Editing Rob Van Dam (section)

==== Championship reigns (2003–2005) ====
In September, Van Dam started feuding with both Christian and Chris Jericho over Christian's Intercontinental Championship. On the September 15 episode of ''Raw'', Van Dam faced Jericho in a number one contender's match for the title. The match ended in a double disqualification when Intercontinental Champion Christian interfered and hit both men with the title belt.<ref name="rvdraw03"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/030915.html|title=Raw results - September 15, 2003|date=September 15, 2003|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> At [[Unforgiven (2003)|Unforgiven]] on September 21 in a triple threat match between Jericho, Christian, and Van Dam, Christian retained his title.<ref name="rvdraw03"/><ref name="rvdoww">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/rob-van-dam.html|title=Rob Van Dam's OWW Profile|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/unforgiven/history/2003/results/ |title=Unforgiven 2003 official results |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080331203746/http://www.wwe.com/shows/unforgiven/history/2003/results/ |archive-date=March 31, 2008 }}</ref> Van Dam, however, defeated Christian in a ladder match on the September 29 episode of ''Raw'' to win the Intercontinental Championship for a fourth time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322748 |title=History Of The Intercontinental Championship - Rob Van Dam(4) |access-date=January 2, 2008 |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410194446/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322748 |archive-date=April 10, 2007 }}</ref> Van Dam entered into a rivalry with Chris Jericho in October, and the two faced each other in several tag team matches.<ref name="rvdoww"/> On the October 27 episode of ''Raw'', Van Dam lost the Intercontinental Championship to Jericho. Van Dam reached the ropes when the challenger had him in the [[Boston crab#Elevated Boston crab|Walls of Jericho]], but Raw Co-General Manager Eric Bischoff distracted the referee while Jericho dragged Van Dam back into the middle of the ring. Van Dam submitted and Jericho became the new champion.<ref name="rvdraw03"/><ref name="rvdoww"/><ref name="Raw - RVD vs Jericho">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/031027.html|title=Raw results - October 27, 2003|date=October 27, 2003|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> Raw Co-General Manager Stone Cold Steve Austin came out and immediately ordered Jericho to face Van Dam in a rematch inside the Steel Cage for the title. Van Dam won the rematch and his fifth Intercontinental Championship.<ref name="rvdoww"/><ref name="Raw - RVD vs Jericho"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322756 |title=History Of the Intercontinental Championship - Rob Van Dam (5) |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422142210/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322756 |archive-date=April 22, 2007 }}</ref>

At [[Survivor Series (2003)|Survivor Series]] on November 16, Van Dam was pinned by [[Randy Orton]] during the traditional elimination match between Team Austin and Team Bischoff that Van Dam's team would lose.<ref name="rvdraw03"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/2003/results/ |title=Survivor Series 2003 official results |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102150217/http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/2003/results/ |archive-date=January 2, 2008 }}</ref> As a result, Orton and Van Dam started feuding with each other over Van Dam's Intercontinental title.<ref name="rvdraw03"/> Van Dam lost the Intercontinental Championship to Orton at [[Armageddon (2003)|Armageddon]] on December 14 after interference from Ric Flair.<ref name="rvdraw03"/><ref name="rvdoww"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/armageddon/history/2003/results/ |title=Armageddon 2003 official results |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130160822/http://www.wwe.com/shows/armageddon/history/2003/results/ |archive-date=November 30, 2007 }}</ref> Van Dam went on to feud with both Orton and Evolution. On the January 12, 2004, episode of ''Raw'', Van Dam faced Orton in a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship but lost the match.<ref name="rvdraw04">{{cite web|url=http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/vandam.html#04|title=RVD's Raw Career (2004)|publisher=Accelerator's Wrestling Rollercoaster}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040112.html|title=Raw results - January 12, 2004|date=January 12, 2004|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref>

Van Dam formed a tag team with [[Booker T (wrestler)|Booker T]]. The two teamed for the first time on the January 19 episode of ''Raw'' when they defeated Christian and [[Matt Hardy]] to qualify for a battle royal where the winner of the Battle Royal would get the #30 spot in the [[Royal Rumble (2004)|2004 Royal Rumble]] match on January 25.<ref name="rvdraw04"/><ref name="2004 Royal Rumble #30">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040112.html|title=Raw results - January 19, 2004|date=January 19, 2004|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> On the February 16 episode of ''Raw'', Booker T and Van Dam defeated [[Evolution (professional wrestling)|Evolution]] members Ric Flair and [[Dave Bautista|Batista]] to win the World Tag Team Championship.<ref name="rvdraw04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/3044541321331 |title=History Of The World Tag Team Championship - Rob Van Dam and Booker T(1) |access-date=February 17, 2008 |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050706011939/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/3044541321331 |archive-date=July 6, 2005 }}</ref> At [[WrestleMania XX]] on March 14, Booker T and Van Dam defended the World Tag Team Championship in a fatal four-way elimination tag team match against the Dudley Boyz, La Résistance, and the team of [[Mark Jindrak]] and [[Lance Cade|Garrison Cade]].<ref name="rvdraw04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm20/results/ |title=WrestleMania XX official results |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319101057/http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm20/results/ |archive-date=March 19, 2008 }}</ref> On the March 22 episode of ''Raw'', Booker T and Van Dam lost the World Tag Team Championship back to [[Evolution (professional wrestling)|Evolution]].<ref name="rvdraw04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040322.html|title=Raw results - March 22, 2004|date=March 22, 2004|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref>

