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By @__Doug___
WWE has had a history of taking guys from WCW and making them into stars, or in some cases, sustain their star power. This wasn’t the case with guys that came in during the Invasion (which was awful, but that will be a different article for a different day). Today I’m focusing on main event guys that came in during and after Invasion from WCW.
Booker T was the most successful crossover from WCW. While it didn’t start off on the greatest of terms with the Buff Bagwell match, he was the only person to actually come out of WCW and was able to last. Yeah, he didn’t look great against any WWF star during the Invasion, but that was the point. After that trainwreck, he did produce some entertaining bits with Stone Cold in a grocery store and a church. The Edge feud for WM was just a bit boring in a meh card. After temporarily joining the NWO, he enjoyed a career renaissance while teaming with Goldust and produced one of the few watchable things on Monday Night Raw during that time. The tag team did win gold and in the process, got fans behind him far enough to where once he lost the tag titles, he was able to go for the WHC. The feud was blatantly racist and HHH was just damn near unwatchable coming off of the Steiner feud (which I’ll address later on). There was zero legitimate reason why Triple H should have won, but he did. He did this despite the Harlem Hangover and HHH taking forever to pin him after a Pedigree. Later on, Booker did win the IC Title in a decent feud with Christian and traded the belt with him. RVD became his new partner in a forgettable run as tag champs even defending them at Mania. A trade to Smackdown did rejuvenate his career and had a solid best of 5 series with an up and coming John Cena despite losing. Later on, he had a few championship matches against JBL and fought valiantly in a losing effort. Skipping past the disturbing Kurt Angle feud and we reach Booker vs Chris Benoit in a best of 7 feud for the US Title, which was a throwback to WCW, but this time had the inclusion of Randy Orton and Orlando Jordan. He did win the best of 7 series, but would lose the belt back to that man later on. Skipping the Boogeyman feud, because I’ll skip anything Boogeyman related, we get into the King Booker Era, where he won the KOTR and feuded with Bobby Lashley for the US Title, which he lost, but eventually he accomplished something bigger and won the WHC from Rey Mysterio. After engaging in a feud with Batista, eventually losing to him, it was the beginning of the end. It was a good run for Booker, becoming a World Champ and one of the most popular guys in the company. Shame the same didn’t happen to the other guys.
Diamond Dallas Page’s run was met with mixed emotions. He came in with the worst possible storyline with him being the stalker of Undertaker’s wife Sara. Not really the best use of a star that fans actually cared about during the whole angle. The feud between him and Undertaker was just flat out awful to watch and ended up sullying him. On top of that, instead of being a participant in the 5 on 5 Survivor Series match, he ended up being part of a battle royal, where he was eliminated fairly early. The lone bright spot during his tenure was a run with the European Championship. Injuries ended up shortening DDP’s run, which should have ended sooner if we knew this was how it was going to turn out.
The NWO shouldn’t have been brought to the WWE. Even the reasoning behind bringing them back was very dumb regarding the fact that Vince wanted to poison the company. While the group did start off pretty well with a debut at No Way Out, it started to fizzle out fairly quickly. Hogan vs Rock was the only thing we got out of it (and should have main evented WM 18 instead of HHH/Jericho where Chris was just a second string player). Fans still wanted to cheer Hogan, which led to a face turn (probably the only smart decision in all of this). Hall vs Austin, which was the other marquee NWO match, wasn’t good. After that, they started to add in other members such as X-Pac, Booker T, Shawn Michaels, and Big Show during various stages, but it was too late and the group rightfully disbanded.
While Hall and Nash were failures for different reasons (Hall for demons, Nash for injuries), Hogan actually had a solid run back with the company this time around. While he was clearly past his prime, fans were still behind him and he ended up winning the WWE Title from HHH and also formed a team with Edge winning the Tag Team titles as well. From there, the wheels fell off fairly quickly. Between losing to Lesnar and Rock to put them over, the McMahon match and “Mr. America”, the ending was not pretty.
