Could Rick Rude Have Had A Last Hurrah Run If Lived?

[CMWaters]

Was watching a review of WCW Spring Stampede 1994, and it was noted how close to each other, both Ricky Steamboat and Rick Rude had injuries to their backs that put them in early retirement.

Now while Steamboat has had the chance to come back for some last hurrahs here and there, Rude was stuck in side roles over the years, including as parts of both DX and nWo. I heard it was because of insurance issues but that's neither here nor there right now.

I don't know how Rude's back injury compared to Steamboat's, but if Rude hadn't died due to complications, do you think he could have had some last hurrah moments? He was only 40 when he died in 1999, but I could see him being a good veteran hand in the post Monday Night Wars era, even for a short time. Looking it up it said he was trying to get to return to the ring, so maybe he could have made one in time to be a "veteran voice" or something for the Alliance in that story, since we last saw him in WCW and he sorta became a world champion there, unlike in WWF.

So yeah...you think if he didn't die Rude could have done good stuff post WCW closing?

[Aceorton]

Unless Rude's back was miraculously OK and he was able to go at peak levels again, I can't see him getting much more than the Mr. Perfect-in-2002 treatment as far as in-ring work. His long absence unfortunately gave him the feel of being a relic of the '80s and early '90s. They probably would have used him mainly to put over guys like Edge, RVD, Lesnar and young Orton and Cena, but no serious programs.

[Mozenrath]

I know he supposedly was training to come back when he died, though I don't know how high level a performer he realistically was going to be. Still, I could have seen him getting a midcard title or two.

[tafkaga]

I have trouble seeing Rick Rude returning to wrestling without the washboard physique.

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

Wasn’t Rude’s injury worse than Steamboat’s? I don’t remember how Steamboat injured his back, but I can vividly picture Rude’s. And it looked pretty bad.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

He seemed really out of place even then. If his back could handle it, why not? But it’s not something anyone wanted or was clamouring for. If he couldn’t bump like he did before, his value is rather low.

A couple of tag matches, hit a Rude Awakening, that would be fun enough.

[Jaws the Shark]

Oct 6, 2022 13:46:24 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I know he supposedly was training to come back when he died, though I don't know how high level a performer he realistically was going to be. Still, I could have seen him getting a midcard title or two.

Even leaving his injury aside, after seeing the state of him on Nitro Blast or whatever it was called shortly before he died, I have to imagine it would've been pretty disastrous. He looked tired, he was puffy, bloated, clearly nodding out on pills or Nubain or whatever it was he was on. Sort of reminded me of about ten years ago, going to see the Lemonheads when Evan Dando was still on smack, in the way that you look at his eyes and there's just nobody in there. It was grim.

[XIII]

I’ve heard rumors that his back injury wasn’t really deabilitating and he just wasn’t wrestling because the insurance payout was ridiculous before the company figured out that they were going to lose money insuring wrestlers. His back was hurt but not that hurt. No clue how true that is though. Supposedly he wanted to get into MMA around the time of his death, that would have gone worse than wrestling.

[koreycaskets]

Not totally related but regarding Ric Rude. Getting to see him love at an ECW show in Buffalo was pretty surreal feeling. Lady time before that seeing him at a live event he was facing the Ultimate Warrior in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens.

[Natural Born Farmer]

He looked like a different person in his last on-screen appearance. He'd gotten really fat, there's no other way to say it.

If he'd recovered enough to get super diesel again, sure, I think his charisma would've gotten him over again.

[Celexa Bliss 54]

He probably would've taken Barry Windham's place as Hennig's tag partner. Maybe a US Title run and feuds with DDP and Benoit. Outside chance he'd get a World title run, but I wouldn't have held my breath waiting, either.

[fw91]

I feel like that was always something in the works , but it sadly never came to be.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

He was training for a return in the time of passing. Which is why we didn't see much of him in late 98 he was gone not long after fall Brawl that year into 99.

[celtics543]

I struggle to see how he could've still been Rick Rude the wrestler without the ridiculously ripped up body. Maybe he could get that physique back but it seems unlikely. Maybe he could pull off a Tom Selleck thing if he got the mustache again, lords knows he was loaded with charisma so that wouldn't be an issue.

It was also the wrong era. Nostalgia wasn't in full force yet and I'm not sure anyone would've cared. Guys like Hogan and Piper could come in and get big pops but I see Rude similar to Perfect in 2002. He'd get a big return pop and then people wouldn't really care anymore. Maybe he could have formed a team with Perfect and they could've been the veteran heels who talked about how things were better "in their day". Other than that I just don't see a huge role for Rude in 2002-2005 WWE.

[XIII]

I just looked up one of the backstage blast things. No clue if it’s the last one or not, but ole boy looks about to cash in his chips. Doesn’t look good at all.

[Blade]

Oct 6, 2022 19:01:05 GMT -5 koreycaskets said:

Not totally related but regarding Ric Rude. Getting to see him love at an ECW show in Buffalo was pretty surreal feeling. Lady time before that seeing him at a live event he was facing the Ultimate Warrior in Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Okay, one Freudian slip I can let slide, but...