Richard Erwin Rood (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American professional wrestler who performed for various promotions, including the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

Rude wrestled from 1982 until his 1994 retirement due to injury, with a final match following in 1997. Among other accolades, he was a four-time world champion, a three-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, a one-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion, a one-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion. Rude also challenged for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on pay-per-view cards, competing for the former in the main event of SummerSlam in 1990. Following his retirement, Rude managed multiple wrestlers.

In late 1997, Rude founded the D-Generation X stable alongside Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna. On November 17 of that year, in the midst of the Monday Night War, he became the only person to appear on the WWF's Raw and WCW's Monday Nitro programs on the same night, as the former was pre-recorded and Rude had left for WCW in the interim. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017.

Early life

Rude was born in St. Peter, Minnesota to Richard Clyde Rood and Sally Jean Thompson. He attended Robbinsdale High School in Robbinsdale, Minnesota with Tom Zenk, Brady Boone, Nikita Koloff, Curt Hennig, John Nord, and Barry Darsow, all of whom later became professional wrestlers. He was especially close with his childhood friend Curt Hennig.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1982–1984)

thumb|Rude in World Championship Wrestling, circa 1983

After graduating from Anoka-Ramsey Community College with a degree in physical education, He began wrestling in 1982 as Ricky Rood, a babyface jobber.

Rude lost his TV debut against Jos LeDuc on the November 6, 1982 episode of Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling. He started with Vancouver's NWA: All-Star Wrestling before moving on to compete for Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) and later the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA). Rude debuted on the May 28, 1983 episode of World Championship Wrestling, defeating Pat Rose with a dropkick. Gordon Solie interviewed Rude the following week, with Rude discussing transitioning from arm wrestling to pro wrestling and dropping weight to increase speed. Rude feuded with Jerry Lawler and later his former partner, King Kong Bundy. He later debuted in WCCW in a match against Kamala that he lost, and then went on to (NWA) affiliate Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) where he and a variety of tag team partners feuded with The Road Warriors.

Championship Wrestling from Florida (1984–1985)

thumb|upright=1.05|Rude being managed by [[Percy Pringle in 1985]]

Rude was hired by Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) in December 1984, where he was managed by Percy Pringle. He defeated Mike Graham for the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship on January 16, 1985, and lost it to Brian Blair on April 10, 1985. He captured the championship again on July 20, 1985, when he defeated Mike Graham in the finals of a Southern title tournament. He held the belt until October 1985, when he dropped it to Wahoo McDaniel, who was booking Florida during this time.

While teaming with Jesse Barr, Rude won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship in April 1985, and feuded with Billy Jack Haynes and Wahoo McDaniel over the belts, losing the straps to McDaniel and Haynes in July 1985.

World Class Championship Wrestling / World Class Wrestling Association (1985–1986)

thumb|Rude as [[WCWA World Heavyweight Champion, ]]

Debuting on October 18, 1985, Rude jumped to World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) along with Pringle, where he feuded with Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams. During his time in WCCW, Rude captured the NWA American Heavyweight Championship on November 4, 1985. The WCCW withdrew from the NWA on February 20, 1986, and changed its name to the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The NWA American Championship was renamed the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship while Rude was still holding the title. As a result, Rude became the promotion's first world champion. After losing the title to Chris Adams in July 1986, he fired Pringle and briefly replaced him with his sister, Raven. He formed a short-lived tag team with Dingo Warrior, but the Warrior turned on him and became a face.

Jim Crockett Promotions (1986–1987)

In September 1986, Rude returned to JCP and joined Manny Fernandez and his manager Paul Jones in their rivalry with Wahoo McDaniel. Rude and Fernandez, known collectively as the "Awesome Twosome", won the NWA World Tag Team Championship on December 6, 1986, from the Rock 'n' Roll Express,

Rude had a routine where, before the match, he would make a show of removing his robe, likely inspired by Austin Idol's disrobing routine, while insulting the males in the crowd from their hometowns, usually calling them "fat, out-of-shape sweathogs". After his victories, he would kiss a woman whom Heenan selected from the audience. although the live audience saw him actually stripped to a g-string.

