Too late for RVD and Booker T?

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

WWE had the chance to make a big star out of Rob Van Dam and, to an extent, Booker T during the Invasion. They passed it up. They had the chance to make RVD World champion in September '02. They passed it up. They had the chance to make Booker T World champion in March '03. Is it just me or are these two past the U.S. title level now? I'm tired of seeing them as tag champs (with each other or not) with partnership that never last.

 

There have been rumours of both RVD and Book wanting to retire or leave WWE. Is it too late for them to be credible champions? Personally I think it probably is. WWE should have taken the chance in 2001. SmackDown badly needs main-eventers now that Edge, Benoit, Brock and "technically" Kurt have gone. Even squash machine Goldberg could have added something to SD. Booker's getting something resembling a push. While I hate to admit it, John Cena did a lot for the U.S. title, and Booker seems to be at that level. RVD's been passed from show to show with no real future, IMO anyway.

 

So I don't think it's too late but it will be soon. I know neither of them are exactly Chris Benoit in the ring, but neither's JBL. Neither was Goldberg. Neither was Triple H in 2003. It's possible. It's a shame Vince can't see through bias

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Booker T was World Champion. If you mean again, then yes. The time to put it on him was at Wrestlemania XIX. That was sort of a last gasp for him. Now he just doesn't have the interest anymore in wrestling that he used too and wants to retire within the next year.

 

RVD may not be in the company next month. It is too late to do anything with him unless he resigns.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

Booker T was World Champion. If you mean again, then yes.

By World champ, I mean the new belt. The former Triple H belt, now the World title For the sake of argument, the WCW title doesn't count

[Dangerous A 0]

Sure you could make Book or RVD champs, but don't expect them to draw. You can put the belts on them, but they won't turn business around. IMO, their reps have already been damaged beyond repair to put a top belt on either one of them and expect it to do any sort of business. Then again, JBL and Eddie's drawing numbers are pretty much the same along with HHH and Benoit because as of right now, no one is drawing in this company. I know some people here dread Taker getting the title at Summerslam, but it doesn't matter. The numbers aren't going anywhere. Not for Taker. Not for Eddy. Not for JBL. Not for Benoit. Not for HHH. It's all pointless because no one is creating a new audience.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Booker T....yes. His time was Wrestlemania XIX and they didn't make it happen.....especially with all his injuries and the fact that he is probably very unmotivated doesn't help. RVD however still has a chance considering he hasn't had the career affecting injuries. But his style and lack of motivation will keep him from getting there. But if he changes his style and attitude along with being a "company guy" he might someday get to be a World Champion.....I just doubt it.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

One of my dream wrestling scenarios right now is for Paul Heyman to start up his little "I-was-against-WWE-all-along-and-now-that-I've-gained-their-trust-I'm-gonna-KILL-IT!" group with a heel RVD-led WWE champion. I don't see it happening but what with Heyman and the heel Dudleys together ... well ... it's a start ... sort of

 

Heel solo RVD would be good enough. Heel RVD in ECW was fantastic

[Promoter 0]

Booker T is too late. I think he got the Lex Luger SummerSlam 1993 treatment as a choker. The fans won't take him serious. RVD's style is not looked upon as championship material in the wwe. I say both men have no chance and it's kind of sad really. Booker especially.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

I think it's to late for Booker ever since he was beaten by the Grand Wizard HHH. It reallys makes me mad is that they broke up the very fun and successful BookDust so Booker can job in the (almost) race angle.

 

As for RVD I still think can be saved. But, like others have said, he'll have to change his style and wrestle WWE style, which would more or less kill his fan support.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

I think it's to late for Booker ever since he was beaten by the Grand Wizard HHH. It reallys makes me mad is that they broke up the very fun and successful BookDust so Booker can job in the (almost) race angle.

 

As for RVD I still think can be saved. But, like others have said, he'll have to change his style and wrestle WWE style, which would more or less kill his fan support.

So make him a heel See, there are ways to make that particular dream come true.

 

Although I'm a Triple H fan, I've never understood why he won that match. What did it achieve? I know he went on to defend against Nappy Rash, but the title wasn't on the line at Backlash. Book could've had it a month and lost it at Backlash, if so desired. Maybe not at all. Although ... I guess WWE had to soak up those few months Nappy Rash could walk without a little tearing sound

[Gert T 0]

I think it's to late for Booker ever since he was beaten by the Grand Wizard HHH. It reallys makes me mad is that they broke up the very fun and successful BookDust so Booker can job in the (almost) race angle.

