Profile last updated by: David Buckler

Rick Rude

[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 & 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 & 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 Intercotinental Heavyweight title defeating The Ultimate Warrior (April 2, 1989);
  • WCW United States Heavyweight title defeating Sting (November 19, 1991);
  • WCW International World Heavyweight title [Awarded] (September 19, 1993);
  • WCW International World Heavyweight title defeating Hiroshi Hase (March 24, 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 & 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 breif 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 & tag titles on more than one occassion..

World Class Championship Wrestling

  • October 1985: Rick Rude & 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 & Manny Fernandez defeated Ricky Morton & 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..
  • Summer Slam ’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..
  • September 1993: 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”..
  • 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..

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..

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..