Why Rob Van Dan is not ready for Main Event Status

[Guest]

Why Rob Van Dam is not ready for Main Event Status

By: Rob Johnstone

 

 

I see a big topic on websites and forums is whether or not RVD is ready for the Main Event.  RVD as of late has become the new golden child the smart mark.  Honestly I am not a fan of his work but I can see why a lot of people enjoy his style.  The question at hand though is, is he ready for the Main Event?  Here are two of my reasons why he is NOT.

 

First off and most importantly, he does not have “credible” offense.  Most of his offense consists of a flip or a twist, with no real wear down holds.  Some people would call him a spot wrestler.  Now I am not going to totally bury him, I have seen him wrestle for years, and quite a few times live, he is very entertaining, but can you picture him holding down the World Championship and being the flagship of the company at this stage of his career?  He has tremendous upside potential, he has charisma, he is more over than most, and when he hits his spots, they look crisp and efficient.  The only problem with spot wrestlers is they do not hit the flashy spots all of the time causing them to look sloppy, as RVD does a lot of the time.  If he evened out his arsenal and had some solid money making feuds in the under card, in a year or 2 he could definitely have the move-set it would take for him to be credible in the Main Event Scene.  

 

Unfortunately offense it not the only thing one needs to be “That Established Main Eventer” that most smart marks think he is right now.  The Second thing needed is psychology, and RVD lacks that in a serious way.  He has no ring presence and it shows when he is in the ring with a general like guerrero.  A lot of people will say, “He carried the undertaker to a descent match”.  I can see how someone would think that but Undertaker controlled the tempo of the match, and rvd just bumped like a madman for him.  It was a solid effort by both parties and it looked real descent compared to what it might have been.  I think Van Dam needs to definitely think about his matches a lot more.  It seems like he just goes out here, blows his whole arsenal and then has to be carried to finish the match.  This is actually more important than offense because a man with little offense and be an awesome wrestler, as long as they have the psychology to go with it, just look at flair.

 

Well I don’t know if I changed anyone’s opinion on this matter but at least I laid a blueprint as to why I think he is not ready for the Main Event.  There are obviously other factors involved the most important being charisma, but he seems to have that covered; the others would probably be minor compared to the reasons I listed.  Anyway I will close by stealing a line from Dennis Miller.  “Those are just my opinions.  I could be wrong”.

 

--Rob

[Guest RetroRob215]

The writing was very good good, but I sort of disagree with you.  At this point in time, the WWE needs to establish upper-mid carders as main eventers, whether they are ready or not.  Otherwise the main event scene will consist of HHH, Undertaker, Angle, Hogan, and maybe Jericho.  Three of these guys suck, one will be training for the olympics in 5 months, and two will be retiring within the next year or so.  Right now the WWE has to TRY to elevate RVD, Booker T, and maybe Brock Lesnar.  Hopefully one of these guys makes as a main eventer, but there is also the strong chance that all three pushes will bomb.  The only way to get the WWE to level it once was at is to throw out a bunch of new ideas and hope the fans take to one of them.  They used that exact same method with Shawn Michaels in 95 and Steve Austin in 96.  That is the way the business works.  If the WWE doesn't take risks now, there is no way they will be around to see WrestleMania XX.

[Guest]

I agree with you on taking risks, but I think RVD has lots of upside potential, but if they throw him in there now, and he looks terrible, it might ruin his credibility for later use.  I would say booker, edge, brock, benoit, rhyno is coming back.  But RVD has the most "potential".  It would be a waste to see him bomb like I think he will if they throw him in there now.  Thanks for your review though, it's greatly appreaciated.

 

--Rob

[Guest RetroRob215]

Now with Austin gone, RVD is the most popular wrestler in the WWE.  If he is pushed to the main events, he should bring in a ton of revenue.  That alone might be enough of a reason for Vince & Co. to push him to the top.  You are right about his potential, but if the WWE waits to long to push him, they will have another Jericho situation.

[Guest]

good point.  I guess it's a risk either way they go.

 

--Rob

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Being the massive RVD mark that I am...I have spent much of the last 11 months saying that he shouldnt be in the main event.

 

But there he was...at the end of the Invasion angle...in the main event.

 

Then it cooled out a bit.

 

Then there he was in a main event feud with Jericho.

 

Then he got depushed big time.

 

Then there he was with a false title switch for the title.

 

Then he was back down to praising the the IC belt.

 

So...If it weren't for all the starts and stops...I would be all about RVD as the midcard guy.

 

But at this point, the window is closing.

[Guest]

Well, bos, thats what I am saying, if they hold him in the midcard till he ready to move up, then there will be no more of this start stop business.  They keep experimenting and it keeps floping, all they need to do is guive him time to work and his skills.

 

--Rob

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I will say this though.

 

No one, NO ONE...not Rasmus, not you not anyone...can tell me that RVD isn't the best guy to win KOTR and Main Event SummerSlam.

