Rob Van Dam Defeats John Cena to Win WWE Championship at ECW One Night Stand 17 Years Ago Today

Today marks the 17th anniversary of one of the most memorable nights in professional wrestling history. On June 11, 2006, Rob Van Dam defeated John Cena to win the WWE Championship in the main event of ECW One Night Stand.

The event was a celebration of Extreme Championship Wrestling, a popular wrestling promotion that had closed its doors in 2001. Van Dam was one of the biggest stars of ECW, and his victory was a dream come true for many fans.

The match itself was a classic. Van Dam and Cena put on a show-stealing performance, and the crowd in the Hammerstein Ballroom was on their feet for the entire match. In the end, Van Dam hit Cena with his signature Five-Star Frog Splash to win the title.

The victory was a major moment for Van Dam, who had been a top star in the independent wrestling scene for years. It was also a sign of the changing times in WWE. At the time, Cena was the face of the company, but Van Dam's victory showed that there was room for other stars to shine.

I was a big fan of Rob Van Dam since the mid-90s, so it was incredibly cool to see him finally win the WWE Championship. He was one of the most exciting wrestlers in the world, and his victory was a long time coming.

The ECW One Night Stand event was a huge success, and it helped to revive interest in the ECW brand. The event also helped to launch Van Dam's career to new heights. He went on to win the WWE Championship again in 2008, and he remains one of the most popular wrestlers in the world.

17 years later, the ECW One Night Stand event is still remembered as one of the greatest nights in professional wrestling history. It was a night when the fans got what they wanted, and it helped to change the landscape of the industry.