[2001-01-07-ECW-Guilty as Charged] Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn

[GSR]

If there is one thing guaranteed to dampen my renewed enthusiasm it’s a Rob Van Dam match.  I don’t think his stock was ever really that high with me, but it plummeted last year and there was no-one I looked forward to less than him.  Things unfortunately haven’t changed, as after a stand-off he bows to one side of the crowd BEFORE LEAVING THE RING AND HI FIVING FANS.  Back inside and yet more playing to them. Two and a half minutes after the stand-off the action recommences.  Van Dam gets a busted mouth in their somewhere, maybe from an errant elbow.  A great press slam, standing moonsault, middle rope moonsault combination that gets him a two count.  But of course, why follow up on your opponent when you can bow and showboat?  There’s this dick in the front row trying to involve himself, and as Lynn takes it to RVD right in front of him the fans start a “hit the bald guy” chant, which is the best thing about this so far.  Another of my pet peeves for 2000 doesn’t look like they’re going away either in the shape of Guerrero/Malenko sequences.  If things couldn’t get any worse Joel Gertner shows up at ringside, chases Cyrus into the ring and DDT’s him.  RVD ducks a Lynn chair hot and nails him with a ‘Van Daminator’.  With no Fonzie to provide assistance for the ‘Van Terminator’ Gertner volunteers his services.  Poor Lynn has to lay there for about a minute whilst this shit show goes on.  ‘Van Terminator’ connects and this one’s all over, Gertner looking like he’s having some sort of spasmodic fit.

One of the few positives about ECW dying is that I will never have to watch another Rob Van Dam match in that environment.  I wasn’t looking forward to this in the first place, couldn’t get into it and the finish was hideous. 

[soup23]

Cyrus announces Rhino as the champion and is very proud of himself. He lays down a challenge to anyone to come out.  RVD answers the call to a huge pop. RVD and Rhino are face to face and Rhino puts the belt in between them.  Jerry Lynn attacks from behind. Lynn says he only wrestles main events and the match is on. They do a quick flurry and then really milk it and mug for the crowd. It is crazy that Joey talks about how RVD hasn’t been ECW champion. Talk about waiting too long to pull the trigger. Match has a few good wrinkles in it with Lynn in the heel control spot but also some slop as to be expected.  Finish doesn’t get too ridiculous as Gertner comes in and DDTs Cyrus right away to put him out of the picture. RVD looks better than Lynn here to me which is surprising. RVD overall is interesting to track in 2001, he for sure wasn’t in my top 100 wrestlers of 2000 but he has ample opportunity and a high profile in 2001 to surprise me. Van Terminator gets the triumphant babyface win and essentially puts a bow on ECW for good with a just over 2 hour PPV. ***1/4 (6.5)