ROB VAN DAM VS. 2 COLD SCORPIO (ECW LIVING DANGEROUSLY 1998)

ROB VAN DAM VS. 2 COLD SCORPIO

ECW Living Dangerously (1^st March 1998)

Rob Van Dam of course accompanied by Bill Alfonso. Fans are thoroughly on 2 Cold Scorpio's side. He's wrestling as Flash Funk in the (then) WWF at this point but makes sporadic appearances for ECW. Van Dam's slowly starting to get the fans behind him as a cool heel, and they start off slow. Fonzie whistles at Scorpio from the apron, but drops down. RVD whistles through his fingers, getting in Scorpio's head. The fans decide to add to it (because why not?) as we get a collar-elbow tie up. Scorpio gets the waistlock but RVD reverses it. Scorpio grabs RVD's left arm. Van Dam rolls through and kips up, reversing the arm wringer, and tugging on it. Scorpio botches a fireman's carry lift and grabs Van Dam's leg. RVD grabs the rope and rolls out to the entrance way. Van Dam gets to his feet but stays out of the ring. Alfonso decides to have some words with the referee before RVD gets back in. Scorpio gets a hammerlock off a collar-elbow tie up, but Van Dam reverses it. Scorpio grabs Van Dam's head and snapmares Van Dam over. Van Dam landed on his feet though and we get a standoff.

The fans appreciate that as they drown Fonzie's whistle out momentarily. Neither man rushing to make a move here as they tie up again. Van Dam gets the hammerlock, and Scorpio reaches back. This time Scorpio flips over Van Dam out of the hold and grabs a waistlock. He runs Van Dam to the ropes but Van Dam holds on. Scorpio lands on his feet in the middle of the ring. Scorpio leapfrogs a charging Van Dam, looks to leap again but kinda catches him with the knee. Standing dropkick by Scorpio sends RVD out of the ring. Bill Alfonso gives his man a pep talk on the outside, as 2 Cold Scorpio stays in the ring. RVD takes his time getting back in the ring, 2 Cold Scorpio wants a traditional match with RVD, but Alfonso's standing in his way. Both men soak in the crowd for a while as a heel RVD gets some chants. 2 Cold Scorpio wants a test of strength but Van Dam kicks it away. Both hands lock on the second attempt and Scorpio pushes Van Dam down with a back heel trip, RVD bridges with his amazing neck strength and forces Scorpio down, Scorpio's shoulders hit the mat but he lifts one before the referee can count. Finnegan stays in position as Van Dam brings his weight down on Scorpio. Scorpio raises his feet at the second attempt and brings both men up to their feet and monkey flips RVD over, Scorpio rolls through but Van Dam monkey flips him back out of the corner. Scorpio lands on his feet and we get another standoff!

Neither man able to get the advantage thus far, but that changes as Scorpio sends RVD out of the ring with a side kick. This time Scorpio follows and sends RVD into the barricade, Scorpio sends RVD across the other side, this time sending Van Dam over the guard rail almost. Scorpio drags Van Dam back over and hits him with a right hand and a chop. RVD sent into the elevated walkway but he gets the boot up. RVD leaps onto the walkway and back off with a moonsault, jumping over Scorpio and landing on his feet, he tries a side kick off the guard rail but that misses too. Scorpio kinda hotshots RVD over the guardrail. 2 Cold Scorpio gets an armwringer again and just kicks Van Dam in the jaw. The referee wants the match back in the ring but Scorpio launches at RVD leant against the guardrail with a Stinger Splash. Scorpio caught the guardrail himself on that one, and RVD takes advantage by throwing a chair at him. RVD attacks Scorpio with kicks, and Scorpio slowly crawls over the timekeeper's table back to the ring as RVD poses for the crowd.

RVD comes back in with a slingshot split leg drop, and covers Scorpio, putting all his weight on the shoulders but Scorpio sits up at 2. RVD kicks Scorpio in the head but Scorpio attacks Van Dam sending him into the corner, Scorpio shoulder barges Van Dam before hitting a chop in the corner and sending him across the ring. Van Dam gets the boot up on a charging Scorpio and knocks him down with a running spin kick. RVD leaps to the top in one motion and knocks Scorpio back down with a spinning heel kick off the top rope. RVD covers and gets another nearfall. RVD hits the Rolling Thunder and Scorpio kicks out of that too. Van Dam brings Scorpio to his feet as fans chant “One more time” a nice subtle heel move. Scorpio is able to kick Van Dam in his chops, and he looked for the hook kick again but RVD catches it last second and sends Scorpio to the mat. RVD hits his spinning leg drop and arrogantly covers Scorpio, getting another nearfall. Fans chant that they want Sandman as RVD brings Scorpio back to his feet and sends him across the ring to the corner.