 

Jericho...only if HHH is still champion to avoid heel vs. heel.  His contract will be up by then anyway...and HHH vs. the guy he buried over and over won't draw spit.

 

Holy/Test/Val....yeah...no.

 

Brock...He WILL win.  But he got no heat.  His match with HHH would be TERRIBLE...HHH cant bump for him.  

 

RVD...Taker would have to retain (yeah right).  Taker and RVD have the history and as I've said before...if RVD ever wins a world title...it should be from Taker given their match history.  It is the only thing that Taker has left to give to the business.  

 

I don't see how that would even be arguable.

[Guest]

well, you have your opinion, I have mine, I guess we will just have to watch to find out.

 

--Rob

[Guest Some Guy]

I agree with both Rob and BPS on this.  RVD was very ready in Sept 2001.  He was closing in on the ME guys interms of crowd heat and working very good matches on Raw and SD! with Rock, Austin, Angle, Booker, Taker, etc...  Then they started to bury him a little, jobbing him to Edge, Taker, etc.., taking away the thumb pointing thing for a while, and what not.  RVD needs a feud with a guy like Benoit.  Benoit could help mold him into a more complete worker much like he did with Rock in 2000 (if you don't beleive me about the Rock take a look at his non-HHH matches before his feud with Benoit and compare them to the ones he had after).  I think a problem is that RVD is subborn.  If any of you have seen his 1997 RF shoot interview, he basically claims that he is the best thing in the world and all that shit.  And his style hasn't changed much.

 

RVD needs some impact moves.  He hardly even uses a bodyslam instead he kicks the guy down which gets very repetitive and he should find new ways to work the ribs, that's where his finish hits so that's where he should go to work.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

No one, NO ONE...not Rasmus, not you not anyone...can tell me that RVD isn't the best guy to win KOTR and Main Event SummerSlam.

 

Booker was the one who should have won, and he's gone.  I would have Jericho as my number two choice (he needs a big win), and RVD as number three (needs the win less than Jericho).  Brock isn't ready, and none of the others will ever be anything.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Jericho wont have a contract at SS.

 

The possability of him not resigning alone has to knock him down from consideration for a win that gives him a storyline past his working date.

 

That and it would be HHH vs. Jericho AGAIN...which never ends well.

[Guest Flyboy]

I agree with bps and not just because I'm a huge fan of RVD's.  RVD is the best choice to win the KotR.

 

Booker? A Undisputed Title shot?  Yeah, right.  Sadly, I don't think the guy has one PPV singles match.  Plus, he's in a feud with the NWO.

 

Brock?  Ummm... no.  Not ready.  The WWE doesn't know this, so they'll shove him down our throats.  I don't I could tolerate UT/Brock or Brock/HHH in the main event at SS.  I mean would it really be smart to hear "GOLDBERG" chants at the main event at Summerslam?  Probably not, but I'm using WWE.

 

Jericho?  I'm a huge Jericho fan, but Jerky is damaged goods.  Would it be good for him if he did won?  Yes.  But, then they would have either HHH Vs. Jericho, which they've done already.  Or Jericho Vs. UT... a Heel Vs. Heel match for SS.  Won't work.

 

RVD?  Over?  Yes.  Ready... maybe not.  Best sense since him and UT have a history with each other?  Yes.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

Let's face it here. Some of the main eventers aren't exactly marvels in the ring. Hogan never was. Trips only is on one of his "good" nights. Rock can be. Austin's matches sometimes degenerated into kick-punch-stunner fests.

 

Does it really matter if his offense is credible enough? Right now, I buy him more than Jericho as an ME. At least Rob has a finisher he can really use on bigger guys.

 

In one hand, you've got a guy that can stop the bleeding. He's over with the fans, and a long title run could give the belt some much needed credibility.

 

On the other, you've got people who have become JTTS, as sad as it is. You've got a washed up 'icon'. You've got a half-strength HHH. You've got a relitavely green "monster". Rock may or may not be there long enough. Benoit is still out for a month, and he's in a program with Flair.

 

Build up Rob, and give the belt to him. They could do a hell of a lot worse in my eyes. Give him a good title reign, and it'd be a way to start off bringing the company back to what it was.

 

-Shiro

[Guest RetroRob215]

Trips only is on one of his "good" nights.

By "good nights", I'm guessing you mean all of 2000?

[Guest Flyboy]

Well, of course.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

He was pretty much 'on' all of 2000, yes.

 

He hasn't been that way often since he's been back, though.

 

-Shiro

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I don't think that the WWF intends to push RVD as a main eventer beause he has the IC title. He needs to drop that belt before he goes after the WWF title, even though I think he would be better as a main eventer than Edge.

[Guest RobJohnstone]

He was pretty much 'on' all of 2000, yes.

 

He hasn't been that way often since he's been back, though.

 

-Shiro

maybe it's me, but he looks like he's been favoring that leg ever since he came back, maybe too early? Who knows, he definitly isn;t the same HHH though.

 

--Rob