[2000-01-28-ECW-Fort Lauderdale, FL] Rob Van Dam vs Mikey Whipwreck

[soup23]

This really wrote home for me how ineffective Mikey was in WCW. Not necessarily his fault mind you, it just seems besides Public Enemy he had the toughest time integrating elsewhere. I liked the beginning with him being real aggressive towards RVD and hitting some nice looking offense. RVD weathers that storm and then he essentially runs through his spot show offense that looks like it should be an attraction at Disney World ala Indiana Jones where he shows you a "backstage" look at dangerous spots in wrestling. I can't get into it at all as it has no flow. Disappointing main to an otherwise good house show effort for ECW. **

[Loss]

Not a bad match, but these two just didn't fully click on this particular night. I like Mikey and RVD has his moments, but this was off. Too bad that, as soup said, a fun batch of matches ended with a thud. RVD was a little overly occupied with pointing to himself for the crowd and just getting his shit in. I guess he always is to an extent, but it was more so than usual here.

[GSR]

Just like me, Mikey has had enough of RVD’s never ending entrance and nails him with a baseball slide dropkick through the ropes followed by a pescado. This match is being filmed for TV and we miss a whole bunch of action where the wrestlers are obscured by the camera man, or are on the opposite side of the ring to Feinstein, although you can just about make out Whipwreck with a huracanrana on the floor. Mikey with a slingshot elbow drop back into the ring as RVD is draped over the middle ropes for a two. Nice clothesline off the top for another near fall. RVD catches Mikey’s foot and spins through with a kick of his own. The camera angle does Van Dam’s kicks no favours at this point showing them clearly missing and coming up short. Reverse atomic drop sends Mikey crashing into the corner, RVD catches a chair from Fonzie and dropkicks it into his face. They’re back on the outside and an Irish Whip into the guard rail, then a thrust kick sends Mikey flying backwards over it and into the front row. As Mikey is hanging over the rail Fonzie holds a chair over him and RVD with a spinning leg drop off the apron. Back in the ring and a cartwheel into a moonsault for a two. Rather than continue to attack his opponent Van Dam would rather look into the crowd and posture. ‘Rolling Thunder’ onto a chair and more self congratulating himself. Mikey evades a monkey flip onto the chair, comes round the side of RVD and a lovely release German onto it. Pedigree onto the chair for two. Van Dam blocks the stunner flipping Mikey backwards over his shoulder, catches a chair from Fonzie (who’s up on the apron) and a Van Daminator. He sits the chair in the corner, invites Fonzie to come and sit on it (huh?) then comes off the top with a frog splash for the win.

 

I was split watching this one. I liked Mikey and his control segments were the highlight of the match for me (his selling was great too), but I hated RVD. He’ll do a spot then stop and look to the crowd for some sort of acknowledgement and recognition. Once I could just about live with, but it’s practically every time with him. I had forgotten how flagrant the use of the chair is as well, with not even a hint of a warning about it from the official. Then sitting Fonzie in the corner on it before the match is even over? Yuck! Towards the bottom of the pile this one.