To mid-1988, Rude wore a second pair of tights under the one he wore to the ring, including during his match against the Junkyard Dog at the inaugural SummerSlam. During the match Rude had the JYD on his back and had climbed to the top turnbuckle. While up there he pulled down his tights to reveal a second with Cheryl Roberts printed on them. After hitting the Dog with a flying fist, he was attacked by Roberts who had seen the action from the dressing room. Roberts attack on Rude caused the JYD to be disqualified, giving Rude the win. Rude lost to Roberts in a "Rude Awakening vs. DDT" match on October 24, at Madison Square Garden. Rude's feud with Roberts came to its conclusion when Roberts pinned Rude following a DDT during the 1988 Survivor Series.

Intercontinental Champion and departure (1989–1990)

Rude's next big feud was with Ultimate Warrior and began in January at the 1989 Royal Rumble pay-per-view in a "Super Posedown" that ended with Rude attacking Warrior with a metal pose bar.

Rude then feuded with Piper which led to a conflict between their respective teams at the 1989 Survivor Series in which both men brawled to a double count-out. Rude would go on to have many matches with Piper including inside a steel cage on December 28, at Madison Square Garden losing the majority of them, before having a brief program against Jimmy Snuka getting a win over him at WrestleMania VI.

Rude resumed his conflict with Ultimate Warrior in the summer of 1990 after Warrior had won the WWF Championship. Rude began rigorous training in preparation for the Warrior, and took a more serious approach by neglecting women and cutting his hair short, a style he maintained for the rest of his career. The feud culminated in a steel cage at SummerSlam 1990, wherein Rude was defeated by the Warrior.

Next, he was scheduled to feud with Big Boss Man, which had its start when Rude's manager Bobby Heenan started to make degrading comments about Boss Man's mother. Rude would later backup the statements and call out the Boss Man. Rude was scheduled to be a part of a team called the Natural Disasters at the Survivor Series, consisting of Earthquake, Dino Bravo, and The Barbarian against Hulk Hogan and Boss Man's team, but was replaced by Haku after being suspended indefinitely by Jack Tunney on an episode of Wrestling Challenge on October 28, 1990. Tunney explained that Rude's comments towards the Boss Man were the reason for his suspension and that his manager Bobby Heenan was obligated to wrestle the Boss Man in his place. In reality, Rude had a dispute with WWF owner Vince McMahon that led to him leaving the company.

Freelance (1991)

After leaving the WWF, Rude attempted to join Herb Abrams' UWF. Still under contract with the WWF, his former company sent a cease and desist order that prevented Rude from appearing on UWF television. He would not wrestle again until May 18, 1991, when he appeared at the TWA Spring Spectacular II event held by the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance in Philadelphia, PA. He faced Paul Orndorff and lost by disqualification.

In July 1991, Rude joined All Japan Pro Wrestling for their Summer Action Series 1991, making his initial appearance at a show in Yokosuka, Japan. In his first match on the tour, he teamed with Johnny Ace to defeat Billy Black and Joel Deaton. In singles matches Rude was undefeated, beating Isamu Teranishi and Akira Taue. His final appearance came on July 19, where he teamed with Johnny Ace in a losing effort to Dan Spivey and Stan Hansen.

Rude also appeared in International World Class Championship Wrestling (IWCCW), where he had confrontations with The Honky Tonk Man.

World Championship Wrestling (1991−1994)

The Dangerous Alliance and United States Heavyweight Champion (1991–1993)

After spending a year wrestling on select shows on the independent circuit, and a July 1991 tour for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Rude returned to WCW, which had originally been JCP prior to being sold to Ted Turner in late 1988. On October 27, 1991, he returned under a mask as The WCW Phantom at Halloween Havoc, unmasking himself later that night. He led The Dangerous Alliance, consisting of himself, Paul E. Dangerously, Madusa, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, and "Stunning" Steve Austin. On November 19, 1991, Rude defeated Sting for the United States Heavyweight Championship and engaged in a number of high-profile feuds, including one with Ricky Steamboat. At one point during their feud, Steamboat suffered a kayfabe broken nose in a gang attack.

In 1992, Rude and Madusa left The Dangerous Alliance and feuded with Nikita Koloff. Rude challenged reigning World Heavyweight Champion Ron Simmons on several occasions but failed to win the title. In December 1992, Rude suffered a legitimate neck injury and was forced to forfeit the United States Championship, thus ending his reign of nearly 14 months, a reign that still stands today as the second longest reign in the almost 40-year history of the title.

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1997)

thumb|200px|Rude at an [[Extreme Championship Wrestling television taping in October 1997]]

Rude collected on a Lloyd's of London insurance policy and did not appear in wrestling again until January 1997, when he joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as a masked man. Rude debuted at House Party, declaring that his New Year's resolution was to "fuck with the Franchise" (Shane Douglas). Rude went on to repeatedly harass Douglas, at one point spanking Douglas' valet Francine during Crossing the Line Again.

