Tony Schiavone On What RVD Was Like Backstage Following AEW Dynamite Debut

Rob Van Dam has wrestled for WWE, WCW, NWA, ECW, TNA, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and now AEW, as he wrestled Jack Perry for the FTW Championship on Wednesday's episode of "AEW Dynamite." Speaking on "What Happened When" after Van Dam's first AEW appearance the previous week, AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone said it was a great time.

"What an ovation Rob got," Schiavone said. "And let me tell you, he's one cool son of a b**** ... he's so laid back and so cool, and it's great to have him there."

While Van Dam was able to score a visual pinfall on the FTW Champion on Wednesday, he was ultimately unsuccessful in his challenge, getting rolled up by Perry after being sent into a steel chair. Van Dam was wrestling at the behest of his friend and rival Jerry Lynn, who has been furious with Perry's new villainous temperament, but who retired in 2013. Lynn called on Van Dam to teach Perry a lesson on this week's "Dynamite," but ultimately the match came down to Perry's cunning. Perry has been FTW Champion since July 19, when he defeated his former-friend HOOK to win the title at "AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts."

According to Van Dam, AEW went to great trouble to hide him ahead of his debut last week, wheeling him to a private locker room draped in a curtain. Van Dam saw some friends backstage and even posed for a photo with Sammy Guevara, saying that he enjoyed his time in the AEW locker room, which he said wasn't as tense as WWE's.