed to the top right as business was sliding because of the crowd reactions they were getting. Had RVD been pushed at that level, he would have fallen under the same category. That was the comparison being made.

[Guest Loss]

Mole, come on. Even Benoit or Flair has never had a match with zero spots that was "all wrestling", and if he did, he'd deserve major criticism.

 

RVD's major weakness is that he isn't much of a seller. His spots are fine and actually quite exciting, but he does nothing to transition to his big moves, instead just hitting them without rhyme or reason. It's possible to take RVD's moveset and construct a match -- it's happened on rare occasion. But it takes a great worker across the ring from him to make it work.

 

RVD's offense is his biggest strength ... when it connects. It's also the only reason he ever got over, aside from the catchiness of the pointing to himself.

[NYU 0]

It is absolutely hilarous that some of you are comparing RVD's wrestling skills to Warrior or Goldberg.

 

Jesus Christ.

Can you even name a match that had ZERO spots and just wrestling with him that was GOOD? Because I sure as fuck can't.

Can you name a match that has never had any spots?

 

I don't understand just what you're looking for there. If we're talking about good WRESTLING matches, then the ones RVD had with Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero would be a good place to start.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

By spots I mean anything where he has to do about 5,000 flips or funky top rope stuff like spring board moonsaults or the van terminator (which he uses maybe once a decade now).

 

After all that, he's nothing. AND DID YOU CALL ME MOLES?!

 

 

I don't understand just what you're looking for there. If we're talking about good WRESTLING matches, then the ones RVD had with Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero would be a good place to start.

 

It's safe to say Eddie carried those matches, but as for the match I've seen with RVD vs. Benoit, it wasn't THAT great.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Pure wrestling isn't RVD's forte, but he can be damn entertaining in the ring, if only through being a spot-machine - he gets the job done.

 

WWE Champion? Well, I wouldn't like to see him as Champion. I mean, being a spot-machine where he is is fine, but it's not good for the wrestling company's Champion to not exactly be a wrestler.

 

The fans would love it for a while, but with his somewhat lack of passion and style, things would become unstuck after a while.