Rob Van Dam Confirmed To Enter WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2021
Rob Van Dam is the latest name to be added to the Hall of Fame class of 2021.
WWE and FOX Sports confirmed that Rob Van Dam will be part of this year’s class, joining the likes of Kane, Molly Holly, and The Great Khali.
Fightful Select first reported the news of RVD’s induction on March 23.
RVD was a standout performer in ECW from 1996 to 2001. Though he never won the ECW World Title under the original company/brand, he was arguably the most popular performer in the company. He joined WWE in 2001 as part of the invasion and went on to become a six-time Intercontinental Champion, WWE Champion, ECW World Champion, and multi-time Tag Team Champion.
He last wrestled in WWE in 2014.
From WWE:
The WWE Hall of Fame is about to get a one-of-a-kind inductee with the addition of Rob Van Dam.
RVD is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. He’ll take his place in sports-entertainment history during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, streaming Tuesday, April 6 on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
One of the most innovative grapplers to ever step foot in the squared circle, Van Dam first broke out in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990s. His cool, calm, and laid-back demeanor was the complete opposite of the competitor he became once the bell rang. Employing a mix of devastating martial arts kicks and breathtaking aerial attacks, RVD quickly became one of ECW’s most popular stars and one of its most decorated champions. After a brief stint in WWE, Van Dam captured the ECW World Television Championship and held onto it for an astonishing 699 days. RVD was also a two-time ECW Tag Team Champion alongside notorious risk-taker Sabu.
When ECW closed in 2001, Van Dam joined his fellow ECW alumni in invading WWE and quickly endeared himself to the WWE Universe and brought the fight to Superstars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Kurt Angle. RVD won the Intercontinental Championship from William Regal at his first WrestleMania, then went on to unify the championship with the European and Hardcore Titles. In addition to his prowess as a singles competitor, Van Dam was also a successful tag team wrestler, capturing titles in beloved pairings with Kane, Booker T and Rey Mysterio.
But Van Dam’s biggest success as a WWE Superstar would come in 2006. That year, he won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 22, earning himself a world championship opportunity at any point in the next year. Van Dam opted to cash in his contract on his terms, challenging WWE Champion John Cena for the title on his home turf, at ECW One Night Stand. In front of a raucous New York City crowd, Van Dam emerged from a wild brawl as the new WWE Champion. As ECW returned that summer, Van Dam also earned another title that had eluded him, as he was named the first ECW Champion of the reborn brand.
Following a six-year hiatus, RVD returned to WWE in 2013 to square off with a new generation of Superstars, including Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Sheamus and Roman Reigns. Now, in 2021, he returns to take his rightful place among sports-entertainment’s greatest stars.
Don’t miss Rob Van Dam join the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, streaming Tuesday, April 6 on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. The ceremony will feature the Class of 2020, featuring The nWo, The Bella Twins, JBL, British Bulldog and Jushin “Thunder’ Liger, as well as the Class of 2021, which includes RVD, Kane, The Great Khali, Molly Holly and Eric Bischoff.
The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set to tape on March 30 and April 1. Both the 2020 and 2021 classes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set to stream on Peacock on Tuesday, April 6. You can find more details by clicking here.