The only thing that they did right during Scott Steiner’s tenure was giving him a mic. Everything else was a trainwreck. Having him be a face was not a great idea since he’s a natural heel and that feud with Triple H was absolutely awful. Between a weirdly shaped Triple H, a Steiner with zero cardio, and terrible gimmick contests, this was destined to be awful. The company must have not watched WCW during the dying days, because no reason exists where Steiner should be in the ring more than 5 minutes. Also he had a debate about the Iraq War, which I’ll let you look up at your own leisure for those soundbites. The last notable feud he had was the feud with Test, which again was a terrible idea as neither of these guys can be a face convincingly and the on and off again treatment of Stacy. This was a big flop.
The debut of Sting during Survivor Series 2014 actually fit very well with the character with him fixing the wrong that was The Authority (while it did get reversed a few weeks later, point stands). The fact that he couldn’t win at Wrestlemania was saddening since it should have ended HHH’s reign of terror. His run came to a premature end with an injury and a loss to Seth Rollins, and while that outcome was expected, it is disappointing to see him go out that way.
Ric Flair had moderate success in his return to the company. After the whole bad idea of co-owners ended as well as his match with Taker, he found his stride with Evolution. He became a Tag-Team champion with Batista and held the belts for a little bit. When Evolution officially ended, he was able to win the IC Title and had a decent feud with HHH. After that feud and dropping the title, things started to unravel until his career was put on the line. His career ended with a loss to HBK in a great match and a proper sendoff as well. His most recent return of being Charlotte’s manager was a little bit hit or miss, but it’s something. Overall I’d categorize his return as a success.
Goldberg was just bad, very very bad. His early feuds with Rock and Jericho were fillers and ended up trying to build Goldberg into a credible threat. Goldberg ran through everyone not named Kevin Nash in the Chamber up until HHH hit him with a Sledgehammer and pinned him. This was a letdown for the fans, despite him winning the belt later on. After that said feud, we have the other trainwreck known as the Lesnar feud, and while I do give them credit for building the feud for a while, these two did not click at all and were disinterested, just like the crowd was and both left with barely any sadness from the fans.
In conclusion, more of these guys are misses than hits. Some were due to age, some were due to injuries, and most were due to bad decisions by creative and the higher ups. Booker was the only one to have sustained success and even his track record had question marks. Compare this to the guys Vince was able to get before Invasion and see the difference. In the end, pettiness wins out.
-Doug
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By @TrueGodImmortal
It is almost time. The biggest PPV of the summer is creeping up on us and the card is stacked! Today, we look at the card for Summerslam 2016 and we see what's in store for the biggest event of the summer and what has potential to be the best event all year. Let's get into it.
Best of 7 Series Kickoff
*Cesaro vs Sheamus
-Now, don't get me wrong, I like Cesaro and Sheamus as far as chemistry goes, but this is unnecessary. Raw is only once a week. So this means we will only get Cesaro vs Sheamus every damn week for at least 7 weeks or so. I'm not entirely happy about this and seeing as to how Cesaro won the first 2 recent meetings, I'd hope he kicks off the best of 7 Series here with another win. Hell, Cesaro sweeping the series would be amazing. I don't want to see Sheamus win. Ever. So let's just go with that.
*US Championship
Roman Reigns vs Rusev
-This is literally one of the only matches that I'm not sold on. WWE is in love with Reigns and Reigns gets worse and worse with each passing moment. This is furthered by the cringeworthy promo between Lana, Reigns, and Rusev on last Monday where Reigns had some of the absolute WORST jokes and stumbled on the mic. As a performer, I'm sure this match will be alright. However, Reigns winning is likely, as I'm certain Lana and Rusev will go on a long honeymoon and need a little time off. I'm not really sure how Reigns went from going at the WWE Universal Title to now wanting the US Belt, but my hope is that Rusev retains honestly. Reigns doesn't need any title, and the US Title should have gone to a fighter like Cesaro or a Sami Zayn even. Reigns just doesn't fit in this role well, but I guarantee that he regains momentum by beating Rusev, especially with the fact that WWE has forced Reigns down our throats as the main event or closing segment of RAW for the last 2 weeks, including this go home show. Fire all of the RAW bookers, this is atrocious.
