Rick Rude Biography

(American Professional Wrestler)

Birthday: December 7, 1958 (Sagittarius)

Born In: Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States

Rick Rude was a well-known professional wrestler, who performed in several wrestling promotions, such as World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation. Well-known for his bold persona, he is considered by many to be the one of the best wrestlers who never won the WWE World Championship. However, , he had won the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship, the WCWA World Heavyweight World Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, as well as the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. Along with few other wrestlers, Rick Rude founded the D-Generation X stable, in 1997. He was also a good arm wrestler, and came sixth in the world championships in the light heavyweight division in 1983. He passed away in 1999, due to a heart failure caused by overdose of mixed medications. In 2017, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame posthumously.

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Quick Facts

Nick Name: Ravishing

Also Known As: Richard Erwin Rood

Died At Age: 40

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Michelle Rood (m. 1988), Cheryl Holler (m. 1980–1982)

father: Richard Clyde Rood

mother: Sally Jean Thompson

siblings: Kathy Carder, Marcia Wheeler, Michael Rood, Nancy Natysin, Sherry Rood

children: Colton Rood, Merissa Rood, Ryan Rood

Born Country: United States

WWE Wrestlers American Men

Height: 6'3" (190 cm), 6'3" Males

Died on: April 20, 1999

place of death: Alpharetta, Georgia, United States

Notable Alumni: Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Cause of Death: Drug Overdose

U.S. State: Minnesota

More Facts

education: Anoka-Ramsey Community College

  • 1

    What are some signature moves of Rick Rude in wrestling?

    Some signature moves of Rick Rude include the Rude Awakening (a neckbreaker), the Rude Bomb (a jumping piledriver), and the Rude Awakening II (a swinging neckbreaker).
  • 2

    What are some memorable feuds of Rick Rude during his wrestling career?

    Rick Rude had memorable feuds with wrestlers such as Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
  • 3

    Did Rick Rude ever compete in multiple wrestling promotions?

    Yes, Rick Rude competed in various wrestling promotions during his career, including WWE, WCW, and ECW.
  • 4

    Was Rick Rude known for his in-ring charisma and mic skills?

    Yes, Rick Rude was known for his exceptional in-ring charisma and mic skills, which helped him become a successful wrestling personality.
  • 5

    Did Rick Rude ever hold any championship titles during his wrestling career?

    Yes, Rick Rude held several championship titles during his wrestling career, including the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship and the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
Childhood & Early Life
Rick Rude was born on December 7, 1958, in St. Peter, Minnesota, in the US. He studied at Robbinsdale High School, in Robbinsdale, in Minnesota.
Some of his schoolmates include Brady Boone, Tom Zenk, John Nord and Nikita Koloff, all of whom became professional wrestlers like him. He later earned a degree in physical education from Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
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Career
After obtaining his degree, Rick Rude began training as a wrestler under Eddie Sharkey. He made his TV debut on 6 November 1982, against Jos LeDuc, in which he was defeated. He later competed for Georgia Championship Wrestling, and also at the Continental Wrestling Association.
On 28 May 1983, he made his debut for World Championship Wrestling. He faced Pat Rose, whom he was able to defeat with a dropkick. He left the promotion shortly after, and joined the National Wrestling Alliance. In his first match against James Harris, aka Kamala, he was defeated. For some time, he also played for Jim Crocket Promotions.
In 1984 December, he was hired by Championship Wrestling from Florida. He won the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship, after he beat Pez Whatley in January 1985, but he soon lost it after being beaten by Brian Blair. He won the championship once more after a few months, after he beat Mike Graham, in a Southern title tournament final.
He hold the championship till October 2, 1985, when he was defeated by Wahoo McDaniel. During this time, he also teamed up with Jesse Barr, and won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship, in April 1985. They managed to hold the championship till July, after being beaten by Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes.
In October 1985, he made his debut in the World Class Championship Wrestling. During this time, he was able to win the NWA American Heavyweight Championship, in November. While he was holding the title, it was renamed to the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. In 1986, he made his return to Jim Crocket Promotions, and formed a tag team with Manny Fernandez. In December, they won the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
In July 1987, he made his debut on World Wrestling Federation, on ‘Superstars Of Wrestling’. He joined the Bobby Heenan Family, after Heenan dropped Paul Orndorff. This caused a feud between Rude and Orndorff. He next also had a big feud with James Hellwig aka The Ultimate Warrior.
In 1989 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, he attacked the latter with a metal pose bar, and with help from Heenan, Rude defeated him and won the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania V.
He lost it in the same year to The Warrior, at SummerSlam, due to interference by Roddy Piper. This caused a feud between him and Roddy and the two had several matches, including one in a steel cage. After Warrior won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, Rude began training to face him. The two faced in Summerslam 1990, inside a steel cage, in which Rude was defeated. He eventually had to quit the WWF, after he had a dispute with Vince McMahon, owner of WWF.
He next joined WCW, and led The Dangerous Alliance, which consisted of himself, Madusa, Paul E. Dangerously , Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin, Larry Zbyszko.
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On 19th November 1991, Rude defeated Steve Borden, aka Sting, and won the United States Heavyweight Championship. He challenged Ron Simmons, who was the reigning World Heavyweight Champion Ron Simmons, several times, but he failed to win.
He also spent some time at the Extreme Championship Wrestling, and also made a return to the WWF for a while. He returned to the WCW for a third time, but after some time, in 1999, he left WCW,
Family & Personal Life
Rick Rude’s first marriage was with Cheryl Holler from 1980 to 1982. It ended in a divorce.
Rude married his second wife Michelle Brown in 1988 and they remained together till he passed away in 1999. They also had three children named Richard Jr., Merissa and Colton. Colton passed away in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, on 3rd September 2016.
Rick Rude passed away on April 20, 1999, due to heart failure. According to the autopsy, it was caused by overdose of mixed medications.
Years after his death, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, in 2017.
Facts About Rick Rude
Rick Rude was known for his impressive physique and considered one of the most handsome wrestlers of his time.
He was skilled in both wrestling and bodybuilding, showcasing his dedication to physical fitness.
Rick Rude was a talented talker on the microphone, known for his confident and charismatic promos.
He was a versatile performer, successfully portraying both a villainous and heroic character during his wrestling career.
Rick Rude had a unique entrance routine where he would remove his robe seductively before each match, captivating audiences with his smooth and confident demeanor.

See the events in life of Rick Rude in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Rick Rude Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/rick-rude-11917.php

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