What’s the story?
It has just been revealed by the WWE that the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame 2017 will be none other than “Ravishing” Rick Rude himself.
The tweet by the WWE’s official account confirming this is as follows:
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In case you didn’t know...
Rick Rude (Real name Richard Rood) is one of the most legendary professional wrestlers in the history of the business. His gimmick was said to be ahead of its’ time and laid the foundations for characters such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Hollywood Hulk Hogan and The Rock.
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In many ways, Rick Rude laid the foundations of the Attitude Era itself, with his unique heel gimmick.
Sporting an incredible physique, Rick Rude made his wrestling debut in 1982 and signed up with the WWE in 1987.
Rude wrestled with the WWE for a number of years and eventually signed up with the WCW in 1991, he ended up winning the Intercontinental Championship and the United States Championship during his time with the promotions.
Rude would subsequently retire from in-ring action in 1994, due to a back injury that he sustained as a result of him landing awkwardly on a raised object after taking a Suicide Dive from his opponent, WWE Hall of Famer, Sting.
He would then go on to make appearances for ECW and ended up coming back to the WWE (and WCW) in 1997. Rude made history by appearing on both WWE and WCW on the same night. Here’s a video of that incident:
He passed away in 1999 due to heart failure as a result of an overdosage of “mixed medications”, as reported in his autopsy.
The heart of the matter:
The WWE have decided to induct Rick Rude into the WWE Hall of Fame, class of 2017. Rude’s induction in the Class of 2017 will be accompanied by The Rock n’ Roll Express, Diamond Dallas Page, Teddy Long and Kurt Angle.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will be taking place on Friday, 31st March 2017, two days before WrestleMania 33.
The WWE have also revealed that Rick Rude will be inducted into the Hall of Fame by Ricky Steamboat. Rude and Steamboat were not only really good friends, but also had a memorable feud during their WCW days and the induction will be a tribute to that.
Here’s WWE’s official account’s tweet confirming the same:
Here’s a video of one of the many matches that Steamboat and Rude had together:
The Impact:
Rude’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, class of 2017 will be done during the Hall of Fame ceremony which is being held during the WrestleMania 33 weekend on the 31st of March, 2017.
It is expected that Rude’s family, including his wife Michelle Rood, his sons Rick and Kaleih Rood, his daughter Merissa Rood, his sisters, Marcia Wheeler, Kathy Carder and Nancy Natysin as well as his brother Michael Rood will be present at the ceremony to honor his memory.
Sportskeeda’s take
Rick Rude revolutionised professional wrestling during his time in the business. If there is one man in the history of the WWE and WCW that deserves the honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s him.
Rude’s gimmick, his mannerisms, his dedication towards fitness and his overall aura were way ahead of his time and Rude certainly laid the foundations of what was to come in the Wrestling business. In many ways, he can be considered as the father of the Attitude Era.
Rude has inspired and continues to inspire countless professional wrestlers and his memory shall forever live on. Thank you for everything, Rick!
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