10 Biggest WWE Missed Opportunities In SummerSlam History

10. Rick Rude Does Not Win WWE Championship In 1990

Rick Rude was one of the best heels that the pro wrestling business had ever seen. He was cocky, he was arrogant and he had an air of self-importance that made fans shake their heads in disgust. Rude was convinced that he was not only the best but that he was also the best looking and that was enough to put him among the most hated in the eyes of fans. In WWE Rude was part of Bobby Heenan's family and that meant he moved to the front of the line in terms of both getting heat and getting opportunity. By the time his feud with The Ultimate Warrior began, some fans were likely expecting that Rude would be able to do the impossible and walk away with the WWE Championship. However, that was not the case. Vince McMahon's company revolved around three top Superstars at that time; Warrior, Randy Savage and of course, Hulk Hogan. Warrior and Hogan were babyface while Savage could work on either side of the fence and still be just as effective. It was a formula that worked for WWE and one that made money for them. Unfortunately, that formula had no room for someone like Rick Rude, who was probably viewed as just a strong heel used to get the top talent over. Rude did not win the championship from Warrior during this feud and in fact did not become WWE's top titleholder at all during his career. Looking back on it now, the possibilities that existed for Rick Rude as WWE champion were very rich indeed. He would have had three instant rivalries just waiting to begin and he would have had other protagonists ready to challenge him that could not get over on Hogan. Of course, WWE did not take the chance and chose instead to stay with what worked for them.