*Intercontinental Championship
Apollo Crews vs The Mi
-I have no idea why The Miz is still the champion. He is not the worst heel, but he's just plain boring overall. I'm not invested in his work, and I hope the plan here is to give the IC Title to Apollo Crews and let him get a shot in this so called "new era". Miz already picked up a win against superior wrestlers like Owens, Cesaro, Zayn, and others, so I don't see any reason for him to keep retaining. He adds nothing to this brand for Smackdown. So I'm not really sold on his continuing his reign. Apollo is fresh, needs a big moment, and will definitely get over with the IC Title with the right competition.
*Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho
-This is an exciting contest honestly. The makeshift team of Jericho and Owens is exciting and I look forward to seeing what could possibly be next for the two after this, but if I had to choose a winner here, I would certainly pick Jericho and Owens with a non clean victory over the duo of Enzo and Cass, but this match could go either way.
*John Cena vs AJ Styles
-The rematch we've been waiting for. This has the opportunity to steal the show and I suspect it will. Cena is taking some time off, and with Styles never having beat him clean, and being by default the top heel on the Smackdown brand, logic says that Cena should put him over clean in a classic. Now, Cena has a win over Styles and Styles has a win over Cena, so expect this feud to culminate with this match here. I see Styles winning and the end of the feud with him going on to challenge Ambrose for the WWE Title, which is quite frankly the biggest feud that WWE could really do at this point for the belt. Let Styles get the win and move on from Cena.
*Tag Team Titles
The New Day vs Gallows and Anderson
-I'm not fully sold on this match personally. I love The New Day, but without Big E, and without a truly good tag team to feud with, I find this feud to be utterly stupid and a bit pointless. Gallows and Anderson are a bit boring to me and they don't entertain me as much as they did with AJ, so it's sink or swim for them in this. The whole "nuts and balls" aspect of this story is honestly stupid to me, BUT I definitely look forward to a New Day title retain, but wouldn't be shocked if Gallows and Anderson won also, though I don't see them as being able to carry the division like the New Day has for the last year. New Day Rocks and let's hope, New Day Retains and we get that New Day vs Owens and Jericho title feud.
*WWE Women's Title
Sasha Banks vs Charlotte
-I am excited to see this one. A one on one match with Dana Brooke barred from ringside. This could be a sleeper on the night and a possible show stealer if given the right amount of time. A 4 hour event this year allows the women to get at least 12 minutes to craft a classic and show why they are in this position. With Charlotte about to take some time off as rumored, Sasha wins this one, but she should regardless of if Charlotte was going to be taking time off or not. This is the year of Sasha and her time to lead the women. Sasha goes over and retains her well deserved Women's Title.
*WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler
-This is the best built up match of Summerslam. Two guys who were passed up for opportunities over time are here in a big match at Summerslam. Oddly enough, if this match happened say 2 years ago with this build, it would be huge, but it feels like an afterthought on the card, which works very well for both of these men because they excel amazingly when they're doubted or slept on. I don't see Ziggler winning the title and he should at all, but this match could be absolutely great with Ambrose retaining the belt. Ambrose is having a damn good run with the belt and he's showing what it means to be a good champion. He'll continue to do so after this event as well I'm sure. Here's hoping for a classic.
*WWE Universal Championship
Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor
-This match is disappointing from a buildup standpoint. For some dumb ass reason, WWE hasn't given this match the proper buildup it needs and it feels a bit weaker than what I'm sure the match will be. Finn and Seth could put on a classic. They should be the headliners of RAW every week. They have the new championship on RAW and instead of opening or closing the show each week, they're nestled somewhere in the middle. This is my pick for match of the night and I can't wait to see what these two do. Brooklyn will be electric for this match and these two will blow the roof off. This match should headline, but since WWE is full of idiots, it probably won't.
*Randy Orton vs Brock Lesnar
-This match likely will close out the night. Brock and Orton is a long time coming and it's one match I've always wanted to see Brock have. Now, Orton and Brock have done a decent job building this up even with Brock's limited schedule, and here we are at this point. Does Brock get yet another win or can Orton manage to get out of there with a victory? The logic says Brock gets the win, but it would be nice if Orton could get much offense in and look strong. Brock is barely there now and the smartest thing would be to let Orton kick his ass some if he is going to lose. That's what it should be, but maybe WWE swerves us all and Brock finally loses. We shall see. My money is Brock, but I'd not be mad if Orton won.
