WWF missed the boat on RVD - WWF Invasion PPV, July 22, 2001 retro review: Bryan, Vinny & Craig Show

B, V & C review RVD vs. Jeff Hardy from the Invasion PPV in 2001 and also recap some Stacy Keibler, Torrie Wilson, Trish Stratus and Lita segments. [December 23, 2020]
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[@Radman1889]

Wait... WWE dropped the ball on a guy who was over?! Well, they’d never do that today...

[@kamfisher1714]

RVD dropped the ball

[@outlaw9140]

RVD was given the ball so many times and underperformed or was damn near killing people in the ring

[@num1Jaysta]

@@kamfisher1714 In 2006 he dropped the ball. NOT in 2001-2003....

[@judgejudyandexecutioner.5223]

RVD was outrageously talented. Had talent in bags. So athletic.

[@MJ_Weaver]

What he didn’t have was psychology to put on main event matches or talking ability

[@zemox2534]

You do not need fucking talking ability to get I over.

[@chrisiverson5648]

Rvd was that dude....period...

[@Redhotshawntexas]

He had pills and weed in bags. Other than that, not much. One of the first mainstream spot monkeys.

[@peterlee6374]

It was weird as everyone from the alliance was booed BUT RVD

[@Nediablo]

And not only was he welcomed like a hero, but he was against an always over Jeff Hardy! Makes it even more impressive to me.

[@jeffreymark475]

And Booker T

[@AgewolfWorkout]

@@jeffreymark475 your right there were times Booker would get a good pop as a heel but RVD was unstoppable during that time

[@LostOneOmega]

Shane Helms becoming the Hurricane made sure he had a future after the Alliance

[@Fantasyremix]

Everyone in the Alliance was a heel except RVD, and everyone in the WWF was a face except X-Pac

[@bucketdecals8428]

That DDT that RVD took from Jeff Hardy lives in my head absolutely rent-free! Me and my friends leaped off the couch at that moment!

[@eddieg1048]

To this day I think RVD should have won the title at No Mercy. Even if it was for a day, a week or a month. It would have played off the conflict of the alliance and Stone Cold better, as it would have more time to flesh out the story. Which might I add was a natural and organic story where a star could have been built.

[@ryankeefe6222]

I agree even if he lost to Austin a week later on raw on that night at that time he should’ve won the belt

[@omegaman6494]

RVD was the only Team WCW wrestler the crowd cared about because he wrestled for the crowd rather than for a paycheck

[@Dave_ja_vu]

Which is ironic because he has always been the first to remind people he's only in it for the money

[@claytron3000]

“He wrestled for the love of the sport” lmao

[@TenaciousJ2323]

Please, he came from ECW. He was finally getting a regular paycheck.

[@Christopherjazzcat]

They really did. I remember watching the Invasion and being blown away by the RVD match, then disappointed we didn't get to see more of him apart from one main event

[@CameronOmegamega]

Thank you! I’m glad people are finally seeing what I saw when I was a kid. RVD has always been my favourite and it was because of this match

[@MrRyanlennie2005]

Me and my friends grew up on WWF around this point and we loved RVD and I remember we were all frustrated they didn’t have him at the top of the card. We’d never watched ECW so had never seen someone as athletic as he was.

[@calebdavila2420]

In the 1st wrestling video game I owned, I always used RVD. Always thought his move set was so cool.

[@joet7449]

RVD probably wasn’t pushed because he wasn’t an WWF/E guy. The whole invasion arc was just another way for Vince to pat himself on the back for winning the Monday night wars.

[@kamfisher1714]

Educate yourself

[@tmage23]

The "book" on RVD was that he was really talented but his style was so unorthodox that he wouldn't mesh well with anyone who wrestled a more traditional style. That was of course, complete nonsense but it influenced a lot of his early post ECW stuff.

[@nicholaschristie8699]

To be fair to Torrie and Stacy (Stacy especially), with how she reacted to the slap, might have been a genuine reaction. The reason being that in an interview, she has admitted to liking it. Lol

[@tylerleggett5088]

I don't remember a lot of wrestling as a kid, but rvd was always my favorite. His move set was original and he came from the same state, so a young me gravitated towards him.

[@DJSkandalous]

Entire invasion angle was a mess. They should have waited a couple months until they could get Flair to be a on screen co-owner of WCW. They needed a bit more star power and DDP and RVD needed to be pushed as stars. Never liked them making all of the alliance members into Heels and Jobbers. Also don't get me started on Sean O'Haire. Lol

[@saggsman]

That is a valid complaint for sure. But also remember that Vince would have had to buy out some of those contracts from Time Warner to get Hogan, Nash, Hall, etc. To me I think the money he wasted on the XFL and WWF New York restaurant could have been used to buy out these contracts.

[@kevinlee9929]

@@saggsman He didn't do it cause he knew Austin, Rock, HHH etc. would demand contracts just like those WCW guys.

[@kevinlee9929]

If Vince waits 1 year. He would have had Flair, Hogan, Hall, Nash, and Bischoff. Guerrero and Benoit would have been back too. More than enough to make the angle work.

