Rob Van Dam's WWE career has had some incredible high and disappointing moments. Nevertheless, Mr. PPV's final 10 matches on a WWE pay-per-view were a mixed bag of brilliance and underwhelming affairs.
One of the most innovative superstars in wrestling history is Rob Van Dam. RVD is a risk-taker and he captivates audiences with his aerial and striking maneuvers. Van Dam made a name for himself in ECW but once WWE gained his signature, the only way was up for RVD.
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Van Dam's career has been nothing short of controversial but he still has carved out a successful career. His final batch of matches on WWE pay-per-view came in 2009, 2013, and 2014. Some of them are easily forgotten but whilst RVD was not at the peak of his powers he still operated at an extremely high level.
10 Royal Rumble Match (Royal Rumble 2009)
Rob Van Dam left WWE in the summer of 2007 due to burnout but he made a surprise return in the 2009 Royal Rumble match. Entering 25th, Van Dam received a huge reception from the fans, who were delighted to see RVD.
Whilst it was great to see RVD mix it up with the very best, he was never going to win the Rumble match. It was a respectable outing as he lasted a little over 13 minutes, registering no eliminations in the process. He executed a Five-Star Frog Splash on Orton, selling the effects of the move with Chris Jericho throwing him over.
9 Rob Van Dam Vs. Cesaro (SummerSlam 2014)
Rob Van Dam collided with Cesaro at SummerSlam 2014 but their match was demoted to the kick-off show. The Swiss Cyborg dominated this encounter as expected, and he landed some brutal uppercuts to Van Dam.
Nonetheless, RVD regrouped and he reversed Cesaro's Neutralizer but he tasted a big boot straight to his face. Ultimately, Van Dam hung tough and reaped the rewards by defeating Cesaro with the Five-Star Frog Splash, which was his final pay-per-view match in WWE.
8 Rob Van Dam Vs. Bad News Barrett (Payback 2014)
RVD is one of the most decorated Intercontinental Champions in history, and RVD was searching for his seventh run with the gold by challenging Bad News Barrett at Payback 2014.
It was a decent encounter at best which easily had the potential to be a lot better. Van Dam missed the Five-Star Frog Splash but Barrett failed to connect the Bull Hammer Elbow. However, RVD was his own worst enemy as he went for the Split-Legged Moonsault, which proved to be costly as Barrett put his knees up and retained the title with his patented Bull Hammer Elbow.
7 Rob Van Dam Vs. Dean Ambrose (SummerSlam 2013)
The United States Championship is one of the titles that had eluded RVD from his stellar career. RVD challenged Dean Ambrose for the championship at SummerSlam 2013. Somehow this match was omitted from the main show, but it certainly deserved its place on the main card but it was not to be.
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RVD was in control for large portions of the match with RVD going for his Five-Star Frog Splash, the WWE Tag Team Champions Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins made their way to ringside. Mark Henry and Big Show also made their presence felt by evening up the odds at ringside. The Whole Dam Show executed his Five-Star Frog Splash on Ambrose but Reigns sensed trouble and speared RVD keeping the United States Title in The Shield's camp with the DQ finish.
6 Rob Van Dam Vs. Randy Orton (One Night Stand 2007)
RVD and Randy Orton had magnificent in-ring chemistry together so it was not surprising to see them opening up One Night Stand 2007 in their Stretcher match. The Whole Dam Show looked dazed every time The Legend Killer inflict punishment on his head as he received a concussion from Orton leading up to this contest.
Nonetheless, it did not refrain RVD from resorting to his aerial moves as he went for a running flip but he crashed and burned, landing hard on the ground. Orton was close to pulling the stretcher across the line but out of nowhere, RVD kicked Orton in the head and placed him on the stretcher for the win. Orton was seething and he retaliated by punting RVD, who was departing the company.
5 Rob Van Dam Vs. Alberto Del Rio (Night Of Champions 2013)
RVD was finally etched in the World Heavyweight Championship title picture, and he challenged Alberto Del Rio for the gold at Night of Champions 2013. Van Dam had the hometown support as the match took place at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
Night of Champions 2013 was the final WWE pay-per-view to be held inside the Joe Louis Arena before it got demolished. Furthermore, Del Rio's former personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez was in Van Dam's corner. The reigning champ was aggressive right from the bat but he got himself intentionally disqualified when he refused to break up the Cross Armbreaker and kept his title intact.
4 Rob Van Dam Vs. Cesaro Vs. Jack Swagger (Extreme Rules 2014)
Extreme Rules 2014 played host to an underrated triple threat elimination match between Rob Van Dam, Jack Swagger, and Cesaro. Cesaro and Swagger used to be a formidable tag team called The Real Americans but The Swiss Cyborg was the latest Paul Heyman Guy, which meant bigger and better things were in store for him.
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Van Dam eliminated Swagger first with his patented Five-Star Frog Splash. RVD and Cesaro had an exceptional battle with fans chanting ECW. Ultimately, Van Dam missed the Five-Star Frog Splash with Cesaro pushing a trash can into RVD. The Swiss Cyborg prevailed with a Neutralizer on the trash can in a forgotten but remarkable contest.
3 Money In The Bank Ladder Match (Money In The Bank 2014)
The issue with Money in the Bank Ladder matches is that there can be predictable winners, and this was no different in the 2014 Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2014 iteration of the event. Rob Van Dam, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, and Dolph Ziggler featured in a stellar lineup.
RVD had a vintage outing, and he executed a Rolling Thunder on Rollins who was lying on a ladder. He planted Swagger with a Five-Star Frog Splash but Swagger powerbombed RVD off the ladder. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable contest and Ambrose was going for the win until Kane interfered and assaulted Ambrose, which allowed Rollins to prevail.
2 Money In The Bank Ladder Match (Money In The Bank 2013)
The All-Stars Money in the Bank ladder match at Money in the Bank 2013 arguably boasted the strongest field in the history of this match. Rob Van Dam, Randy Orton, Christian, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Sheamus were all former world champions.
It was RVD's first WWE match in four years, and fans chanted his name before he made his long-awaited return. The Whole Dam Show did not shy away from getting physical as he had a deep cut on the top of his head. RVD was tantalizingly close to winning his second MITB ladder match but Orton pulled him off with a magnificent RKO and won the match.
1 Rob Van Dam Vs. Alberto Del Rio (Battleground 2013)
Rob Van Dam and Alberto Del Rio got Battleground 2013 off to a fast start in their World Heavyweight Championship rematch in a Hardcore match. These two had extraordinary in-ring chemistry together which is why their matches clicked.
Van Dam left it all out there on the line as he did a split-legged moonsault with Del Rio placed under the ladder. RVD followed it up with a Five-Star Frog Splash off the ladder onto the outside which was fantastic. Ultimately, RVD missed the Van Daminator and Del Rio retained his title after locking RVD's arm in a chair for in the Cross Armbreaker, leaving RVD no choice but to tap.
