If it wasn't for the infamous incident where he appeared on Raw and Nitro on the same night because of secret contract negotiations with WCW, many feel that "Ravishing" Rick Rude would already be in the WWE Hall Of Fame. He certainly had the credentials for it. He was one of the biggest heels in all of wrestling during the 1980's, was a successful member of WCW in the early-1990's, is someone who can lay claim to being a key member of both the nWo and Degeneration X during the Attitude Era, and was capable of having a good match with just about anyone. Rude's initial character in the WWF pretty much overshadowed anything he could do in the ring. He was so known for his gyrating and sex appeal for the women in the audience that it almost didn't even matter if he could wrestle or not. It wasn't until he went to WCW when many fans actually got to see him wrestle in longer, better matches with opponents that could also "go" in the ring. It's a sad, running theme, but Rude going into the Hall would be yet another posthumous induction. He passed away in 1999 at only 40 years of age, and he was training for a return to the ring (a back injury forced him into retirement in 1994). It becomes a "What if" scenario when you think about what he could have contributed had he been able to return.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.
