Rick Rude

[Rick Rude GALLERY]

[Dangerous Alliance]

[CAREER RECORD: Ravishing Rick Rude]

Article: Remembering the Ravishing One

Title History

• AWA Southern heavyweight title defeating Jerry Lawler (June 11, 1984);
• AWA Southern tag team titles w/ King Kong Bundy defeating Steve Keirn and Stan Lane [Tournament Final] (October 8, 1984);
• NWA (Florida) Southern heavyweight title defeating Pez Whatley (January 16, 1985);
• NWA (Florida) United States tag team titles w/ Jesse Barr defeating Mark and Jay Youngblood (April 16, 1985);
• NWA (Florida) Southern heavyweight title defeating Mike Graham [Tournament Final] (July 21, 1985);
• WCWA (World Class) world heavyweight title defeating Iceman Parson (renamed NWA American title) (Febaury 20, 1986);
• WCCW (World Class) Televison title defeating Lance Von Erich (May 5, 1986);
• NWA (Mid Atlantic) world tag team titles w/ Manny Fernandez defeating The Rock’N’Roll Express (December 6, 1986);
• WWF Intercontinental heavyweight title defeating The Ultimate Warrior (April 2, 1989);
• WCW United States heavyweight title defeating Sting (November 19, 1991);
• WCW United States heavyweight title defeating Dustin Rhodes (May 15, 1993);
• WCW International world heavyweight title [Awarded] (September 19, 1993);
• WCW International world heavyweight title defeating Hiroshi Hase (March 24, 1994);
• WCW International world heavyweight title defeating Sting (May 1, 1994);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

• Rick Rude and Nikita Koloff attended the same high school.
• Rick Rude worked as a bouncer at Gramma B’s in Minneapolis before he was discovered, working with the Road Warriors and Barry Darsow.
• Rick Rude was trained by Eddie Sharkey, who also trained the Road Warriors, Barry Darsow, and Nikita Koloff.

Getting Into The Business:

• Rick Rude started wrestling on the small circuits in Minnesota and Canada.
• Rick Rude moved on to the Mid-South territory in 1984 and paired up with manager, Jimmy Hart, as part of the “First Family” stable.
• Rick Rude was given the name “Ravishing” by Memphis promoter Jerry Jarret.
• Rick Rude had some great matches with Mid-South stars like Austin Idol, and a brief feud with Jerry Lawler.
• Rick Rude saw some success by winning the Southern tag team championship with King Kong Bundy.
• Rick Rude moved on to Florida in early-1985, where he paired up with manager, Percy Pringle.
• Rick Rude simply dominated the Florida territory for nearly a year, winning the heavyweight and tag titles on more than one occasion.

World Class Championship Wrestling:

• October 1985: Rick Rude and Percy Pringle moved on to the Fritz Von Erich territory, World Class Championship Wrestling.
• Rick Rude quickly won the American Heavyweight title.
• Rick Rude was declared the first WCCW Heavyweight champion when the NWA withdrew sanctions from World Class.
• Rick Rude, for a time, was managed by his sister Raven in the World Class promotion.
• July 1986: Rick Rude lost the WCCW title to Chris Adams.

National Wrestling Alliance:

• Rick Rude moved onto the National Wrestling Alliance.
• Rick Rude re-kindled his feud with Wahoo McDaniel, which was started in Florida years earlier.
• 1987: Rick Rude teamed with Manny Fernandez to win the NWA World tag team titles.
• February 15, 1987–MoscaMania 2: Rick Rude and Manny Fernandez defeated Ricky Morton and Bob Armstrong in Hamilton, Ontario.
• Rick Rude still held half of the NWA tag titles when he signed with the WWF.
• ~~~The NWA later claimed that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express regained those titles in a match that never actually took place.

World Wrestling Federation:

• July 9, 1987: Jerry Allen pinned Rick Rude with a sunset flip in Rick Rude’s WWF debut match.
• July 1987 – TV Taping (aired August 9, 1987): Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan pinned Lanny Poffo (Rude’s TV debut).
• ~~~”Ravishing” Rick Rude would do his routine of beating his opponent and then kissing a female audience member.
• Rick Rude started a feud with Jake Roberts, after Rude propositioning his wife, Cheryl Roberts, who was sitting at ringside.
• January 1989: Rick Rude began a feud with the Ultimate Warrior, attacking the Warrior during a “posedown” challenge.
• Wrestlemania V: Rick Rude defeated the Ultimate Warrior for the Intercontinental title.
• August 1989: Rick Rude drops the Intercontinental title back to the Warrior.
• SummerSlam ’90: Rick Rude challenged Ultimate Warrior (WWF Champion) in a cage match for the title, and lost.
• October 1990: Rick Rude and the WWF had a dispute, and Rude went packing down to WCW.

