10 WWE Stars Who Failed In WCW
5. Rick Rude
In the early '90s, Rick Rude reached the height of his career in WCW. As the centrepiece of the brilliant Dangerous Alliance faction, Rude became US Champion and had some of the best matches of his career. Rude would also go on to lift the 'Big Gold Belt' (then recognised as the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship), before retiring from in-ring activity due to injury.
By the time he returned to WCW in late 1997, Rude had been out of action for several years. Nevertheless, his debut was a big deal. Rude had left the WWF in disgust following the Montreal Screwjob, leading Rude to become the first man to appear on Nitro and Raw simultaneously.
Rude also became the first man to be part of both DX and the nWo, quickly reprising his managerial role next to long-time friend, Curt Hennig. Rude and Hennig became shackled to nWo mid-card feuds and were both off TV within a year.
Hennig would return at Starrcade, noticeably without Rude by his side. Rude himself was recovering from a nasty testicular cancer scare, that eventually turned out to be cysts. Despite rumours that he was training for an in-ring return, Rude left WCW in March '99 and died of heart failure a month later.