Rob Van Dam, born Robert Alexander Szatkowski, is a renowned American professional wrestler who has achieved great success in the world of wrestling. With multiple ring names like “Robbie V” and “Rob Szatkowski,” he has won an impressive total of 21 championships throughout his career. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the only wrestler to have claimed victory in the ‘WWE Championship,’ the ‘TNA World Heavyweight Championship,’ and the ‘ECW World Heavyweight Championship.’ Additionally, he is one of the few wrestlers to have achieved the prestigious triple crown of wrestling. Recognized for his exceptional skills and popularity, Rob Van Dam was ranked first in the esteemed ‘Pro Wrestling Illustrated’ magazine in 2002 and was named the “Most Popular Wrestler” by its readers in both 2001 and 2002. Furthermore, his contributions to the wrestling industry were acknowledged by the ‘WWE’ in 2014 when he was honored as the greatest star in the history of ‘ECW.’
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Robert Alexander Szatkowsk, RVD, Robbie V
- Age: 53 Years, 53 Year Old Males
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Sonia Van Dam (m. 1998–2018)
- Born Country: United States
- WWE Wrestlers
- American Men
- Height: 6’0″ (183 cm), 6’0″ Males
- Ancestry: Polish American, Belgian American
- U.S. State: Michigan
Childhood & Early Life
Rob Van Dam, born Robert Alexander Szatkowski on December 18, 1970, in Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S., was raised in Battle Creek and graduated from the ‘Pennfield Senior High School.’ He is of Belgian and Polish ancestry.
Career
Rob Van Dam started his wrestling career by participating in several independent promotions, such as the ‘United States Wrestling Association,’ the ‘South Atlantic Pro Wrestling,’ and the ‘All Japan Pro Wrestling.’ In July 1992, he won his first wrestling championship, the ‘SAPW Tag Team Championship,’ along with Chaz Rocco. The same year, he joined the ‘World Championship Wrestling’ (WCW) and was named “Robbie V.” In mid-1996, he started competing in ‘Extreme Championship Wrestling’ (ECW).
Feuds and Championships
Rob Van Dam became a known face because of a series of contests with long-time rival Sabu. He lost the first match but later won the rematch. His next feud was with Doug Furnas. When Rob Van Dam was looking for a partner to form a tag team, he surprised everyone by aligning with his nemesis, Sabu. Together, they became one of the most successful tag teams in the history of ‘ECW.’ They feuded with ‘The Eliminators’ for the ‘ECW World Tag Team Championship.’
Move to WWF and Championships
After ‘ECW’s invasion of ‘Monday Night RAW’ of the ‘World Wrestling Federation’ (WWF) in May 1997, Rob became known as “Mr. Monday Night.” He joined the ‘WWF’ as a heel and defeated Jeff Hardy to become the ‘WWF Hardcore Champion’ at ‘The Invasion.’ He lost the title but regained it later. He also won the ‘Intercontinental Championship’ and had several feuds and matches for various titles.
Later Career
Rob Van Dam joined ‘Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’ (now called ‘Impact Wrestling’) and became its ‘World Heavyweight Champion.’ He also returned to ‘WWE’ for a period of time but was unable to create much of an impression. He continues to perform in both the independent circuits and ‘Impact Wrestling.’
Family & Personal Life
Rob Van Dam was married to Sonia Delbeck from 1998 to 2018. He started dating professional wrestler Katie Forbes in 2016.
Trivia
Rob Van Dam has been part of many documentaries, docuseries, and movies.