[2000-09-07-ECW-Cleveland, OH] Rob Van Dam vs Rhino

[soup23]

Better than your garden variety RVD match simply because it segued from Rhino interfering in the Sandman match and carried a quick pace. The brawling here was more focused and didn't have the time to devolve into RVD planning and setting up mindless spots for 10-15 minutes at a time. Overall, this was a strong way to end the night for the ECW crowd. The venue they are at here is interesting overall as it is elevated and looks like a theater for stage plays mainly. RVD throws out most of his arsenal but hits it cleanly and in half the time as normal. Kudos. **1/2

[Migs]

The theater here is actually a big concert venue, much like the Hammerstein Ballroom.

 

The brawling here is really nicely heated, as opposed to a lot of the ECW crowd brawling by this point. Loved the suplex out of the odd crowd pit back into the ringside area. The pace keeps up in the ring, which is really refreshing for a 2000 RVD match, which are usually best watched with some mild fast forward (although he starts to slow down again towards the end).

[GSR]

Segues from the previous match where Rhino attacked Sandman and Chilly Willy and then called out Van Dam.  He attacks RVD as he’s slapping hands with the fans, but after whipping him into the metal guard rail runs into a big boot.  Van Dam goes for a moonsault off the rail, however Rhino shoves him in the backside and he goes flying into the crowd.  They fight around the back of, and even out of the building, although it is pretty dark and the camera often goes out of focus.  RVD fires back and a thrust kick drops Rhino.  Rather than follow up he starts posing to the crowd.  It gets worse, as after a double axe handle off the fence he proceeds to take a bottle of water from a fan and drink from that.  Bad move as Rhino had already hopped over the fence and suplexes Van Dam over it and onto the hard wooden floor.  That’s gotta hurt Gorilla.  They finally make it into the ring and Rhino with a thunderous powerbomb for a two.  RVD ducks the clothesline and lands a spinning heel kick, although it looked more like he just flung himself into Rhino.  He rattles through his offense, finishing by dropkicking a chair into Rhino’s face after he collapsed in the corner following an inverted atomic drop.  Of course he then has to bow to the fans!  Forward rolling slam into a middle rope moonsault.  Rhino reverses the Irish whip and gores Van Dam against the turnbuckles.  Fonzie is up on the apron and as Rhino whips him towards him, Fonzie throws his man a chair.  ‘Van Daminator’, frog splash and put another in the win column for Mr Van Dam.

Any match which limits all the extracurricular Rob Van Dam nonsense automatically gets a thumbs up from me.  Enjoyed the brawling and even when it was dark and the camera went out of focus it did add to things.  Van Dam’s crowd appreciation shit bothers me every time he does it, although at least it wasn’t as nauseating as it has been, or no doubt will be.  A strong way to close out the event.