Rob Szatkowski, better known under his ring name Rob Van Dam, is a giant of American professional wrestling. Having worked for multiple organisations throughout his career, including ECW, TNA and WWE, Van Dam has triumphed in 21 total championships, and holds a world record as the only wrestler in history to have held championship titles across all three organisations simultaneously.
Given his nickname thanks to a passing resemblance to actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, RVD rose to prominence participating in Extreme Championship Wrestling events throughout the late ’90s, after departing from WCW in 1995. He would gain international acclaim at the turn of the millennium after joining iconic wrestling brand WWE, facing off against legends such as The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in singles and tag team matches. Continuing to wrestle throughout the ’00s, Van Dam eventually left WWE and made his debut on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling – now named Impact Wrestling – while continuing to entertain crowds of thousands on the independent circuit.
A popular figure across American television and cinema, Van Dam can be seen guesting in television series such as The X-Files, Family Feud and V.I.P. and appearing in movies like 3-Headed Shark Attack and Black Mask 2: City of Masks, while contributing to wrestling documentaries Nine Legends and Bloodstained Memoirs. A gifted voice actor, he’s also lent his fearsome vocal tones to the character of Bobby in the Saints Row video game series.
