How big of a draw is RVD?
 

So two weeks ago RVD returned and is already booked to wrestle for the world title at Sacrifice. In typical TNA fashion they've put someone into the main event picture who hasn't been around for awhile, but he's still in good shape and can still hit the 5 Star from anywere. So how big of a draw would you say is RVD in pro wrestling today?

Not very big at all as far as I'm concerned. But I'm of the view that he's highly overrated as it is.

And I'm actually a fan...

"Not very" is exactly what I was going to post.

Once WWE bungled him in the Invasion, where he was over as shit and could have been enormous, he's not been worth much outside of what guys like Truth and Morrison have been - guys who could be cycled in and out of the main event but never a true main eventer. The one exception was when he beat Cena, but even that was doomed to failure whether he fucked up like he did or not.

How old is he these days anyways?

Early 40s.

I just don't imagine his match-style is going to be as exciting now as it was in the 90s.

Less of a draw now since he joined TNA,its amazing how quickly that happens, but he wasn't really a big draw anywhere outside ECW,whatever that was worth. Like Xero said,he had the potential to be huge during the Invasion but was poorly booked and never really recovered.

In fairness its the same match he was having in the 90s that he still puts out there.

He's probably about as much as a draw as anyone not named Brock Lesnar, The Rock or John Cena, to be fair. He moves a ton of merchandise for TNA and is fairly over, so I see no problem in having him step into the main event scene for a little bit to put over Roode as champ some more. Now, if RVD wins the title, that'll be another issue...

If RVD wins the title again, it'll be business as usual for TNA.

Shocking the world and all that.

Does he still have his shit theme?

Yes.

So horrible.

There was only one night when RVD was a big draw. One Night 2006. Before and after that? I never thought he was a big draw. I always thought he was overrated. I know I will probably get heat for that, but thats how I feel.

Do people know what a draw is? A draw isn't how much you like a guy or how good he is in the ring. It's about whether or not people clunk down money to see said person. There is no doubt that RVD, at one point, was one of the hottest acts in professional wrestling.

I feel like he drew big in ECW, and slightly during the Invasion, but I think his power to pull in viewers has diminished.

This may have something to do with it.

He hasn't evolved since ECW... That's the issue. If he changed up a little, then he would be fine...

He should have joined the RTC.

Robert Van Darn

He needs to snap and...

go to UFC?

Negative draw. Was gonna give TNA yet another shot, but heard RVD was back and fighting for the title, so I said "nah".

Then again, I have always hated RVD.

Always?

In fairness no one is a draw in TNA.

Yeah.

To be fair, I never saw him in ECW though.

So to me he was always just this craaaazy overrated dude.

He's definitely far far far lower down the drawing ladder than those you mentioned. There's a ton of other people who are much more of a draw currrently.

Billy Gunn for example.

And Bobby Eaton

Maven

His style never fully meshed with the WWE for me. I don't know if I ever got over the fact that Bill Alfonso wasn't his manager and he wasn't allowed to hit people with chairs.

No Buys.

I think RVD next dvd should be call RVDVD. That would be LULZ. RVD was like my 5 or 7th best wrestler of all time but he was'nt my 6th fav cuz that whas HBK. He was a good?

James Storm could be if TNA had decent booking.....

No one can draw in TNA. Stop pretending.

Yep

The writers can. I'm pretty sure the script for Impact every week is just a bunch of doodles that are then interpreted into what's going to happen on the show. They have to have gotten good at it by now.

YES YES YES

Yes, he was a good.

I don't see RVD helping TNA draw more at all really.

TNA would draw better if they toured more. They are always tapping their show in Orlando Studios and alot of people in this country do'nt live near there. Plus Hulk Hogan needs to wrestle more because he is the Michael Jordan of pro wrestling and michael jordan alsways drew big crowds. U know?

Was never really a fan - I always thought he came off as a bit of a goofball despite how he was packaged, and his in ring stuff always seemed sloppy to me.

With regard to drawing, I don't think so.
If he came to WWE I could see him drawing a little bit, at least initially, but as far as TNA is concerned...I don't think anyone can help that train wreck.