World Championship Wrestling:

• October 27, 1991 – Halloween Havoc: Rude returned, wearing a mask going as the WCW Phantum, revealing himself after defeating Tom Zenk.
• ~~~Rude was managed by Paul Dangerously, who called Rude the “cornerstone” of the Dangerous Alliance.
• Beach Blast: Rick Rude competed in an Iron Man Match with Rickey Steamboat.
• August 12, 1992: Masa Chono defeated Rick Rude in a tournament final for the NWA Heavyweight Wrestling title.
• Rick Rude began a feud with NWA World champion, Ric Flair.
• May 15, 1993 – WCW WorldWide: Rick Rude defeated Dustin Rhodes to win the WCW United States title.
• May 23, 1993 – WCW Slamboree: Paul Orndorff and Rick Rude defeated Dustin Rhodes and Kensuke Sasaki.
• June 17, 1993 – WCW Clash of the Champions: Big Van Vader, Rick Rude and Sid Vicious defeated Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes and Sting.
• July 18, 1993 – WCW Clash of the Champions: Rick Rude vs. Dustin Rhodes in a Iron man match for the WCW United States title ended in a 1-1 draw.
• August 18, 1993 – WCW Clash of the Champions: Dustin Rhodes and Road Warrior Hawk defeated Rick Rude and The Equalizer.
• August 28, 1993 – WCW Saturday Night: Rick Rude defeated Dustin Rhodes in the #2 match of the best of 3 series.
• September 4, 1993 – WCW Worldwide: Rick Rude defeated Rico Federico.
• September 4, 1993 – WCW Saturday Night: Dustin Rhodes defeated Rick Rude in the 3rd match of the best of 3 series.
• September 11, 1993 – WCW Saturday Night: Dustin Rhodes defeated Rick Rude to win the vacant WCW United States title in the final match of the best of 3 series.
• September 19, 1993 – WCW Fall Brawl: Rick Rude defeated Ric Flair for the NWA World Title.
• Shortly after, WCW withdrew from the NWA and the title that Rude held was renamed the “WCW International title”.
• October 16, 1993 – WCW Saturday Night: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated TA McCoy to retain the title.
• October 23, 1993 – WCW Saturday Night: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Brad Anderson to retain the title.
• October 24, 1993 – WCW Halloween Havoc: Rick Rude defeated Ric Flair by disqualification. Terry Taylor was the special referee.
• November 6, 1993 – WCW Worldwide: Rick Rude defeated Frankie Rose.
• November 10, 1993 – WCW Clash of The Champions: Rick Rude vs. Road Warrior Hawk ended in a double count-out.
• November 20, 1993 – WCW Battle Bowl: Rick Rude and Shanghai Pierce defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Tex Slazenger.
• November 27, 1993 – WCW Worldwide: Rick Rude defeated Rick Hardrock.
• December 18, 1993 – WCW Worldwide: Rick Rude defeated Kenny Kendall.
• December 25, 1993 – WCW Worldwide: Rick Rude defeated Frankie Lancanster.
• December 27, 1993 – WCW Starrcade: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated The Boss to retain the title.
• January 3, 1994 – Main Event: Rick Rude and Steve Austin defeated Dustin Rhodes and Brian Pillman.
• January 10, 1994 – WCW Saturday Night: Ric Flair, Sting and The Boss defeated Rick Rude, Ron Simmons and Steve Austin.
• January 22, 1994 – WCW Worldwide: Paul Orndorff, Rick Rude and Steve Austin defeated Brad Armstrong, Frankie Lancaster and Mark Starr.
• January 27, 1994 – WCW Clash of The Champions: Ric Flair and Sting defeated Rick Rude and Vader in a tag team elimination match.
• February 1, 1994 – WCW Saturday Night: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Johnny B. Badd to retain the title.
• February 20, 1994 – WCW SuperBrawl IV: Dustin Rhodes, Flyin’ Brian and Sting defeated Paul Orndorff, Rick Rude and Steve Austin in a Thunder Cage match.
• February 22, 1994 – WCW Saturday Night: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Dave Heart to retain the title.
• February 26, 1994 – WCW Worldwide: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell to retain the title.
• February 28, 1994 – WCW Saturday Night: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Bill Payne to retain the title.
• March 3, 1994 – WCW Power Hour: WCW International world heavyweight champion Rick Rude defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell to retain the title.
• March 16, 1994 – NJPW: Hiroshi Hase defeated Rick Rude to win the WCW International world heavyweight title.
• March 18, 1994 – NJPW: Hiroshi Hase, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto defeated Rick Rude, Hercules Hernandez and Scott Norton.
• March 19, 1994 – NJPW: Hercules Hernandez, Scott Norton and Rick Rude defeated Osamu Kido, Riki Choshu and Tatsumi Fujinami.
• March 30, 1994 – NJPW: Jushin Thunder Liger and Hiroshi Hase defeated Rick Rude and Brian Blair.
• March 21, 1994 – NJPW: Rick Rude defeated Masahiro Chino.
• March 24, 1994 – NJPW: Rick Rude defeated Hiroshi Hase to win the WCW International world heavyweight title. Shinya Hashimoto defeated Rick Rude.
• April 9, 1994 – WCW House Show: Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW International world champion Rick Rude by disqualification.
• April 17, 1994 – WCW Spring Stampede: Sting defeated Rick Rude to win the WCW International world heavyweight title.
• April 21, 1994 – WCW Saturday Night: Rick Rude defeated Mark Starr to retain the WCW International world heavyweight title.
• 1994: Rick Rude vs Sting faced off and Rude suffered a neck and back injury that would put him on the shelf for quite some time.
• May 1, 1994 – NJPW: Rick Rude defeated Sting to win the WCW International world heavyweight title.
• May 14, 1994 – WCW Worldwide: Sting defeated Rick Rude in a I Quit Match.

