Rick Rude in WCW and the World Title

[Jimmy]

Was Rude expected to take the WCW World Title from Ron Simmons at Starrcade 92 before his ill-timed injury forced him off the card and to vacate the US Title? I haven't read that it was but considering the build for Rude at the time and the fact that Simmons then dropped the belt days later to Vader, I would assume that was the idea. Just watching him from this time period it's unbelievable that he never got to hold the (real) WCW World Title as he was so ridiculously good during that time period.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Not likely as he started feuding with Vader right before his injury. He was, however, scheduled to win the WWF title from Ultimate Warrior and even recorded some promos as champ.

[willywonka666]

May 27, 2012 14:22:02 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Not likely as he started feuding with Vader right before his injury. He was, however, scheduled to win the WWF title from Ultimate Warrior and even recorded some promos as champ.

Why did they change the plans?

[Dr. T is an alien]

May 27, 2012 16:06:09 GMT -5 willywonka666 said:

May 27, 2012 14:22:02 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Not likely as he started feuding with Vader right before his injury. He was, however, scheduled to win the WWF title from Ultimate Warrior and even recorded some promos as champ.

Why did they change the plans?

I am not sure. Knowing his attitude it is possible that Warrior refused to put him over, but considering that he lent Rude the belt to use during those promos I doubt it. It is far more likely that Hogan interfered when he decided to come back and did not want Rude to win as A) he reportedly was legitimately afraid of Rude and did not want to have to face him as a challenger, and B) as Rude was primarily a Warrior-specific rival if he was champ that would put Warrior as the obvious one to take the title back off of him, a problem that they did not have with Slaughter.

Still, the fact that they had jobbed him several times in the previous year probably did not help Rude's case as champion. The only reason that he was used as a challenger in the first place was the fact that he ended Warrior's first IC title run and they wanted to build it up as an epic feud for the ages.

[wahoowah11]

I wish rude would have gotten some type of run with a world title. The Big Gold Belt didnt cut it.

[Ultimo Chocula]

I bought him as WCW World Champion, his matches with Flair were quite good. If Hogan hadn't shown up and Rude hadn't gotten injured I'm positive he could have been a major draw during the 90's.

[chazraps]

Anyone seen this?

[willywonka666]

May 29, 2012 1:43:05 GMT -5 Ultimo Chocula said:

I bought him as WCW World Champion, his matches with Flair were quite good. If Hogan hadn't shown up and Rude hadn't gotten injured I'm positive he could have been a major draw during the 90's.

But was he actually a world champ? I seem to recall that as soon as he won, someone pulled out and it wasn't really a "World" title anymore, and I thought how the same thing happened to him in World Class as the NWA seceded right before he won the belt.

Can anyone help me out here?

[Robbymac]

May 29, 2012 11:17:23 GMT -5 willywonka666 said:

May 29, 2012 1:43:05 GMT -5 Ultimo Chocula said:

I bought him as WCW World Champion, his matches with Flair were quite good. If Hogan hadn't shown up and Rude hadn't gotten injured I'm positive he could have been a major draw during the 90's.

But was he actually a world champ? I seem to recall that as soon as he won, someone pulled out and it wasn't really a "World" title anymore, and I thought how the same thing happened to him in World Class as the NWA seceded right before he won the belt.

Can anyone help me out here?

WCW billed him as a World Champion (WCW International World Heavyweight Champion to be specific). It's a bit iffy, and I'm not sure if PWI recognized the WCW International Championship as a World Title.

It goes back to what constitutes a World Championship. If WWE can promote two World Champions for going on 10 years now I don't see why WCW couldn't.

[tigermaskxxxvii]

May 29, 2012 11:17:23 GMT -5 willywonka666 said:

May 29, 2012 1:43:05 GMT -5 Ultimo Chocula said:

I bought him as WCW World Champion, his matches with Flair were quite good. If Hogan hadn't shown up and Rude hadn't gotten injured I'm positive he could have been a major draw during the 90's.

But was he actually a world champ? I seem to recall that as soon as he won, someone pulled out and it wasn't really a "World" title anymore, and I thought how the same thing happened to him in World Class as the NWA seceded right before he won the belt.

Can anyone help me out here?

Man, what the hell is up with the NWA and Rick Rude. I mean the guy's no Lou Thesz, but he's a damn good worker. Did Rude run over The NWA President's dog or something?

[chunkylover53]

May 27, 2012 14:22:02 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Not likely as he started feuding with Vader right before his injury. He was, however, scheduled to win the WWF title from Ultimate Warrior and even recorded some promos as champ.

Where did you read that? Can find you find promos of him as WWF champ on the internet? I'd like to see them.

Nonetheless, I never really saw Rick Rude as a World Champion. He had the wrestling ability and in-ring skills, but to me, he seemed just fit for the upper mid-card who occasionally challenges for the big one, but comes up short.

If he wrestled in todays "Everybody Gets a Turn" era, he would've more than likely been WWE or World Heavyweight Champion at some point.

[Jimmy]

May 30, 2012 21:35:12 GMT -5 chunkylover53 said:

Nonetheless, I never really saw Rick Rude as a World Champion. He had the wrestling ability and in-ring skills, but to me, he seemed just fit for the upper mid-card who occasionally challenges for the big one, but comes up short.

I just can't agree with that. By 1990 with his short hair and somewhat more serious approach Rude fit perfectly in the main event. The WWF would have been much better served to run with him as a heel world champion than the stupid xenophobia they went with in Sgt. Slaughter, and he was much more suited to be champion in WCW than Ron Simmons.

[Deleted]

Rude beating Warrior for the belt after they had Warrior go over Hogan clean? I highly, highly doubt that.

[SAJ Forth]

I think he could've had a nice reign as the proper WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

[jason1980s]

May 30, 2012 21:35:12 GMT -5 chunkylover53 said:

If he wrestled in todays "Everybody Gets a Turn" era, he would've more than likely been WWE or World Heavyweight Champion at some point.

There's be so many 1980s/1990s upper card or guys from the main event that would be champions if they had today's way of champions. Valentine, Muraco, Earthquake, Bravo, Duggan, Volkoff, Dusty, Piper, Orton, Orndorff, Roberts, JYD, Studd, Bundy, Bulldog, Justice, Dibiase, Bigelow, Gang/Akeem, Bossman, Kamala and maybe even lower guys like Martel, Santana, Warlord and more.

[thecrusherwi]

May 29, 2012 10:02:22 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Anyone seen this?

I have that tape somewhere in my embarrassingly large vintage wrestling tape collection. It's like a typical WCW 45 minute clip job. It came out in mid 1993.

[Dr. T is an alien]

May 31, 2012 8:31:36 GMT -5 @conebone69 said:

Rude beating Warrior for the belt after they had Warrior go over Hogan clean? I highly, highly doubt that.

Hey, I am not making that part up. I don't recall if it was an interview with Heenan, Cornette, or someone else with intimate knowledge of booking decisions but they said that at first they booked the match purely based on their personal history together but after a few Hogan-free months profits were down and the thought came up that Warrior chasing for the title might bring profits up again. Of course, they did not go with that plan.