ECW Legend and former WWE Champion Rob Van Dam can no longer compete in the WWE. As a result of his success in Extreme Championship Wrestling, RVD was signed to WWE during the Invasion angle, where the company acquired both WWE and ECW. Known for his cultic following from ECW due to his cockiness and unique style, it did not take long for the longest reigning ECW TV Champion in history to fit right into the WWE fold. In fact, less than a year of joining WWE, he would defeat William Regal at WrestleMania 18 to become Intercontinental Champion. He would win the IC title three times that year, and also score big wins against Ric Flair, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, The Big Show, Booker T, and Shawn Michaels.
It has been three years since RVD has appeared in the WWE, and now there is a public explanation of why. According to The Blast , the reason why he is no longer competing in the company is due to WWE not allowing him to come back as a result of concussions keeping him from being cleared. This, RVD admits, has caused a huge financial setback, which was particularly affected by his legal issues with his ex-wife. His concussions have also affected his vision, causing it be impaired.
RVD would win his WWE Championship at the ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, defeating John Cena at the ruckus-heavy Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York. This celebration of being both WWE and ECW Champion would however be short-lived, as he had to relinquish his championships by way of matches to Edge and Big Show, respectively, due to violating the Wellness Policy .
He would continue to compete for WWE, before leaving to clear his head from the rigorous schedule in 2007. He would debut in Impact Wrestling a few years later, becoming a top star for the company and winning the World Championship and X Division Championship.
After a six-year absence, RVD would return to compete for WWE on a part-time basis in 2013, making his return at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Although he would have opportunities to win the World Heavyweight, Intercontinental, and United States Championships, he would be unsuccessful in his attempts before departing from the company in 2014.