Ah, the glory days of the original ECW!
A time when we could switch on the Television and be treated to some of the most hardcore, brutal, and bloody wrestling that could possibly be seen in the world.
How the wrestling industry has changed in such a short span of time. The days of blood seem so far away, relegated to memories for many fans who grew up wanting their next fix of violence from the true extremists.
So many of the great performers idolised during the glory years served a tenure in the extreme leagues.
Not many of them had much success beyond that.
When ECW went under, it seemed like many of the competitors where doomed to spend the rest of their lives in the Indies, unable to go mainstream because of their roots in the land of Extreme.
However, out of all the men who leaped at the new doors, only one man landed on his feet and walked into the big leagues.
One man who single-handedly redefined the meaning of being "One of a Kind!"
In the beginning...
Robert Alexander Szatkowski was first introduced to the wrestling world as a fresh-faced 17-year-old in 1987, when he was selected to take part in one of Ted DiBiase's sketches.
Given $100 to kiss the feet of the Million Dollar Man on television, Szatkowski performed the "degrading act" to the amusement of the audience.
What the fans in attendance didn't realise was that Szatkowski would eventually become one of the most recognisable performers of the "Attitude Era."
Soon after this came on, he began to train under the watchful eye of The Sheik, who taught him the valuable art of self-discipline and inner peace, two qualities that became almost synonymous with his character over the rest of his career.
He first began to compete professionally in 1990 at the age of 20 for many local promotions, including USWA and SAPW. It was here that he caught the attention of many prominent figures within the wrestling industry.
It was also at this time he was given his now famous ring name: Rob Van Dam.
The first few steps...
In 1992, it looked like Van Dam was going to be pushed into the spotlight when he was signed to a contract with WCW, one of the biggest promotions in North America at the time.
However, this was just a false start in his race to the top.
Renamed Robbie V due to a dislike of his RVD moniker, he was mainly used as a jobber for WCW's more established talent, appearing in less than a handful of matches before he left the company for newer ground.
He began to travel to other continents in an attempt to expand his repertoire, mainly focusing his sights on the Japanese scene.
It was here that he began to adopt his trademark martial arts style, as well as his unique attitude to the sport, highlighted by the inclusion of many Japanese symbols on his ring gear.
It was in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) that he found his feet, rising quickly through the ranks to challenge on multiple occasions for the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Although he never won the title, he gained a reputation of being one of the most agile and gifted wrestlers on the roster.
After a few years in Japan, Van Dam refocused his energies on America, where he was to come face to face with his biggest opportunity to date.
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