20 Years Of DX: Where Are They Now?
4. Rick Rude
Rick Rude's D-Generation-X exit was perhaps better remembered than anything he actually did as a member of the group, but his heel enforcer role was a key ingredient in the original success of the squad.
With Triple H and Shawn Michaels cast as loudmouth nincompoops, it often fell to Ravishing Rick and Chyna to fight their battles, or at least provide a numerical advantage over rivals such as The Undertaker, Bret Hart and Ken Shamrock.
Aiding Shawn's summer heel turn as his 'Insurance Policy', Rude had a bizarre chemistry with the 'Heartbreak Kid' on-screen despite their mutual disinterest in the the union behind the scenes. Rude was a Bret Hart loyalist, and shared many of his concerns with DX and the tone of WWE's product in general, thus making it little surprise when he infamously appeared on a post-Montreal Screwjob live Nitro whilst simultaneously performing on a taped edition of Monday Night Raw.
Rude never returned to WWE, having tragically passed away in April 1999. After spending 18 months as a suit-wearing heavy for Curt Hennig and the New World Order as he had done for DX, he was preparing for an in-ring return when he died of a heart failure.