Richard Rood

(Redirected from Rick Rude)

**Rick Rood**
Vital Statistics

Stage names	The Smooth Operator Ricky Rood The Halloween Phantom "Ravishing" Rick Rude
Height	6'3" (190.5 cm)
Weight	250lbs (113.4 kg)
Birthdate	December 7, 1958
Hometown	Robbinsdale, Minnesota
Trained by	Eddie Sharkey
Professional Debut	June 1983

Richard Erwin Rood, better known by his stage name of "Ravishing" Rick Rude (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999) was a professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, most notably World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, in the 1980s and 1990s.

1 Career
2 In Wrestling
3 Trivia
4 Titles and Accomplishments
5 Sources

Career

Rick Rude & Manny Fernandez

After graduating from Anoka Ramsey Junior College with a degree in Physical Education, Rood began wrestling in 1983 as Ricky Rood, a babyface jobber, in the Memphis-based Mid-Southern Wrestling. He later left and joined the National Wrestling Alliance affiliate Jim Crockett Promotions where he and a variety of tag team partners feuded with The Road Warriors. He returned to Mid-Southern Wrestling in 1984, this time as "Ravishing" Rick Rude, an overconfident, somewhat arrogant heel managed by Jimmy Hart. Rood feuded with Jerry Lawler and later his former partner, King Kong Bundy.

Rood was hired by Florida Championship Wrestling in December 1984 where he was managed by Percy Pringle and feuded with Billy Jack Haynes and Wahoo McDaniel, while teaming with Jesse Barr. After a year, he jumped to World Class Championship Wrestling along with Pringle, where he feuded with Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams. After losing the WCCW Championship to Adams in July 1986, he fired Pringle and briefly replaced him with his sister, Raven. He formed a short-lived tag team with The Dingo Warrior, but Warrior turned on him and became a face.

In September 1986, Rood returned to Jim Crockett Promotions and joined Manny Fernandez and his manager Paul Jones in their rivarly with Wahoo McDaniel. Rood and Fernandez won the NWA World Tag Team Championships on December 6, 1986 from the Rock 'N' Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, and began an epic feud that ended only when Rude left the promotion for the World Wrestling Federation in April 1987. To explain the sudden departure, Jim Crockett, Jr. aired a pre-taped non-title match where the Express defeated Rood and Fernandez and claimed that Rude had been injured as a result.

Rick Rude as Intercontinental Champion

World Wrestling Federation

In the WWF, Rood was managed by Bobby Heenan and feuded with Paul Orndorff before starting one of his most famous feuds with Jake "the Snake" Roberts. Rude had a routine where he would kiss a girl {that Heenan picked from the fans} all the way down to the mat. He tried to get Roberts' wife, Cheryl, to comply, aggravating Roberts. One one memorable occasion, Rood came to the ring with a picture of Cheryl stenciled on the front of his tights. A furious Roberts charged the ring and stripped Rood, appearing to leave him naked.

Rood's next big feud was with The Ultimate Warrior and began in January 1989. With a little help from Heenan, Rude won the Intercontinental Championship from Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania V, losing it back five months later. Rude then feuded with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, before resuming his conflict with Ultimate Warrior in the summer of 1990 when the Warrior won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Rude failed to win the title and departed the WWF in March 1991 after briefly teaming with his childhood friend, fellow Minnesota native Curt Hennig.

Rick Rude as United States Champion

World Championship Wrestling

Rood debuted in World Championship Wrestling as The Halloween Phantom at Halloween Havoc on October 27, 1991. He founded and led The Dangerous Alliance, consisting of himself, Paul E. Dangerously, Madusa, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbysko and "Stunning" Steve Austin. Rood won the United States Championship from Sting and feuded with Ricky Steamboat, at one point breaking his nose in a gang attack.

In 1992, Roode and Madusa left The Dangerous Alliance and feuded with Nikita Koloff. Rood challenged reigning World Heavyweight Champion Ron Simmons on several occasions but did not defeat him. He was injured in December and was forced to forfeit the United States Championship. Rood returned alone in April 1993 and tried to reclaim the title from Dustin Rhodes, who had won it while he was injured. The title was eventually held up after several controversial finishes to matches between the two.

Rude switched his sights to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, making his intentions clear on August 28, 1993, when he was the guest on then-champion Ric Flair's "A Flair For the Gold" talk show. Rood went on to defeat Flair for the title in September 1993 at Fall Brawl. However, as WCW had recently withdrawn from the NWA, the title could no longer be called the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (WCW had purchased the belt itself, however). The title was renamed the WCW International Championship, which Rood lost to Hiroshi Hase on March 16, 1994 in Tokyo, Japan. Rood regained the title just eight days later in Kyoto, Japan. After dropping the title to Sting on April 17, Rood pinned Sting on May 1 to become a three time champion. However, the decision was later reversed as Rood was found to have used the title belt as a weapon in the course of the match. Rood retired shortly after due to a neck injury suffered while wrestling Sting.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

Rude collected on an insurance policy and did not compete in wrestling until 1997, when he joined Extreme Championship Wrestling as a masked man who harassed Shane Douglas, at one point spanking Francine. He eventually unmasked and became a commentator. During the ECW versus United States Wrestling Alliance / WWF inter-company competition, Rude helped Jerry Lawler defeat ECW mainstays, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman.

Rick Rude and D-Generation X

World Wrestling Federation

Rood later returned to the WWF as an "insurance policy" of D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna. He assisted with several sneak attacks on The Undertaker. He left the WWF shortly after the Montreal Screwjob took place at the 1997 Survivor Series. As his short-term agreement with the WWF had already expired and Rood gave no warning that he intended to leave, he was able to appear on both RAW is WAR and WCW Monday Nitro on November 17, 1997. A bearded Rood appeared on RAW (which had been taped six days earlier) and then on Nitro, which was taped live.

Rick Rude & Curt Hennig

World Championship Wrestling

Rood became a member of the New World Order, managing his friend Curt Hennig. When the nWo split, Hennig and Rood joined the nWo Wolfpac and tried to motivate Konnan to defeat Goldberg, who was undefeated at the time. When Konnan was defeated by Goldberg, Rude and Hennig attacked him, later joining nWo Hollywood, the rivals of the Wolfpac. By late 1998, Rude had left WCW amid rumors that he was training for a comeback to full-time wrestling. He briefly appeared with the WWF as a commentator on their pay-per-view pre-shows.

Rick Rood passed away on April 20, 1999 after suffering heart failure.

In Wrestling

Previous Managers

Quotes

"I want all you fat, out of shape, sweathogs to keep the noise down while I take off my robe."

Finishing/Signature Move(s)

Rude Awakening

Trivia

Rood loved to go hunting and fishing with Curt Hennig and Rick Steiner
Rood once worked as a bouncer at "Gramma B's" bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota with Michael Hegstrand, Joseph Laurinaitis and Barry Darsow. He was considered the toughest of the group due to an open hand slap that could knock people out.
Rood took martial arts classes.
Rood has three children, Richard Jr., Marissa and Colton.
Rood's friends said he used Primobolon and Parabolin, two types of anabolic steroids. This probably contributed to his heart failing at a young age.