This PPV is shaping up to be special. If you have any thoughts on this show and the matches, post them below. We'd love to hear your thoughts for sure.
-True
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By @TrueGodImmortal
We've not seen Triple H on WWE TV in quite some time. Summerslam is right around the corner so one could only assume that he will NOT take part in this huge event. Regardless, over the years, Triple H has had some classics at Summerslam and some not so classics. Today, I look back at his 5 best matches at the summertime PPV event. Let's get into it.
5. Triple H vs Mankind (Summerslam 1997)
-This is probably his most underrated match and feud. Foley and HHH had so much chemistry and while their 2000 battle was a huge feud for the company, in 1997, they had a damn good feud as well. This match was amazing and inside a steel cage, the old blue one to be exact. Mankind would win this one with a huge elbow drop off the top of the cage, but HHH definitely put in a great performance.
4. Triple H and Shawn Michaels (DX) vs Legacy
(Summerslam 2009)
-Another underrated match that saw DX reunite and take on the up and coming Legacy, and get pushed to the limit. The chemistry between the two teams was evident and I enjoyed the watching them go at it. HHH and HBK picked up the win of course, but this was a great match by all four participants.
3. Triple H vs Kurt Angle vs The Rock (Summerslam 2000)
-This match was a mess. Angle got injured early on and from there it just got crazy, but in a good way. HHH and Rock did most of the match, but Angle eventually came back and helped finish out the match, and Rock walked away retaining his championship in this main event, but this was a great match. It's no shock that Triple H still shines even in a losing effort.
2. Triple H vs The Rock (Summerslam 1998)
-This is basically tied for no. 1. I can't really choose, but I'd place this at no. 2 if I had to choose. This ladder match for the IC Title was great and showcased both men as huge stars for the future. Triple H and Rock went at it for almost 30 minutes in one of my favorite ladder matches ever. A certified classic and if you had this at no. 1, I couldn't fault you at all.
1. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels (Summerslam 2002)
-This is the one. A classic and the best HHH vs HBK match in their 2 year rivalry saga in the 2000s. HHH had forced HBK out of retirement and none of us knew what to expect. HBK hadn't wrestled in 4 years so we expected a brawl and while that was some of the match, we got an amazing contest that is still one of my personal favorite HHH matches overall period. A true classic match and his best at Summerslam.
-True
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By @SteveSignore
Dean Ambrose has drawn the comparisons to that of Stone Cold Steve Austin in the past, due to his anti-authority persona and take no prisoners style. When Ambrose recently won the title, it mirrored the narrative of Austin's first title run, which was "how can someone as off the wall represent the company"? So, when Ambrose was scheduled for the Stone Cold Podcast, I figured it would be two guys who were going to click. "Ah hell, just two sons of bitches shootin' the breeze in a hellacious interview," says my brain's Stone Cold voice. I didn't watch it live, but saw the feedback on Twitter. It seemed to be that of mixed reviews. I went into the podcast expecting an average podcast, but what I witnessed was car wreck television. I didn't see two guys shooting the breeze, talking about the business they loved, comparing each other's gimmicks. Oh no, I saw Steve Austin, seemingly restraining the anger with every word that spilled out of Ambrose's mouth.
What could be the cause of the lack of chemistry? Could it have been as simple as how Ambrose was speaking? Did Austin think he was staying in character? In my head, I wondered if Austin was thinking, "is this a damn shoot?" Austin barely cracked a smile during the uncomfortable, hour-long exchange. The point where the train completely went off the tracks was during the Brock Lesnar discussion. The fact that Ambrose was shooting on Lesnar's lack of preparation for their Wrestlemania match didn't seem to sit well with Austin. Let's not forget, Austin and Lesnar were laughing it up during their interview on the Network. Ambrose most likely crossed a line on multiple levels. First, Lesnar and Austin are friends. Second, Austin most likely believed Ambrose broke the unwritten rule of shooting on a fellow member of the roster, especially a veteran who has paid his dues.
