Too Little Too Late: Rick Rude's Return

Starting his career in 1982 crossing between both Jim Crockett Promotions and All Star Wrestling in Canada. Rude wouldn't find his footing in wrestling for the next two years really until he returned to Memphis in 1984 and found the gimmick that would make his career. Upon his return to Memphis he would find the "Ravishing" gimmick that would make him famous, and it would start with him feuding with Jerry Lawler in his never ending rivalry as a hired gun for Jimmy Hart. Rude would then move around a little more acting sort of like a freelancer spending time in CWF, World Class, and Jim Crockett Promotions before finding a long term home in the WWE. Though his run with the company didn't last a ridiculous amount of time his stay with the WWE was his longest run with a company up to that time which was about three years. 

Rude would have many of his famous feuds as a member of the company including his feuds with Warrior, Piper, and Jake Roberts. Fact is I do believe that even though he might have only held the title once he did go down as one of the best Intercontinental Champions in history. In October 1991, Rude would be apart of one of the most shocking moments in pre-Hogan WCW with Paul Heyman introducing him as his new client. Rude would then become the leader of the Dangerous Alliance along with Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, and Madusa, this stable is one that most fans call underrated cause of the amount of talent in the group. One of Rick's highlights in WCW was winning the WCW International Heavyweight title which was formerly the NWA World Title prior to the NWA with drawing from WCW. Rude durting his career would be a multiple time International Champion prior to his retirement in 1994. 

Rude's career would be cut down in his prime during a match with Sting for the International title when he caught a flying Sting but caught his back on one of the raised mats at ringside. Rude would hurt his back and it would actually end his career this would take him away from the spotlight for the foreseeable future. In 1997 it would be a marquee year for Rude as he was the most valued asset in wrestling working for each of the big three at one point or another. At first he would show up in early 1997 with Extreme Championship Wrestling starting as a masked man and then ending up as a color commentator with Joey Styles. Rude would then become the first and only talent to work for both WCW and WWE at the same time choosing WCW over WWE after the Montreal Screw job. 

In the Spring of 1999 rumors started popping up that Rick Rude could be making his way back into the ring for the first time in six years. According to Eric Bischoff it was a part of Rude's Lloyd's London Settlement that stopped him ever returning to the ring. However, I am unsure that without Rick updating his gimmick if he would've done as he did the first time around. It is also possible that Rude's in ring skill would've fallen off to the point of being nowhere close to where it was before. I know it is tough to predict what could've have happen but I just think that at the height of the Monday Night Wars an in ring return for the "Ravishing One" was a little "Too Little Too Late."