Armchair Bookers: What if Rick Rude...

[Zack Malibu 0]

Been a few weeks, so here's another one, this time dealing with the death of one of wrestling's legendary rulebreakers, Rick Rude. At the time of his death, Rude was working in WCW as a heel manager/associate to the NWO, and closely aligned with real-life friend Curt Hennig. Rude hadn't wrestled since a back injury put him out of action in 1994. He disappeared for a while, resurfacing in early 1997 in an ECW angle where he appeared under a mask to make life hell for Shane Douglas, despite his trademark voice making him the worst Mystery Man in history. The angle was then changed to have everyone play it up that they knew it was Rude, but when it was time for the unmasking, Douglas' Triple Threat ally Brian Lee was under the hood (and Rude was disguised as a riot cop, an idea the WWE stole many times). Then it was on to the original DX, where he was their "insurance policy", and then finally the legendary night where Rude was on a pretaped RAW and on a live Nitro, having left the WWF in the wake of the Montreal incident.

 

At the time of his death, Rude was rumored to be training for a comeback, hoping to return to the WWE upon expiration of his WCW deal for one last run. Rumors buzzed that he would immediately be programmed in a top program with Austin, as the WWF didn't have an abundance of credible top heels at the time. So that's where today's discussion comes in...

 

...what would have happened if Rude made it back to the WWF? Would he feud with Austin? The Rock? Foley? Would he have an amazing final run in the company, or would he be considered past his prime, and lost in the wake of the rise of the new stars?

 

Honestly, I could see him getting a major run as a top heel. He could have been a worthy payoff to the Higher Power angle, as he was someone with a legitimate past with Austin. The WWE "main event brawl" style would also serve well to protect Rude's nagging injuries from the past, and I think he would wind up having an amazing feud both in the ring and on the mic with The Rock as well. He'd probably also wind up taking on Foley as well, another guy he would have had a past with from WCW.

 

Towards the end of his active run (I wouldn't foresee him still wrestling actively now) I think they might try a face run and a feud with Triple H based off their DX past. He'd probably be used to help put over Randy Orton during the Legend Killer run, and then Rude would settle into one of the authority figure/commentator/semi-active wrestler spots.

 

So, what do you guys think Rick Rude would have done had he come back to finish his career out in the WWF?

[JN News 0]

I would've loved to see Rude to survive and live to this very day to get inducted into the Hall of Fame. I also would've loved to see Rude return to the WWF in 2000 to work some kind of angle with HHH & Stephanie.

[Diamonddust 0]

Rude would have been a nice addition, however, they would have had to address the issue that Val Venis was basically doing Rick Rude's character, only amplified in terms of edge, at the time.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Probably a casket match.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Rude would have been a nice addition, however, they would have had to address the issue that Val Venis was basically doing Rick Rude's character, only amplified in terms of edge, at the time.

 

Either Rude could rip Venis apart saying he's a sham. Or... they could keep Venis off TV 'til RTC.

[Tony149 0]

I had read Rude was training for a comeback at the time of his death, but didn't know it was for a hopeful WWF run. Figured it'd be WCW since they always kept pushing older talent, although they'd no doubt screw it up so I can understand his thought process. That and he probably saw the iceberg ahead of WCW.

 

But had Rude lived, his last hurrah likely would’ve been a successful one IMO. The ability to speak was a huge asset to have in the Attitude era, and with the brawling main event style Zack mentioned, it’d make up for what Rude could no longer do in the ring (same view I have of Brian Pillman). His return would also alter wrestling history, perhaps significantly for certain guys, Triple H in particular.

 

I think everybody remembers the huge push HHH got in the summer of ‘99. Although I don’t know when Rude’s WCW contract was set to expire, assuming he was in by summer then he in all likelihood takes HHH's spot during the latter part of the year. Though he probably still goes on to become a superstar, HHH and Stephanie might not have gotten cozy without their storyline and WWE post-Vince could look awfully different than what most think it will today (i.e. HHH and Steph run the show).

 

As for Val Venis, I had the same thought as daileyxplanet. Have Rude put Val out for being an imitator, then once you run through feuds with the top guys (Austin, Rock, etc) then Val could comeback looking for revenge. Rude finishes his career feuding with Venis, Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero, etc, before moving on to the broadcast booth. He could take over Lawler’s spot on Smackdown and maybe even is the one to replace the King instead of Paul Heyman in 2001.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Rude would've been in the uppermid card mix, not main events IMO

[Gert T 0]

Rock v. Rude in mid 1999 could have made for some interesting segments, and probably a better match than Rock-King Ass.

 

 

[Maztinho 0]

Rude would've been in the uppermid card mix, not main events IMO

 

Nah, Rude would have gotten a run at the top if he made it back. His gimmick was built for the Attitude Era, and after "breaking" Val's neck for ripping him off, he would have stood as a key figure in the late 90's for a solid run. Even giving Val a bit of a push in a consolation (Bob Holly like, WTF Title shot) program with a then World Champion Rude.

[Enigma 0]

I was pretty deep into the dirtsheets at the time and never once heard any of these rumors that Rude was going back to the WWF.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Rude would've been in the uppermid card mix, not main events IMO

 

Nah, Rude would have gotten a run at the top if he made it back. His gimmick was built for the Attitude Era, and after "breaking" Val's neck for ripping him off, he would have stood as a key figure in the late 90's for a solid run. Even giving Val a bit of a push in a consolation (Bob Holly like, WTF Title shot) program with a then World Champion Rude.

 

Unless he had a Micheals like miracle, he wouldn't have been up to it IMO

[Zack Malibu 0]

I was pretty deep into the dirtsheets at the time and never once heard any of these rumors that Rude was going back to the WWF.

 

It was pretty well known he had tried, or was trying, to get out of his WCW contract near his time of death. He wanted to end his career in the WWF, probably due to all the political manuevering and people like Bret getting lost in the shuffle at the time in WCW. I believe even WOW Magazine (the short lived hybird of a wrestling magazine and a dirtsheet) at the time even noted he was looking to return to the WWF.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I don't think a Rick Rude return to the WWF would have amounted to much. Rude couldn't really bump because of his neck, which may have been in worse condition than Austin's, and regardless of the brawling style the promotion had at the time, he simply wouldn't have been able to psychically keep up. His workrate, which was somewhat overrated to begin with, had long since deserted him, so that's a strike against him. Another is that he didn't match up size-wise to the top guys of the time, which meant he'd have to rely on a workrate and bumping ability he didn't have anymore. Rude would have meant something for about a month, if that, and then people would have seen that Rude didn't have it anymore and that would have been it.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Regarding Venis, I think Rude's character evolved past the whole hip-swiveling What I'd Like to Have Right now shtick so I figure a Rude/Venis feud would only come to play once Rude has run his course in the main event picture if that's where he would have started.