[@BruceColon-BSides]

This was the best match he ever had in WWE. He was still carrying over his ECW style. Within his first year, he then “adapted” to the WWE style and he was never the same. WWE f’d up with him big time.

[@aaronroyal9449]

This is so right on. I'm a take him or leave him guy when it comes to RVD but he was SO over at this point that not taking advantage of that was akin to burning money.

[@MrDrsogood]

Difference between RVD and bucks is Rob was 6 feet 235 and bucks are 5’9 180 lol

[@kaind.badguy]

RVD was sooo FN over during this time. The way the fans react and participate with Daniel Bryan’s or Fin Baylor’s entrance reminds me of RVD.

[@matthewroberts6833]

WWE could have had one of the most loyal, self-sacrificing talents in their history if they had pushed RVD when he was hot. They, frankly, would have had Mick Foley's replacement. Of course he was his own man at the start so Vince and the WWF veterans probably didn't want to share their toys and by the time Rob got pushed by process of elimination the guy had no reason to care or believe that it was a serious push.

[@randylynch4330]

He got arrested when he was Champion. Thats why he never got back there

[@matthewroberts6833]

@@randylynch4330 Rob had given up well before that point. Besides since when did getting in trouble with the law detriment anybody in the back if Vince didn't want it to happen?

[@Dave_ja_vu]

His first push was stopped when he landed on HHHs throat yeah but they still made him a star and put the belt on him. He blew his chance, it wasn't like they didn't give him the ball. They rebooted a whole promotion/brand around him.

[@y2sc0tt]

I was at the invasion ppv with my friends. Before the gates opened up, there were "RVD" and "whole f***in show" chants from the crowd. My friends and I didn't know who RVD was at the time because we watched the mainstream wrestling (WCW and WWE). We didn't watch ECW because we didn't get any exposure to it. My friends and I before the match: why is this guy so popular? My friends and I 5 minutes into the match: " whole f***in show!! Whole f***in show" We were RVD fans from that night forward. The guy was way over.

[@paulgarcia9682]

Lita and Trish my two favorite women from the Attitude Era

[@ParentsNightIn]

They were so stupid not to put the belt on RVD in 2002. He was mega-over during the Invasion.

[@mrparkinson]

As good as RVD was in WWE, he was even better in ECW, imo. He was allowed to do what he wanted, and it was great.

[@claytron3000]

They gave him the WWE AND ECW title in 2006. They were giving him a pretty big push. Guess what happened? Yeah.

[@milk_bath]

The USA’s draconian marijuana laws disrupts another person’s personal and professional life?

[@claytron3000]

milk bath as well as the non-prescribed Vicodin, hashish and steroids?

[@joni1405]

@@milk_bath LOL why do people always act like the US is unique in this? Trafficking weed in France can give you a ten year prison sentence and you can get a year just for personal use. Marijuana is illegal in virtually all of Europe whereas it's legal in a number of American states. The US is actually more liberal on weed than the EU! And that's not even getting into how brutal the drug laws in Asia are. Modern America has become more liberal on this issue than almost anywhere in the world but Americans still act like it's 1982.

[@joni1405]

@@claytron3000 People seriously believe guys like Van Dam wouldn't get in trouble for stuff like this in Europe, when, in fact, all that shit is illegal there and comes with multi-year prison sentences. Van Dam's only legal punishment for that was a $100 fine lmao. How draconian!

[@Martijn_Steinpatz]

I remember RVD being THE MAN back in the days. But you know, he couldn't cut a WWF promo, so he couldn't possibly be a star....

[@randylynch4330]

Or ya know.....getting arrested for possession

[@tayan219]

@@randylynch4330 that was like 5-6 years after he signed. He shouldve and couldve been pushed in anytime 01-03

[@drevandamva]

This is my favorite match ever, rvd is my FAVORITE wrestler ever. He’s the best. Fuck the haters lol

[@marcspera2300]

I’ve never really seen an RVD hater haha he’s so over with everyone !

[@originalsleepyjon]

I was there live. And trust me, I was there FOR RVD

[@michaelbrown297]

Here's a question; based on his influence on modern wrestling which Vinny noted; is there any case for him to be put on the HoF ballot for influence on the business today? It'd be interesting if nothing else to see how current workers would vote on him.

[@xGodofAcidx]

RVD was so over at this point, and his style would have won over just about anyone that didn't know who he was yet. Definitely should have pushed him more than they did. Felt like too little, too late when they finally put the belt on him a few years later, and then he blew it anyway.

[@kamfisher1714]

The last part of your comment is why they never gave him the title 2001-2005

[@xGodofAcidx]

@@kamfisher1714 I was thinking that, fair point, but then I think about the guys that had much worse problems that they did put the title on.. Shawn Michaels, Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle all come to mind.

[@kamfisher1714]

@@xGodofAcidx He wasn’t better than than Shawn or Kurt, or was he more over than Jeff when he got the title in 2008-2009

[@bugginout8602]

@@kamfisher1714 I will make the argument that he was if you compare the two eras. Wrestling was still hot during the invasion era even though WWE botched it poorly. RVD was super over during that time.

