10 Weirdest Wrestling Debuts Ever
1. Rob Van Dam
An absolutely terrible offering from TNA, arguably, this was straight-up awful - but it warrants inclusion here for it was the opposite of normal, expected.
It was weird.
Rob Van Dam wanted a payday on a more relaxed schedule, and was removed from both his physical peak and the huge buzz with which he arrived in the WWF as a potential headline-level talent. Accordingly, a midcard run announced by a showreel reminder of his over repertoire was a sensible way to proceed. "Sensible" and "TNA" is an oxymoron, and so TNA debuted new babyface legend Van Dam by making him look like a total bitch.
The babyface Van Dam - the babyface - sneak-attacked the heel Sting by jumping the barricade, as his tron played, blindsiding his unaware opponent with a kick. He then flash-pinned him with the Rolling Thunder before celebrating as if this was a competitive win. Sting then proceeded to beat the ever-loving sh*t out of Van Dam, justifiably so, in a scene that made the cowardly Van Dam look like a jobber. The heroic Hulk Hogan then tried to get at Sting, if only there weren't 32 security guards holding him back, Jack!, but Sting aimed the baseball bat in his face, directing all the sympathy to him, Jack!
Van Dam, an extra in his own "And introducing..." feature, probably couldn't have cared less.
Silver linings.