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Post by hbkjason on Sept 27, 2020 7:11:27 GMT -5
What If: Rob Van Dam Won The WWF Title At No Mercy 2001?
Ok, so we are not here to talk about the quality of the Alliance storyline, by the time we got to October 2001, it had pretty much ran its course. The shining star was Rob Van Dam. To say he was the most over member of the Alliance is a massive understatement. They may have been the heels, but he was getting a great reaction every time he was in the ring. The WWF teased him mingling with the big boys towards the end of the angle. His "animosity" with Stone Cold Steve Austin was pretty good stuff and it would ultimately lead to there being a triple threat match at No Mercy for the WWF Title between Austin, Angle and RVD. My question is, what if they decided to pull the trigger on this night and have RVD be the champion? I for one second do not think it would have been a long reign. However, I do feel that during this time even though they had Austin, they had Rock, they had Undertaker. They needed a new star and RVD could have been that star and I feel that this would have been the time to make him a main event guy. It would take years for RVD to get to the top, but how different could his career have been had they put the title on him, even for just a short while in 2001, it would have made him a main event level talent in many peoples eyes. How do you guys feel things would have been different had Rob Van Dam walked out of No Mercy 2001 as the WWF Champion? |
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Sept 27, 2020 11:54:53 GMT -5
Again, it's a huge missed opportunity. But it also shows at that time frame that Vince finally said, "I don't have to listen to the fans, there is no competition anymore!"
I think if WCW was still around, and Vince had acquired ECW only, yes, Rob Van Dam would have been WWE Champion that night. RVD was the most over guy in the company at that time from the Alliance group. He even rivaled The Rock at the time for popularity. It's a shame that RVD never won it that night. At least he won it years later, but that got ruined too.
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TheXtremisT
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Post by TheXtremisT on Sept 27, 2020 13:18:20 GMT -5
I don't know about being the champion.
He would have been better with the WHC, but they obviously had soft plans for the next 6 months at that point (Triple H returning and winning the RR and main eventing WM18). RVD as champ would have had to have been done at this point in 2001, but I don't think it was the right call.
Never been a fan of short title reigns just for the sake of it. RVD with the belt? Cool, I was a massive fan. But they were scouting him out as a top-level guy and I think they realised he couldn't hold the top spot.
He was over like crazy, and I don't think he would ever be as over again. He had so much going for him back then, so it was the best chance in his career looking back, but maybe not the best business decision other than a cool moment.
I think they needed to build him up more and help him carry a main event feud. They tried with Triple H and RVD the following year and it lasted like a month, partially because they didn't think he could sustain it.
He needed his inadequacies hidden (speaking) and accentuate his positives. But in history if you look at the champions, they needed to talk and hold segments and sell feuds. RVD didn't have IT at a top level. I don't think he ever did.
He was more capable as a big fish in a smaller pond like ECW and TNA.
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Post by The Brain on Sept 27, 2020 15:07:03 GMT -5
I think 01 was too soon but he definitely should've got a run with big gold in 02/03.Instead of giving HHH the belt on Raw, Have RVD face em on that episode to crown a new champ with him winning only to lose it to Trips at Unforgiven the same way it happened thanks to Flair.
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Post by Evil Abed on Sept 27, 2020 16:05:21 GMT -5
I was the biggest RVD fan during that time frame but you have to realize that his popularity just came across at the wrong time. Like stated above, they clearly were prepping for Triple Hs big Mania moment in 2002 which meant RVD was out fo the picture for at least 6 months. Then you see HBK come back and they start pushing towards his big moment on Raw, and Brock is dominating Smackdown. RVD was kind of a fan favorite without an island.
The only thing I would change (and I think they realized it too) was doing away with the IC title from Oct 2002 to May 2003, Raw had so much talent that without that title had nothing to do. (RVD, Kane, Booker, etc...)
As much as I would have loved to see an RVD run in 01, it wouldn’t have been the right time. His runs as IC champ were probably the best he was going to get during the time.
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Post by The Brain on Sept 27, 2020 16:11:20 GMT -5
I was the biggest RVD fan during that time frame but you have to realize that his popularity just came across at the wrong time. Like stated above, they clearly were prepping for Triple Hs big Mania moment in 2002 which meant RVD was out fo the picture for at least 6 months. Then you see HBK come back and they start pushing towards his big moment on Raw, and Brock is dominating Smackdown. RVD was kind of a fan favorite without an island. The only thing I would change (and I think they realized it too) was doing away with the IC title from Oct 2002 to May 2003, Raw had so much talent that without that title had nothing to do. (RVD, Kane, Booker, etc...) As much as I would have loved to see an RVD run in 01, it wouldn’t have been the right time. His runs as IC champ were probably the best he was going to get during the time. That was such a dumb move. Made no sense. |
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Post by hbkjason on Sept 28, 2020 0:54:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies guys, I can actually see why so many people feel he should not have gotten the title then. Looking back I guess while he was over, he was super over at the very wrong time. No way in hell they were going to do anything to potentially derail the returning Triple H train lol.
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Post by cordless2016 on Sept 28, 2020 13:22:54 GMT -5
RVD was legit one of the top 3 most over stars they had from 2001-2002. I honestly think winning the title at No Mercy 2001 may have been a little too soon for him to get title, but I wouldn’t have been against it either. Sadly, him not being a home grown star and no more WCW meant that Vince could bury as many guys he wanted despite how over they may have been.
If anything, RVD should have won the world title at Unforgiven 2002 (as were the original plans). HHH honestly didn’t need the title during his feud with HBK. Let RVD run with the title against Kane, Jericho, Booker T, and a heel Scott Steiner before HHH gets back into the title picture.
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Post by JokerFC on Oct 3, 2020 7:37:17 GMT -5
RVD was in the wrong place at the wrong time here. Vince was deciding who the Undisputed champ was going to be from October onwards & I dont believe he was even in consideration.
Whoever won that Title was going to go over Austin & Rock to be cemented. Pity they ruined that too with Jericho.
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