10 Ravishing Rick Rude WWE Hall Of Fame Moments
A Simply Ravishing Inductee.
Though the true worth of a WWE Hall of Fame place has been endlessly debated by fans, most can agree that it can still remain a satisfying moment of validation for the legacy of a performer.
On this basis, the induction of the late, great Ravishing Rick Rude is long overdue.
A legitimate tough guy who moved in the right circles thanks to a Minnesota upbringing shared with Nikita Koloff, Tom Zenk, Curt 'Mr Perfect' Hennig and others, Rude was destined to be a professional wrestler and well-primed to be a master of the craft.
Working his way through the NWA territories alongside successful runs in World Class Championship Wrestling, Memphis, Championship Wrestling Florida and WCW-precursor JCP, Rude was a smash hit throughout the 1980s.
By the time the still-expanding World Wrestling Federation came calling in 1987, Rude was a ripped and polished pro, and a perfect fit for the sports entertainment theatre Vince McMahon was curating.
Adding value to his name that would last the remainder of his life, Rude was almost never out of the industry from that point until his untimely 1999 death.
18 years on, Rude's storied career will finally be honoured, but before his induction, here's a look at 10 classic moments that earmarked 'The Ravishing One' for the Hall.
10. World Heavyweight Champion
It took him until the tail-end of his in-ring career, but after defeating Ric Flair at September 1993's Fall Brawl pay-per-view, Ravishing Rick Rude briefly sat atop the industry as WCW World Heavyweight Champion...sort of.
The World Title situation in Atlanta at the time was particularly convoluted, as WCW's long-existing relationship with the NWA had gone (even further) south, subsequently costing Turner's organisation the right to claim the NWA big gold belt as their World Title.
In physical possession of the belt, WCW renamed that the 'International World Heavyweight Championship' whilst forming their own WCW Title to run concurrently until the two were unified in mid-1994.
In the meantime, Rude was the main proprietor of the legendary strap, legitimising the 'International' label the company placed on the championship after trading the title with Hiroshi Hase and Sting in tours of Japan.
A back injury in early 1994 during a match with Sting would force Rick into permanent retirement and vacation of the title, having held the gold for a collected 202 days over three separate reigns.