 

As for RVD I still think can be saved. But, like others have said, he'll have to change his style and wrestle WWE style, which would more or less kill his fan support.

Race angle????

 

But when I watched my WM XIX DVD the other day in the preview package they didn't show the race angle. Oh wait, that's because like the Katie Vick angle, when HHH did something that was universally panned, it was cut from everyone's memory by the time the PPV came around.

 

Booker T, maybe on SD! as a heel champ, but even then it probably would not pick up steam.

 

I truly believe the Undertaker buried Booker more than HHH.

[Papacita 0]

It seemed as if they had something when Book initially made the switch to Smackdown, but they blew that by throwing him into the program with Taker. I don't think Booker's gonna be able to come back from this, which is a shame because they had so many chances to make something out of him, it's not even funny.

 

As for RVD, until he changes his attitude, I don't see him getting any kind of push, and even if they do push him, I can't see it working because he's been buried for so long, it'd be hard to get people to care about him like they did in 01-02.

[Enigma 0]

Unforgiven 2002 was the time to make RVD's overness explode. And instead, they let it fizzle.

 

Ditto for Booker T. at WrestleMania XIX.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

I think they're both hopeless. RVD will never make it because he wrestles his style. It's not made for the WWE ME scene.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

RVD needs to turn heel. Join in on the Eddie/Angle program. Or, he could do a surprise jump from Smackdown to RAW (relive some of the past RAW/Nitro competetive glory days) and have him aid Evolution or something. It would make him a vital part again.

 

But didn't he re-sign with the company? I thought he had.

[Guest 2pacallyps]

They're both done especially Booker. Thank HHH for burrying them both. Booker is getting old and he doesn't connect with the crowd like he used to. RVD is still popular but not like he used to be and he also got worse as a wrestler. I think RVD could have been a draw but I don't really know about Booker.

[David Blazenwing 0]

Booker T was World Champion.  If you mean again, then yes.

By World champ, I mean the new belt. The former Triple H belt, now the World title For the sake of argument, the WCW title doesn't count

Wait... does that nullify Ron Simmon's title reign then?

[CanadianChick 0]

I don't ever believe it's too late for someone like Booker or RVD to win the title. Fans have pretty short memories. Now, if they went from where they are now to World Champions, yes, that would be stupid. If either one of them got a gradual push to the Main Event scene, it'd fine.

 

Realistically though, I don't see either getting the WWE championship. RVD may have a slim chance if he resigns, but I don't think Booker will get it. Besides, it'll kill his Five-Time gimmick.

[humongous2002 0]

I doubt Book will ever get a world title but I feel that if RVD resigns with WWE he will get a chance to get the WWE belt. Heel RVD would do a better job than Bradshaw as world champion IMHO.

[The C Man 0]

How can anyone say it's too late for either of them when the artist formerly known as Bradshaw is the SmackDown champion?

But Booker does have less chance than RVD, all RVD needs to do is turn heel and hook up with Heyman. Problem solved. I honestly think it's as simple as that.

[Kizzo 0]

Its never too late...someone that has some very good creative juices like Vince Russo or a Chris Kreski can probaly make it happen...although it would take some work...

[Promoter 0]

How can anyone say it's too late for either of them when the artist formerly known as Bradshaw is the SmackDown champion?

But Booker does have less chance than RVD, all RVD needs to do is turn heel and hook up with Heyman. Problem solved. I honestly think it's as simple as that.

Bradshaw was never punked like Booker against guys like The Rock(who he couldn't beat with Shane Mcmahon "the Kane Killer"). He was apart of the comedy act of BookDust, while Bradshaw had the kick-ass persona of APA with Simmons. Booker lost his race angle, while Bradshaw won his. If they ever gave Booker the push Bradshaw got from hell I have no doubt he would be more over. I really just think RVD isn't world championship material, but then again we got Bradshaw carrying the belt and he is much better than him.

[iggymcfly 0]

Booker T should just retire. He's not good in the ring, he's not good on the mic, and there's absolutely nothing fresh about him anymore. They've done everything they could with him character-wise and he's just gonna linger in the midcard until he finally goes. He could maybe announce he's retiring, and say he wants to win the WWE Title before he goes, leading to one last decent face run out of pity, but that's about it.

 

As for RVD, in his current character which he's been playing for three years, he's stale as shit, and not close to making World Championship level. However, if he had a good turn, he could easily move to the top of the card and become a World Champion. If he just does some lame "I hate the fans and babyfaces now" shit, it won't work, and he'll lose any chance to progress. But if they did a hot angle with him and Heyman destroying the WWE or something similar in gravity, (turning on Kane and joining Evolution would have worked last year), he could easily be a solid world champion.

