section_path: Professional wrestling career/Return to ECW (1995–2000)/Teaming with Rob Van Dam (1997–2000)
section_name: Teaming with Rob Van Dam (1997–2000)
paragraph_text: Teaming with Rob Van Dam (1997–2000)
  
  In mid-1997, Sabu was included in the WWF invasion angle, in which ECW wrestlers invaded WWF's Monday Night Raw program and held ECW-style matches and angles on the show. One memorable moment occurred when Sabu appeared during a match and performed an aerial move off the "R" in the "RAW" lettered entryway onto Team Taz members. He and Van Dam defeated ECW loyalists Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman at Orgy of Violence on June 28. On July 24, Sabu and Van Dam teamed with Jerry Lawler to face Dreamer, Sandman and Rick Rude in a steel cage match at Heat Wave. The match ended in a no contest after Rude turned on his teammates and attacked them. Sabu defeated Sandman in a Tables and Ladders match at November to Remember on November 30, lost to him in a Stairway to Hell match at House Party on January 10, and defeated him again in a Dueling Canes match at Living Dangerously on March 1, 1998 to conclude the rivalry. Shortly after the event, Sabu and Van Dam turned into fan favorites. At Wrestlepalooza on May 3, Sabu challenged Van Dam for the World Television Championship, but the match ended in a thirty-minute time limit draw.
  
  On the July 1 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu and Van Dam defeated Chris Candido and Lance Storm to win the World Tag Team Championship, beginning Sabu's second individual reign with the title. Sabu and Van Dam held the title for nearly four months, retaining the titles against various ECW teams such as Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney), Full Blooded Italians, and The Dudley Boyz throughout the summer. They also defeated the Japanese team of Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki at Heat Wave. Sabu and Van Dam lost the titles to the Dudley Boyz on the October 28 episode of Hardcore TV. Around the same time, they joined forces with former rival Taz to feud with The Triple Threat and formed a short-lived alliance to counter the faction called New Triple Threat. On November 1, at November to Remember, New Triple Threat defeated The Triple Threat in a six-man tag team match.
  
  At the ECW/FMW Supershow II in Japan on December 13, Sabu and Van Dam defeated the Dudley Boyz to win their second World Tag Team Championship, marking Sabu's third individual title reign. On the December 23 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu defeated Taz and Justin Credible in a three-way elimination match to win the FTW Heavyweight Championship after Taz put Sabu on top of him. Van Dam and Sabu retained the titles against Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks at House Party on January 16, 1999. Sabu and Taz competed in a falls count anywhere title unification match for Sabu's FTW Championship and Taz's ECW World Heavyweight Championship at Living Dangerously on March 21, which Taz won to unify both titles. Sabu would begin wearing a neck brace and take some time off, resulting in his partner Van Dam defending the World Tag Team Championship against D-Von Dudley in a singles match on the April 23 episode of Hardcore TV, which D-Von won. As a result, the Dudley Boyz won the titles. Sabu then defeated Justin Credible at Anarchy Rulz on September 19.
  
  Sabu failed to win the World Television Championship from Van Dam on the November 19 episode of Hardcore TV and the November 26 episode of ECW on TNN. After defeating Chris Candido on November 7 at November to Remember, Sabu again failed to win the title at Guilty as Charged on January 9, 2000, in his final ECW pay-per-view appearance. On the January 30 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu wrestled his last televised match in ECW, in which he defeated C.W. Anderson. Sabu left ECW following a victory over Scott D'Amore on February 26.
  
  In mid-1997, Sabu was included in the WWF invasion angle, in which ECW wrestlers invaded WWF's Monday Night Raw program and held ECW-style matches and angles on the show. One memorable moment occurred when Sabu appeared during a match and performed an aerial move off the "R" in the "RAW" lettered entryway onto Team Taz members. He and Van Dam defeated ECW loyalists Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman at Orgy of Violence on June 28. On July 24, Sabu and Van Dam teamed with Jerry Lawler to face Dreamer, Sandman and Rick Rude in a steel cage match at Heat Wave. The match ended in a no contest after Rude turned on his teammates and attacked them. Sabu defeated Sandman in a Tables and Ladders match at November to Remember on November 30, lost to him in a Stairway to Hell match at House Party on January 10, and defeated him again in a Dueling Canes match at Living Dangerously on March 1, 1998 to conclude the rivalry. Shortly after the event, Sabu and Van Dam turned into fan favorites. At Wrestlepalooza on May 3, Sabu challenged Van Dam for the World Television Championship, but the match ended in a thirty-minute time limit draw.
  
  On the July 1 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu and Van Dam defeated Chris Candido and Lance Storm to win the World Tag Team Championship, beginning Sabu's second individual reign with the title. Sabu and Van Dam held the title for nearly four months, retaining the titles against various ECW teams such as Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney), Full Blooded Italians, and The Dudley Boyz throughout the summer. They also defeated the Japanese team of Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki at Heat Wave. Sabu and Van Dam lost the titles to the Dudley Boyz on the October 28 episode of Hardcore TV. Around the same time, they joined forces with former rival Taz to feud with The Triple Threat and formed a short-lived alliance to counter the faction called New Triple Threat. On November 1, at November to Remember, New Triple Threat defeated The Triple Threat in a six-man tag team match.
  
  At the ECW/FMW Supershow II in Japan on December 13, Sabu and Van Dam defeated the Dudley Boyz to win their second World Tag Team Championship, marking Sabu's third individual title reign. On the December 23 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu defeated Taz and Justin Credible in a three-way elimination match to win the FTW Heavyweight Championship after Taz put Sabu on top of him. Van Dam and Sabu retained the titles against Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks at House Party on January 16, 1999. Sabu and Taz competed in a falls count anywhere title unification match for Sabu's FTW Championship and Taz's ECW World Heavyweight Championship at Living Dangerously on March 21, which Taz won to unify both titles. Sabu would begin wearing a neck brace and take some time off, resulting in his partner Van Dam defending the World Tag Team Championship against D-Von Dudley in a singles match on the April 23 episode of Hardcore TV, which D-Von won. As a result, the Dudley Boyz won the titles. Sabu then defeated Justin Credible at Anarchy Rulz on September 19.
  
  Sabu failed to win the World Television Championship from Van Dam on the November 19 episode of Hardcore TV and the November 26 episode of ECW on TNN. After defeating Chris Candido on November 7 at November to Remember, Sabu again failed to win the title at Guilty as Charged on January 9, 2000, in his final ECW pay-per-view appearance. On the January 30 episode of Hardcore TV, Sabu wrestled his last televised match in ECW, in which he defeated C.W. Anderson. Sabu left ECW following a victory over Scott D'Amore on February 26.