On March 22, Van Dam was [[2004 WWE Draft Lottery|drafted]] to the SmackDown! brand.<ref name="rvdsd04">{{cite web|url=http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/vandam.html#sd|title=RVD's SmackDown! Career (2004)|publisher=Accelerator's Wrestling Rollercoaster|access-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref> He made his ''SmackDown!'' debut on March 25 defeating [[Charlie Haas]]. Van Dam and [[Rey Mysterio, Jr.|Rey Mysterio]] began a feud with the Dudley Boyz, defeating them at [[Judgment Day (2004)|Judgment Day]] on May 16.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/judgmentday/history/judgmentday2004/results/ |title=Judgment Day 2004 official results |publisher=WWE |access-date=February 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323114358/http://www.wwe.com/shows/judgmentday/history/judgmentday2004/results/ |archive-date=March 23, 2008 }}</ref> In June, Van Dam left the tag team division and began a pursuit for the [[WWE United States Championship|United States Championship]]. At [[The Great American Bash (2004)|The Great American Bash]] on June 27, [[John Cena]] defended the title against Van Dam, Booker T, and [[René Goguen|René Duprée]] in a Fatal Four-Way match and retained his championship.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/thegreatamericanbash/history/2004/results/ |title=The Great American Bash 2004 official results |publisher=WWE |access-date=February 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211021856/http://www.wwe.com/shows/thegreatamericanbash/history/2004/results/ |archive-date=December 11, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the July 1 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Van Dam and Duprée lost to Booker T in a number one contender's Triple Threat match.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/040701.html|title=SmackDown! results - July 1, 2004|date=July 1, 2004|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling|access-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref> Four weeks later, Van Dam participated in an [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic elimination matches|8-way elimination match]] for the vacant United States Championship, and was the last man to be eliminated by eventual winner Booker T.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/040729.html|title=SmackDown! results - July 29, 2004|date=July 29, 2004|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling|access-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref>

Van Dam began teaming up with Mysterio again in the summer and feuded with René Duprée and [[Kenzo Suzuki]]. At [[No Mercy (2004)|No Mercy]] on October 3, Van Dam and Mysterio failed to win the [[WWE Raw Tag Team Championship|WWE Tag Team Championship]] from Dupree and Suzuki.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/nomercy/history/2004/results/ |title=No Mercy 2004 official results |publisher=WWE |access-date=February 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219171744/http://www.wwe.com/shows/nomercy/history/2004/results/ |archive-date=February 19, 2008 }}</ref> On the December 9 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Van Dam and Mysterio defeated Duprée and Suzuki to win the WWE Tag Team Championship,<ref name=wwetag>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/titlehistory/raw-tag-team-championship|title=Raw Tag Team Championship|website=WWE}}</ref> and retained the title in a rematch at [[Armageddon (2004)|Armageddon]] on December 12.<ref name="rvdsd04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/armageddon/history/2004/results/ |title=Armageddon 2004 official results |publisher=WWE |access-date=February 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323114147/http://www.wwe.com/shows/armageddon/history/2004/results/ |archive-date=March 23, 2008 }}</ref> In January 2005, Van Dam suffered a knee injury. To explain his absence, the [[Basham Brothers]] ([[Doug Basham|Doug]] and [[Daniel Hollie|Danny]]) defeated Mysterio and Van Dam for the WWE Tag Team Championship, in a Fatal Four-Way elimination tag team match on the January 13 episode of ''SmackDown!'', "injuring" Van Dam in the process.<ref name="rvdsd05">{{cite web|url=http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/vandam.html#05|title=RVD's SmackDown! Career (2005)|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/050113.html|title=SmackDown! results - January 13, 2005|date=January 13, 2005|publisher=Accelerator's Wrestling Rollercoaster|access-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref> On January 27, Van Dam underwent reconstructive knee surgery under Dr. James Andrews to repair a torn [[anterior cruciate ligament]] and [[Meniscus (anatomy)|meniscus]].<ref name="rvdoww"/><ref name="rvdsd05"/>