[Guest Staravenger]

Fun Fact: Heel RVD & Face RVD is the SAME THING in terms of wrestling style, except he poses a lot more. I was watching his match versus Jeff Hardy from Invasion, and it's pretty much the same type of match he's worked (in hardcore rules) as a face.

 

RVD needs a gimmick overhaul (which would suck since he is who he is) or needs to lose the crowd popping moveset, which would also suck.

 

Booker T is done. He's been unmotivated for a year at least, had a near career ending back injury last August and admits he's retiring in the near future. I don't know what his idea of near future is, but he's not someone WWE will stick a World Title on.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Everyone also thought it was too late for Benoit and Guerrero.

 

Booker T and RVD still have a chance. Although the WWE fucked up on Wrestlemania 19, which I am still trying to forgive them for. When Booker T gets his U.S. Title reign, depending on how good it is, he will get a shot again at the main event.

[The C Man 0]

Bradshaw was never punked like Booker against guys like The Rock(who he couldn't beat with Shane Mcmahon "the Kane Killer"). He was apart of the comedy act of BookDust, while Bradshaw had the kick-ass persona of APA with Simmons. Booker lost his race angle, while Bradshaw won his. If they ever gave Booker the push Bradshaw got from hell I have no doubt he would be more over. I really just think RVD isn't world championship material, but then again we got Bradshaw carrying the belt and he is much better than him.

That was a very long time ago in wrestling terms. (And anway that was during the InVasion angle, which the WWE will have you believe never happened). And it was the last decade compared to the time span between Bradshaw going from a beer-swilling redneck to a Ted DiBiase rip-off. If Bradshaw can get legitimately over as a top guy (and I believe he has) in that short space of time then surely someone who's better in the ring, probably has better mic skills, and has previous headline experience can get just as over.

 

Fun Fact: Heel RVD & Face RVD is the SAME THING in terms of wrestling style, except he poses a lot more. I was watching his match versus Jeff Hardy from Invasion, and it's pretty much the same type of match he's worked (in hardcore rules) as a face.

RVD needs a gimmick overhaul (which would suck since he is who he is) or needs to lose the crowd popping moveset, which would also suck.

 

RVD wasn't being a heel. Try ECW for his heel stuff. Sure it isn't exactly chalk and cheese between the dispositions but he can work as a heel. His moveset does pop the crowd but so does The People's Elbow and so did the Spinaroonie but both of those got heel heat when that wrestler was a heel.

[algrim 0]

To add to RVD's woes, I doubt that he'll get a Summerslam match. Think about it, we already have UT/JBL, Eddie/Kurt, Booker/Cena and London-Kidman/Dudleys. Unless they plan for the Eddie/Kurt match to be a short one, he might have a chance of getting a match, but it's doubtful.

 

 

Bruce Pritchard

[cabbageboy 0]

I submit that it is possible to be a heel and yet still work a style that gets pops from the crowd. That in essence was RVD's heel schtick: He'd cut a cocky promo badmouthing his opponent, and then do his best to show him up in the ring with fancy moves. People forget that RVD never really turned face in ECW, he and Sabu just naturally wanted belts that were held by the Triple Threat and thus became de facto faces.

 

This was the coolness of RVD's ECW character: He didn't give a shit. Cheer him, fine. Boo him, didn't care. It wasn't till his last year or so in ECW that he started becoming the baby kissing face, and if you notice that was some of his weaker ECW stuff.

 

Anyway I read that RVD has in fact resigned with WWE, yet he's on Velocity for some unknown reason. While I think it's too late for Booker to ever get another title run, RVD can easily be given a push anytime they feel like it.

[Guest Staravenger]

Simple: He's not written into any storylines. I personally think that sucks because unless he's in ANOTHER US Title 3-way or something, he probably won't even be on the Summerslam card. (Maybe he can job to Kenzo Suzuki?)

[Guest PlatinumBoy]

I know they were always near the top of the card and booked well during huge streches of this time, but think of how long it took Bret and HBK to win the world title within the oldschool WWF--or even DDP in WCW. RVD is in the position where he can be jobbed out all the time and within a week be back up to the top of the card, and Booker--being a heel--might take longer, but both could be built up to World level.

[Promoter 0]

I think we have all forgotten that Booker winning the wwe title on smackdown in his eyes would be winning the minor league title He doesn't even want to be in the division.