He eventually unmasked and became a color commentator before later aligning himself, for a short time, with Douglas and his Triple Threat stable. In the main event of ECW Heat Wave 1997, Rude made a one-off return to the ring in a six-man tag team match, where he partnered with ECW mainstays Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman to face Jerry Lawler and ECW stars Rob Van Dam and Sabu, only to betray Dreamer and The Sandman. During the ECW versus USWA/WWF inter-company competition, Rude helped Lawler win matches against Dreamer and The Sandman.

Return to the WWF (1997)

On August 11, 1997, Rude returned to the WWF as the "insurance policy" of the group that would become known as D-Generation X (DX) (Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna). The D-Generation X name was first used on October 13, 1997. As a member of DX, Rude never wrestled, but stayed ringside during the group's matches. A few days after the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series, Rude once again left the WWF. According to Bret Hart, Rude stayed in the locker room during Bret's confrontation with Vince McMahon after the match in Montreal, and later called Eric Bischoff, informing Bischoff that what had happened was in fact real. Rude was not signed to a full-time contract with the WWF, and was instead performing on a "pay-per-appearance" basis. Rude was able to negotiate a deal with Bischoff and WCW, in large part due to his anger over the Montreal Screwjob.

Return to WCW (1997–1999)

Rude appeared on both the WWF's Raw Is War and WCW's Monday Nitro in the same night on November 17, 1997. A mustached Rude appeared on Nitro, which was live, and proceeded to criticize Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, DX, and the WWF, calling the company the "Titanic" (a reference to Titan Sports, as WWF's parent company was then known, as the "sinking ship"). Rude also appeared on ECW's Hardcore TV during that weekend (November 14–16 as the show was syndicated differently depending on the market). Rude was still making ECW appearances while he was in D-Generation X, as the WWF and ECW often co-operated in terms of talent.

In WCW, Rude became a member of the New World Order (nWo), managing his friend Curt Hennig. But their time with the "Red & Black" was very brief. At The Great American Bash, they turned on fellow Wolfpac member Konnan by attacking him after he lost to the then-undefeated Goldberg, resulting in Hennig and Rude both joining nWo Hollywood instead.

By late 1998, both Rude and Hennig were off WCW television due to injuries. Hennig had an ongoing leg injury that year, and Rude was thought to have had testicular cancer which later turned out to be a spermatocele. Hennig returned to the nWo from his injury at Starrcade without Rude, who was still unable to appear and was not included in the nWo reunion that happened during January 1999. Rude officially left WCW in April 1999, with his last appearance coming on the April 5, 1999 edition of WCW Monday Nitro Backstage Blast.

Personal life

In 1976, Rude married his love interest, Cheryl Holler. The couple later divorced in 1982.

In 1988, Rude married his second wife Michelle, and the couple remained together until his death in 1999. They had three children together, Richard Jr., Merissa, and Colton. His younger son, Colton, died on September 3, 2016, in a motorcycle accident in Rome, Georgia, at the age of 19.

Bret Hart has claimed that despite his womanizing character, "Ravishing One" persona, Rude was a devoted family man who never took his wedding ring off even during matches, but instead covered it up with tape.

Death

Rude was found unconscious by his wife and died on the morning of April 20, 1999, at the age of 40 when he suffered from heart failure. An autopsy report showed he died from an overdose of "mixed medications". At the time of his death, Rude was in training for a return to the ring.

Legacy

On March 6, 2017, WWE announced that Rick Rude would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat inducted Rude. Michelle, Merissa, and Richard Jr. accepted on his behalf.

Championships and accomplishments

  • Championship Wrestling from Florida

thumb| Rude as [[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version)|NWA United States Tag Team Champion, ]]

  • NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (2 times)
  • NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) – with Jesse Barr
  • NWA/AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with King Kong Bundy
  • WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) – with Manny Fernandez
  • Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2022
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1992)
  • PWI ranked him No. 4 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992
  • PWI ranked him No. 57 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
  • World Class Championship Wrestling / World Class Wrestling Association
  • NWA American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • WCWA Television Championship (1 time)
  • WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • World Wrestling Federation / WWE
  • WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2017)
  • 20 Man Royal Rumble (March 16, 1988)
  • Slammy Award (1 time)
  • Jesse "The Body" Award (1987)
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Heel (1992)