It was a close poll between Rob Van Dam and AJ Styles, but in the end Rob Van Dam won by only one vote! I personally agree. I said in my earlier post that my top three guys in TNA would be (in order) Rob Van Dam, AJ Styles, and Mr. Anderson. And that is how the poll turned out. Now if everyone agrees that Rob Van Dam should be the top guy in TNA, then why has he only had one title run since he debuted in the company a couple years ago? The night Hulk Hogan started in TNA he had a few surprises... his biggest surprise was RVD who showed up and defeated Sting in his debut match! He then went on to defeat AJ Styles for the title.. a title that he never lost! And yet he has never been given a chance to win it back... why is that?
Here is the story of his one and only title reign...
The night after Lockdown on the April 19 edition of Impact! he first defeated Jeff Hardy in a number one contender's match and then, in the main event of the evening, A.J. Styles to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. After succeeding in his first televised title defense against Desmond Wolfe, Styles attacked Van Dam, announcing the invocation of the rematch clause for Sacrifice. At Sacrifice Van Dam defeated Styles in a rematch. The following month at Slammiversary VIII Van Dam retained his title against Sting in a rematch of his TNA debut. At Victory Road Van Dam defeated Abyss, Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson in a four–way match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. On the following edition of Impact! Van Dam aligned himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Stevie Richards, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney, Al Snow and Mick Foley, who saved him from a beating at the hands of Abyss. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice. At the event on August 8 Van Dam defeated former tag team partner and rival Sabu in a non-title Hardcore Rules match, after his originally planned match with Jerry Lynn was scrapped due to Lynn suffering a back injury. After successfully defending the championship against Abyss in a Stairway to Janice match on the following special edition of Impact!, named The Whole F'N' Show, Van Dam and the other former ECW wrestlers were assaulted by Abyss and Fourtune. In the attack Van Dam suffered multiple serious storyline injuries at the hands of Abyss including the need for stitches, spinal trauma and possible acute brain damage, which would force him to vacate the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on August 10 at the taping of the August 19 edition of Impact!. In reality, Van Dam was running out of dates per year on his contract and was therefore taken off television.
The night after Lockdown on the April 19 edition of Impact! he first defeated Jeff Hardy in a number one contender's match and then, in the main event of the evening, A.J. Styles to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. After succeeding in his first televised title defense against Desmond Wolfe, Styles attacked Van Dam, announcing the invocation of the rematch clause for Sacrifice. At Sacrifice Van Dam defeated Styles in a rematch. The following month at Slammiversary VIII Van Dam retained his title against Sting in a rematch of his TNA debut. At Victory Road Van Dam defeated Abyss, Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson in a four–way match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. On the following edition of Impact! Van Dam aligned himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Stevie Richards, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney, Al Snow and Mick Foley, who saved him from a beating at the hands of Abyss. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice. At the event on August 8 Van Dam defeated former tag team partner and rival Sabu in a non-title Hardcore Rules match, after his originally planned match with Jerry Lynn was scrapped due to Lynn suffering a back injury. After successfully defending the championship against Abyss in a Stairway to Janice match on the following special edition of Impact!, named The Whole F'N' Show, Van Dam and the other former ECW wrestlers were assaulted by Abyss and Fourtune. In the attack Van Dam suffered multiple serious storyline injuries at the hands of Abyss including the need for stitches, spinal trauma and possible acute brain damage, which would force him to vacate the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on August 10 at the taping of the August 19 edition of Impact!. In reality, Van Dam was running out of dates per year on his contract and was therefore taken off television.
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