This interview hopefully sparked an idea in Vince McMahon's head. Ambrose versus Austin at Wrestlemania in Orlando! While Austin has made his cameos at Wrestlemania on ocassions since he retired, he's never had that one full-blown return match. Yes, Austin has mentioned that it would take an unreasonable boatload of money to get that one last match out of him, but he's also made it known that the match would have to make sense. Well, here you go! This is a great starting point. If you can't build off of that podcast, then you shouldn't be writing for the WWE. Now granted, I'm a mark who wants to see a dream match such as Ambrose/Austin, but you have plenty of material here!
"Stone Cold can't have another match, he'll never walk again!" is probably the outcry from fellow marks! But let's not dismiss the idea of a Texas Death Match, a brawl. No wrestling moves, just a shot-for-shot all out brawl. Maybe some toys get entered into the mix. Remember when Austin cut a promo on Paul Heyman, saying Brock and Austin should have such a match? Austin could perform without risking his longterm health. And wouldn't you want to see the build for this match? They can't cut promos from here till Wrestlemania just off of the podcast alone. We can hear just what Austin was thinking when Ambrose was speaking. Ambrose could show Austin that he has plenty of passion for the business, and he's nowhere near complacent (which Austin suggested).
It's ready made for you Vince! Lets make it happen!
-Steve
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By @TrueGodImmortal
So far in WWE this year, we've witnessed some amazing matches, but what are the best? I took some time, watched a ton of the better matches this year and here comes a list of my top 10 so far for 2016. Let's get into it.
10. Bayley vs Asuka
NXT Takeover Dallas
-This was the end of Bayley and the era of her in the NXT landscape. Bayley was the champion for a number of months and it was obvious that Asuka was likely take the belt from her. This match was a great contest that saw Asuka get a big victory and start her era in NXT. Who will dethrone Asuka? Only time will tell.
9. Sasha Banks vs Charlotte
RAW July 2016
-This match was something special. I remember just sitting back and thinking it would end with some nonsense. On a match level, the Triple Threat at Wrestlemania 32 is slightly better as a match, but this was just a better outcome and less sloppy in execution. Sasha wins and walks away with the belt she should have won at Mania.
8. AJ Styles vs Roman Reigns
Extreme Rules 2016
-While Reigns isn't necessarily my favorite, I loved what he and AJ did in this match, despite not enjoying the outcome. I think AJ truly put on a great performance, and Reigns managed to keep up with the superior athlete. Reigns wins this match and retains, but this is a great contest regardless.
7. Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns
Battleground
-The Shield Triple Threat was long overdue, and a match that I enjoyed and ended the way it should have. Ambrose won a great contest, one that might be remembered as a classic when it's all said and done. Reigns takes the pin this match, which was a shock to me honestly, but Ambrose winning was the right call. Great contest.
6. Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Payback
-This match is underrated as it's the lesser of the two big single matches between the two stars. Regardless, this was a definite classic, as these two pushed each other to the limit, and Owens picked up the victory, continuing his torment of Zayn and controlling the rivalry.
5. The Miz vs Sami Zayn vs Cesaro vs Kevin Owens
Extreme Rules
-I hated the outcome. I think Sami should have won, but seeing how the draft went, I guess I get why it ended the way it did. Still, each of these stars put in an amazing effort, and with Miz getting the victory, it almost ruined a match that is a classic for this year. Anytime you put Owens, Zayn, and Cesaro in the ring together, you're bound to get something great. Miz just happened to benefit.
4. John Cena vs AJ Styles
Money In The Bank
-I thought these two put on a hell of a show. AJ was in mode as usual and Cena stepped up to the challenge, as expected. After a 25 minute battle, interference from the Club sealed the deal for AJ and Cena lost in the middle of the ring. We knew this was the beginning of something long term, and sure enough we'll have another contest at Summerslam which could be better than this one. Only time will tell.
3. Cedric Alexander vs Kota Ibushi
WWE CWC (2nd Round)
-It's surreal for me to have just watched this match and put it on the list so high already, but it deserves to be top 3 of the year so far. I came home, watched this match and sat in absolute awe of what I witnessed. Ibushi was great, but the star of this match was Cedric who managed to somehow upstage Ibushi just a bit, so much so that he ended the match getting a huge cheer and the crowd telling him to "Please Sign Cedric". The fact that they kept Cedric and HHH's moment with him on the show speaks volumes to possible plans that they have for him. This was the official coronation of Cedric Alexander as a WWE star.
2. Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Battleground
-I was blown away by this contest. No shock that Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens are involved in many of the choices in this list. Another Owens match against Dean Ambrose from the Royal Rumble just missed the mark on this list, and Sami has other matches that almost made this list, including his near hour match with Samoa Joe, which is pretty slept on. Regardless, this contest was a true classic, flawless from beginning to end, with Zayn finally getting the win over Owens.
1. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn
NXT Takeover Dallas
-Is there any other choice? Nakamura and Aries just missed this list too, and Nakamura is likely to add another match on this list soon against Joe in Brooklyn. This was WWE debut and he showed out. The pacing, the action, the suspense, the showmanship, it had everything you would want in a big fight. The big fight feel was definitely in effect here too and both men did exactly what you'd expect and that's steal the show. I don't expect any match to be better than this the rest of the year, but it is possible. We shall see. But for now, this is no. 1.
See a choice of yours missing from the list? Post it in the comments below.
-True
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By @BMDontCheat (Alex)
Hey everyone, it's Alex back again to give you some more food for thought regarding rasslin! The topic today is a "What If" scenario regarding what would've happened if RVD really became "Mr. Monday Night" in WWF during the Monday Night Wars in 1997, approximately 4 years earlier than he originally did.
In this article, I will be covering how this decision would affect ECW afterwards, the impact of RVD on WWF and their ratings, possible feuds/interactions with other superstars, and overall would it have been a good career move.....or fatal. Now let's get started...
First off, in reality, RVD was thinking of moving ship to the struggling WWF who had that time were in such a losing battle they were forced to collaborate with....E...C....W! RVD revealed this in the first ECW PPV Barely Legal in which fans felt he was a sellout and booed him. Van Dam would indeed make an appearance on Raw, but as it turned out the rumors were in actuality false, as RVD teased this as part of an angle with Sabu and Jerry Lawler. They would feud with ECW for an angle, but RVD would still be in ECW afterwards.
Now let's get hypothetical and wonder if this wasnt a storyline and he decided he actually wanted to go to Raw. This would change the wrestling world a bit, let's start off with ECW.
Now we know ECW was already struggling and eventually went out of business in 2001 with Van Dam. Now RVD was a big star, but apparently not big enough to win the big prize in ECW, though he was still extremely over wit the fans. Without Van Dam, I believe it wouldnt do any damage, but also no favors. I mean ECW were accustomed with having to reshape their roster due to their talent leaving or be lured away by WCW, so I dont think RVD would be a huge loss to hurt the business. However we would be robbed of future classic feuds like Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn and more.
Now if RVD came to WWF, depending on how the writers book his character, it should be a successful run. A lot of superstars from ECW would jump ship to WCW or WWF and get repackaged with a ugly gimmick, for example:
However WWF seemed to like Van Dam, at least more than other wrestlers from ECW, which is why they never truly buried him. They killed his hype several times yes, but never did they bury him. So I can assume that they likely would allow him to keep his hippy laidback yet cocky gimmick like in 2001. Good choice by WWF!
Now let's discuss some possible directions. He likely would be a midcarder or upper midcarder like he was in WWF, which actually would be fine considering the lack of great midcarders in the WWF. RVD would make an excellent edition as he is very flexible and could work with pretty much any opponent including guys like Vader, Mabel, Mero, Johnson, etc.
I can see him put on fantastic matches with midcard wrestlers, whether he is feuding with Davey Boy for the European title or Hunter Hearst for the IC title. He could make noteworthy feuds with Goldust, Faarooq, and especially Owen Hart (RIP). Imagine Owen and RVD putting on classics for the IC title or Bulldog with his power going against the quick RVD. These are classics we missed out on.