[@kamfisher1714]

@@bugginout8602 He wasn’t as over as Stone cold, the rock, Jericho, undertaker or Kane.

[@bonesoftheark4665]

RVD was amazing in WWF then early TNA.

[@tinotica]

RVD was the only person from Invasion to win for the Alliance clean

[@originalsleepyjon]

My ultimate dream match would have been HBK VS RVD in their primes

[@paulrobinson3213]

If there was a Pizza Boy involved in that Torrie and Stacy segment or in 2020 some step family member it would so be porn.

[@jonpower9728]

RVD was more over than 99% of the 2001 WWE/WCW roster.

[@devious187]

I think the only reason RVD didn't get pushed to the moon is the obvious one, his love of marijuana... Stephanie apparently had to go to him at one point and tell him to be more discreet about it because he would show up to the arenas just reeking of weed, and I'm sure Vince was worried about the PR if he got busted while holding the title... Which is pretty much what happened when they finally did give him the big push. It's a shame because he was awesome

[@SamoIsKing]

This whole time is a period of massive missed opportunity. Its a shame. This was a four star match easily.

[@MahdiRanger]

RVD has stated before, he wasnt trying, showed up late, didnt want to hang with the boys, didnt put in the work after the bell rang. Folks always quick to only judge a push based on bell to bell ring action, forgetting they have 10 hours a day where they could be a shit employee.

[@danesesse]

All that stuff does not matter. It doesnt matter if your friends with your collegues. It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the profit drivers.

[@kamfisher1714]

@@danesesse Did RVD ever draw ?

[@MahdiRanger]

@@danesesse Being professional in a job setting isnt important lol. Fine forget the being friends thing, he was still late, insubordinate, unwilling to stay late -come early, go the extra mile. Thats what white color jobs are apart. They will make profits woth someone else, which is exactly what they did. They dont need you.

[@bugginout8602]

@@kamfisher1714 I hate when MFERS say that. Y’all know the only ppl that draw are the ones WWE put the rocket behind FOH

[@kamfisher1714]

@@bugginout8602 Stone cold and the rock drew 50 million at the gate months prior, and you think RVD deserved to be the man because he was over 🤣🤣🤣 What a joke. FOH.

[@trevorfeelgood]

Sable was meant to say "voluptuous breasts" once But she said "voluptuous breast" 😅🤣

[@B_dizzy-l5v]

Bout time RVD got his due. B&V used to always give Rob a hard time for being sloppy and doing the same stuff in every match/bad psychology, which always bugged me cause I remember this RVD who always had great matches, wrestled like no one else, that everyone else copied and was consistently always over. Baffling it took Bryan 20 years to figure this out.

[@bonesoftheark4665]

They were both firm...🤣🤣🤣🤣😐

[@Charsi_Escobar]

RVD fucked up when him and Sabu got pulled over with all those drugs 😓 I don’t think he was ever used in a main event spot after that.

[@Cobralalalala]

RVD was sloppy as hell, but that somehow worked to his favor. Sadly, people who copy him typically don't have the attributes that made him great. Also, his problem in WWE was they made him a generic stoner who walked around confused most of the time, same as they're doing now with Matt Riddle.

[@co81385]

WWE's mishandling, and under-booking, of RVD may just be one of their greatest sins. Also, during the Trish and Lita vs. Stacey and Torrie feud during the beginning of the Invasion, I was always humored by a promo in an episode of Raw or Smackdown in which Stacey and Torrie said "Everyone knows the women of WCW are so much better than WWF", because, as of that point in time, there were only two WCW women.

[@kossttass]

bryan doesn''t like yelling lmao MINUS FIVE STARS

[@randylynch4330]

RVD got pushed to the moon and then got arrested for possession while he was WWE Champion. That is on him as to why he never got back to that spot.

[@mattjindrak]

Harvey Dee is the GOAT

[@BlackChapters]

What Torrie did here is nothing compared to the next year

[@bryanmahoney3434]

2002 Rob Van Dam was almost as over as CM Punk and Daniel Bryan were in their best years. That was his year and WWE or Triple H and Shawn Michaels specifically just killed him politically. Rob Van Dam was cool with the stoner surfer personality but that was perceived he as he didn't take the business seriously. To me even though he did get his due in 2006 and getting pulled over just stopped him in the tracks Rob Van Dam is the greatest wrestler to never fully reach his potential. He could have been one of the greatest of all time. Another blunder is they should have put him against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. Mr. PPV vs Mr. WrestleMania. That writes itself. Now nearly 20 years later the things that held him down Matt Riddle is now facing

[@tronzilla1xboxhater850]

Rvd is an example of being able to get over with in ring talent, don't let the WWE spooz guzzlers know that tho, durrrrrrr not a durrr wwe star don't matter duh

[@aarong3000]

I like RVD but it’s obvious that the company didn’t trust him and they proved to be right when he completely dropped the ball in 2006 after they gave him the WWE and ECW world title.

[@randylynch4330]

RVD drove his own boat into an iceberg

[@rj5822]

Is Ricochet the one and only highflyer on WWE that can't get over?

[@highlifenbd8655]

Lmfao