10 Times WWE Failed To Create Main Event Players

8. Rob Van Dam (2001/2002)

One can only guess that some within the WWF were intimidated when a handsome, popular and talented young Rob Van Dam joined the promotion post-ECW demise. He immediately became one of the darlings of the WCW/ECW Alliance, and it was clear that Rob had top line potential once the story was (mercifully) killed.

He did. RVD had main event ability coming out his ears.

Van Dam had proved it in matches against Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, The Undertaker and more. By 2002, he was put back in the midcard as Intercontinental Champion; people didn't mind that because he was feuding with workers like Eddie Guerrero, William Regal and more, but there were questions about exactly when RVD would hit the big time permanently.

'02 wasn't the year, not quite. Despite feuding with Triple H for the World Title, dazzling every time he appeared on TV and receiving one of the biggest reactions going, Rob was doomed to play mid-level player in WWE. He'd have to wait until 2006 for his big title reign, and even that was a false dawn for personal reasons.