It's also likely Van Dam could be stuck in the tag team division. I'm fine with that cause RVD should propel in that area too if given the right partner. WWF usually matched people with anyone, but if you ask me his best partners would be wrestlers that were in ECW like him. For instance:
A. Dude Love/Mankind
-I mean he was already a tag team champion with Stone Cold so why not. Their outfits and personality would compliment each other. Maybe WWF would get creative and give them a name that fits well. Regardless, it should make a great tag team.
B. Stone Cold Steve Austin
-Now despite being tag team champ, Steve was already being pushed to the sky, so he might be above RVD as a candidate for tag team partner. But if they paired up it would show how serious WWF is taking RVD, which would be great. Stone Cold gets paired with this cocky kid from Michigan and they kick ass on the Hart Foundation and the Road Warriors.
C. Brian Pillman
-This is my favorite one because they're both extreme and highflyers. Pillman's over the top personality with RVD's laidback cocky attitude would be great, and these dudes would be really over. I mean hopefully this would affect Pillman life and career, though it might not, but I hope it could have cause this is a crazy ass tag team! RIP Pillman.
Now let's discuss the possibility of some main event feuds.
Undertaker
-I highly doubt RVD would face Taker for the title so early, and either way I doubt he would win. It should be a good match as Taker would want to show the extremely arrogant rookie who runs the yard.
Bret Hart
-To think Bret already lost his cool with one arrogant S.O.B in WWF (HBK), but with Van Dam as well? This would likely make a great tag team match with HBK with RVD vs Hart Foundation and maybe RVD becomes the new member of DX. Either way, I think Van Dam vs Bret would be perfect for TV as Bret was already out the door, so it might not have time to build as a great feud. But an exhibition match on TV would sure as hell boost some ratings, no doubt about it.
Shawn Michaels
-Maybe the WWF would be too small for more than one cocky bastard as HBK would come face to face with RVD. This would have been a better match for the DX PPV than HBK vs Shamrock. If booked properly with NO INTERFERENCE, this match should work as a perfect 5 star match as these two are the most phenomenal performers in WWF.
Mick Foley
-Picking off where these two were "tag partners" eventually they come face to face at King of the Ring with RVD beating Dude Love. Later, Mankind costs RVD his match with HHH and his shot at being KOTR. The next night, Mankind would cost him the tag titles via a no show, causing him to fight the Hart Foundation by himself! So these two feud and fight at Canadian Stampede instead of HHH vs Mankind. Great match, but Mankind wins via mandible claw. These two continue at Summerslam in a steel cage match like HHH vs Mankind, except RVD would win this match. Essentially, RVD would take the place of HHH in his feud with Foley in WWF during 1997. Then... At Ground Zero, Foley costs Van Dam his match against HHH or Owen for the IC title, except this time he is.......... CACTUS JACK!
Yeah that's right, Cactus Jack vs Van Dam at One Night Only ends in a double DQ as these guys brawl!!!!!! Then at Badd Blood before the classic HIAC match between HBK and Taker, we get a Texas Deathmatch between Cactus Jack and Van Dam! A hard fought battle, but Van Dam takes it of course. Looking back at what could have happened if this really went down, that might have been one of the best feuds we'd see in WWF.
As far as interactions go, backstage I doubt RVD would get in much trouble now that most of the Kliq is gone, which killed Chris Candido and Shane Douglas' careers in WWF. He could possibly get into trouble with Taker as RVD is cocky so he might get sent into wrestlers court a couple times. Another problem might be HBK, who was known as an asshole at the time. Van Dam wouldn't back down either, so this could result in RVD getting depushed due to HBK telling the boss. However, I assure you that if RVD gets booked in a wrong direction or treated bad, then he can always go back to ECW and just like Douglas would accept him back with open arms. Except he would be a bigger star and Heyman would have no choice but to push him to ECW champion like he should've done.
Either way I view it as a win-win situation cause even if Van Dam is dissatisfied, he would with much pride go back to ECW and become the star he was destined to be. As far as ratings go, I believe if any the possible feuds occur Van Dam could be a mega star like Rock and Austin as he was over with every crowd he entertained.
If RVD had come to WWF in 1997, we might have seen a different legacy for him. That could have went good or bad, but regardless, it didn't happen. If it had happened, I think the Attitude Era would have looked a little different. Who knows?
-Alex