Extreme Championship Wrestling:

• Rick Rude dissappeared out of the spotlight for two years, before showing up in ECW in 1996.
• Rick Rude’s Goal: To make Shane Douglas’ life a living hell in the promotion.
• Rick Rude jumped ship to the WWF while still on the ECW roster.

World Wrestling Federation – DX:

• September 1997: Rick Rude made a return to the WWF as an “insurance” policy for Shawn Michaels and DX.
• November 17, 1997: Rick Rude made history by being the FIRST man to ever appear on WWF RAW and WCW Nitro on the same night.
• ~~~This was made possible because RAW, was taped 6 days earlier, and Nitro was live.

World Championship Wrestling – nWo:

• November 1997: Rick Rude contacted Eric Bischoff, voicing his displeasure over the way Bret Hart was treated in the WWF.
• ~~~Considering the fact that Rude was paid per appearence, that meant he could go wherever he wanted.
• ~~~November 17th: Rick Rude appeared on the taped edition of RAW, with a beard.
• ~~~Just moments later, Rick Rude appeared on the live edition of WCW Monday Nitro, clean shaven!
• ~~~Rude was announced to the world as the newest member of the nWo.
• ~~~As soon as he was given a mic, he let loose on McMahon, and the WWF, by calling the federation the “Titanic”.
• ~~~From that day forward, the “Rick Rude” clause became a part of WWF contracts, so they’d never have that problem again.
• Rick Rude managed Curt Hennig while he was a member of the new World order.
• 1998: Rick Rude dissappeared from WCW once again.
• July 24, 1997 – ECW TV: Jerry Lawler, Rob Van Dam and Sabu vs. Rick Rude, The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer in a tag team cage match ended in a no contest.

Rick Rude’s Life:

• Rick Rude began training for his ultimate comeback to a WWF wrestling ring.
• Rick Rude was the only foreign talent to make the finals of G-1 Tournament in Japan.
• April 20, 1999: Rick Rude passed away after a heart attack at the age of 40.
• Rick Rude was survived by his wife, Michelle, and three children.
• March 31, 2017 – WWE Hall Of Fame: Rick Rude was inducted in the 2017 class of the WWE Hall Of Fame.