Only ECW fans could want Sandman during this match. RVD rolls to Scorpio and wants a monkey flip out of the corner but Scorpio avoids it. Van Dam hit the turnbuckles and Scorpio lays into him with strikes, finally sending him down to the mat. Scorpio with a swinging kick to Van Dam's ribs before folding him up with a powerbomb. Fans are on their feet for Scorpio now and he hits the somersault leg drop before going out to the apron. Scorpio slingshots over the ropes, flips and hits RVD with a splash in one fluid motion, but he stops the cover himself, dancing for the crowd. He gets awesome elevation on a leg drop and he drags RVD across the mat by his ponytail. Scorpio brings RVD back to his feet and hits a belly to back suplex before climbing to the top. Scorpio spins 180 degrees in the air to hit Van Dam with a splash and finally covers, but Van Dam kicks out at 2. Scorpio can't believe it. He tells the referee to get out of the way and runs up the ropes from the inside for a moonsault. 1, 2, again Van Dam kicks out!

RVD crawls to the ropes but Scorpio's right there with him. He puts RVD on the top turnbuckle, but Van Dam hits him with a right. Scorpio with one back and he climbs to the top rope with RVD. Scorpio peppers him with right hands and slaps, but Van Dam attacks Scorpio's knee. Right hand to the face by RVD sends Scorpio down to the canvas. RVD shakes off the cobwebs before setting up on the top rope. Van Dam hits the Five Star Frog Splash but Scorpio got his knee up. Both men are down from the impact and Scorpio rolls out of the ring. He runs at Van Dam with a leaping knee and brings RVD to his feet in the ring. Scoop slam by Scorpio sets up for another somersault leg drop off the middle rope, but it only gets a nearfall. Scorpio's had the advantage for most of this match, but he can't put RVD away. Scorpio brings RVD back to his feet in the corner and connects with a chop, Van Dam sent across the ring but he avoids a Stinger Splash. Springboard sidekick out of the corner by RVD puts both men down for a while before RVD hits Scorpio in the corner with right hands. Scorpio sent down to the mat and RVD hits a split-legged moonsault for a close nearfall.

RVD brings Scorpio back to his feet but an irish whip is reversed, Scorpio ducks to the mat but RVD handsprings over him and hits a hurricanrana. Scorpio gets back to his feet but is sent out the ring with a spinning heel kick. RVD drops off the apron booting Scorpio and he kicks him in the head. Scorpio is sent into the ring post and onto the walkway. RVD calls for a chair as Scorpio gets back to his feet and hits a Van Daminator. RVD beats Scorpio up the ramp way and whips him back towards the ring, Scorpio ducks the spin kick and connects on a piledriver on the walkway! Scorpio with a kneeling piledriver and he drags RVD back towards the ring. Scorpio enters the ring and drags Van Dam's lifeless body under the top rope. Scorpio thinks too much about what to do next, and Van Dam hits a low blow. The referee backs RVD off and Scorpio kicks Van Dam onto Finnegan. Scorpio comes off the top rope and hits the referee with the splash! Van Dam gets back to his feet as Scorpio checks on the referee. Van Dam hits Scorpio with a running boot, and drags Scorpio near the corner, Van Dam mocks 2 Cold Scorpio but eats shit on the 450 splash. Scorpio brings RVD up for a powerbomb, but RVD turns and lands on his front. They about saved it though. Scorpio goes to the top and hits the 450 splash but there's no referee to count.

HERE COMES SABU! Arabian Facebuster to Scorpio and he drapes RVD on top. The referee is stirring and slowly gets there, but Scorpio kicks out at 2 and a half. Sandman comes out and chases Sabu around the ring back to the locker room. Van Dam still in control as he sends Scorpio across the ring. Scorpio ducks the clothesline and hits a spinning heel kick, Van Dam brought back to his feet and Scorpio sends him across the ring, RVD with the body scissors rolls Scorpio up for the sneaky victory!

WINNER: ROB VAN DAM

I put this match on my list because on paper it looked like 2 good early high flyers showing their stuff in ECW. The match had a long feeling out process and built at a good pace. RVD using the guard rail and walkway as springboard platforms was creative for the time and still holds up, the run-ins were minimal and made sense and Alfonso didn't get on my nerves as much as I thought he would. The finish felt abrupt and before that, I felt we were having a nice little match which made both men look great. – Rating: 5.2/10