11 MORE WWE Returns That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
10. Rick Rude (1997)
Are you ready? What could scream rebellion more than Rick Rude in a suit and tie looking like the world's most well-chiselled bouncer? Yes, that's a joke. It was confusing to see the 'Ravishing' one tag along next to Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna as they crotch-chopped, shoved bananas/socks/anything else they could think of down their pants, and generally pushed the envelope for what was acceptable in 1997 WWF.
Rude had returned to the fed as an enforcer for the trio's new D-Generation X group on the 11 August '97 episode of Raw. Bizarrely for somebody with such legacy star power and the gift of gab, Rick didn't really actually say much of note on the mic. He never looked right alongside HBK, Trips or Chyna either, but everyone persevered like Rude was some essential piece of the DX act they just couldn't do without.
Eventually, he left due to fallout from the screwjob involving Bret Hart at Survivor Series, but it was a creative mercy killing more than anything else. Michaels pranced and danced, Hunter made countless jokes about his junk, and Chyna was already enough bodyguard muscle for the degenerates. That left Rude, who was called the stable's "insurance policy", looking like someone who had nothing to offer.
How strange.
The company were only looking for something for Rick to do other than wrestle, and the "insurance policy" tag was a nod towards the reasons why he couldn't work matches (Rude had a lucrative Lloyds Of London earner), but surely he could've done anything other than rock up as the corporate odd man out in an anti-authority faction?!