Highlights
- "Ravishing" Rick Rude was a legendary character in WWE history, known for his talent, charisma, and portrayal of a pretty boy macho heel.
- Despite not having a championship resume, Rude is considered one of the best heels ever, with his overall presentation and top-notch physique contributing to his popularity.
- Rude's in-ring career was cut short due to injuries sustained in the mid-1990s, but he left a lasting legacy in the wrestling industry as a manager and as a member of D-Generation X.
"Ravishing" Rick Rude is arguably among the all-time best characters in WWE history while also one of the best who's never won a WWE Championship. Someone who made a name for himself during WWE's Golden Era, Rude was the perfect stereotype for a pretty boy macho heel, as he had the talent and charisma to back up that very persona that made him a legend. Because of this, it's a shame that Rude's in-ring career got cut short as he had to retire in 1994 due to injuries he sustained during the mid-1990s.
The Legacy Of "Ravishing" Rick Rude
"Ravishing" Rick Rude was among the most remembered larger-than-life characters when he made his WWE debut in 1987 during the company's Golden Era. As Rude spent only a couple of years wrestling for other promotions before making the jump to WWE, it seemed at first that he would be wrestling for much longer than he really did, maybe go on to win a World Championship in WWE if his in-ring career continued in the 1990s.
Rick Rude isn't the most accomplished WWE superstar regarding his championship resume. However, there's no denying he created a legendary name for himself during those couple of years he was in WWE during the Rock 'n' Wrestling Generation. To this day, Rude is considered by many as one of the best heels ever.
The overall presentation of his character and having the natural charisma to back it up was what made him among the most beloved characters in WWE history. Playing the stereotypical macho pretty boy heel, Rude's portrayal of his on-screen persona was the perfect heel. Rude's heel persona also got over due to his top-notch physique, as many argue Rick Rude has one of the best bodies in professional wrestling history.
Rick Rude was an Intercontinental Champion when he defeated The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania 5, being one of the few WWE superstars to have a win over someone as credible as The Ultimate Warrior. Over the years of his in-ring career, whether in WWE, WCW, or anywhere else, Rude fought and beat the best that the professional wrestling industry had to offer, including names like Sting and Ric Flair.
The Final Years Of Rick Rude's Career And Why He Retired In 1994
Due to a dispute with Vince McMahon, Rick Rude departed from WWE in 1990 and soon returned to World Championship Wrestling in 1991. After spending three years in WCW, Rude wrestled his final match in 1994 in a winning effort against Sting to win the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship in Japan. However, for storyline purposes, he was stripped of the title after he got exposed for using the belt as a weapon to beat Sting. After that, Rick Rude retired from in-ring wrestling and it would be the final match of his career until 1997.
As one might expect, there's more to the story regarding why Rick Rude got stripped of the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship and had to take a long hiatus from his in-ring career. It turned out that he had to step back from the ring because of a back injury he sustained during his 1994 match with Sting, where his back landed wrong during a maneuver from Sting.
Much like Shawn Michaels, who also retired after sustaining back injuries in 1998, Rude spent many years out of the ring until returning for one match in a Six-man Cage match for ECW's Heat Wave 1997 PPV. However, the Six-man Tag Cage match turned out the be the final match of his career.
Perhaps Rick Rude's best-known fame after retiring in 1994 was when he returned to WWE during its early years of the Attitude Era, becoming one of the founding members of D-Generation X in 1997 as an enforcer. At that point, he took up a manager role for the rest of his career, from when he managed D-Generation X in WWE to returning to WCW after he departed from WWE following the Montreal Screwjob. Around this time, Rick Rude was planning another comeback in the ring but unfortunately passed away in April 1999, the same month he made his final appearance in WCW.
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