Ranking What Was Really The Best Wrestling Entrance Every Year 1990-2021

21. 2001 - Rob Van Dam, ECW Guilty As Charged

Austin Omega
WWE.com

If WCW was dying in 2000, ECW was dead in 2001.

Everything quintessential to the experience - the blood, range, aesthetic and philosophy - had been gutted by the mainstream vultures. The promotion, in financial disarray, was littered with minor league acts a scattered Paul Heyman couldn't focus on, much less focus on their positives. There were so many f*ck words littered throughout the group's last pay-per-view it was ridiculous. All were uttered with the screaming desperation of a league clinging onto the edge.

It was all so hopeless until Rob Van Dam made a surprise return that doubled as a happy ending. Whether they knew the whole thing was f*cked or they just thought he was the t*ts, the Hammerstein crowd entered total meltdown. This - no exaggeration - was an Austin-sized pop in a venue he had long left behind.

Triple H beat RVD in less than 10 a year later.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!