By late-2000, Extreme Championship Wrestling was about to hit the skids, and it was becoming clear to those inside the company that the hardcore promotion was in dire need of fresh finance. If new money didn't start rolling into ECW HQ, Paul Heyman knew it was only a matter of time before his vision would go out of business. In December, Heyman actively encouraged some of his top stars, including Rob Van Dam, Justin Credible and Jerry Lynn to enter talks with the WWF about possibly transferring their contracts over, leaving ECW and starting anew in Stamford. Sadly, aware that not all of his band of misfits would be sought after by either the WWF or WCW, Heyman did his best to talk them all up, accentuating their strengths just as he had done through his writing on television. Rob Van Dam would eventually make his way to the WWF in July, 2001, but what would have happened had he been employed by the company at the tail end of 2000, possibly making his debut as a participant in the Royal Rumble?