20 ECW Easter Eggs, References And In-Jokes You Never Noticed

2. In The Week Of November 9-16, 1997, Rick Rude Played The Exact Same Role In Three Different Companies "At The Same Time"

If Rick Rude was really serious about making an in-ring comeback prior to his heart-attack death in 1999, he should've never stopped being Shane Douglas and the Triple Threat stable's insurance policy. Rick Rude versus Shane Douglas was likely to be ECW's top feud of 1998. All of the pieces were there. Douglas had initially been stalked by Rude (then an unknown man in a security helmet) in 1996, but by early 1997, Rude was solidly positioned alongside Douglas in the Triple Threat as a briefcase carrying "insurance policy" against any potential issues faced by then ECW World Champion Douglas. However, Rude was working without a contract in ECW, and in September of 1997, and hope for Douglas versus Rude died when Rude appeared on Raw as D-Generation X's briefcase carrying "insurance policy," ensuring that the stable had minimal issues during their pursuit of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels regaining the WWF Heavyweight Championship. When the Montreal Screwjob occurred though, Rude, angered by the bad business being done by all parties left, and on November 17, 1997 appeared on Nitro as again, a briefcase-carrying "insurance policy" for the New World Order. In the case of ECW starting a joke that, like the Bee Gees song, eventually "had the whole world laughing," this is likely one of those most memorable of moments. If watching ECW, WWF and WCW TV in the week of November 9-16, 1997, you saw Rick Rude three times. Even funnier than that, in ECW he had no facial hair, in the WWF he had a beard, and in his WCW debut, he absolutely wore a moustache. Ridiculous.