WWE News: ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2017

An all-time legend will finally be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame posthumously, but it isn’t the “Ninth Wonder of the World,” Chyna. At least not yet. No, it appears that the company will finally be inducting “Ravishing” Rick Rude into the class of 2017, according to a report from Daily Wrestling News.

Rick Rude, whose real name is spelled Rick Rood, passed away in April 1999 at the age of 40 after spending his entire adult life in professional wrestling. The Ravishing One, Rick Rude appears to be the second confirmed name for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017. The Inquisitr reported earlier this week that the WWE will also be inducting Diamond Dallas Page.

DDP and Rick Rude are certified legends in pro wrestling with many arguing that these accolades are long overdue, especially in Rude’s case. However, the Inquisitr noted that neither Page nor Rude are expected to be headlining names at the ceremony over WrestleMania weekend in Orlando that first weekend in April. However, that name has yet to be confirmed or been leaked publicly.

In addition to Rick Rude, DDP, and an unnamed headliner, there are whispers that a current employee within the WWE will get the nod as well. However, he or she, too, has yet to be confirmed. It’s already shaping up to be a memorable class and Jerry “The King” Lawler is expected to return for his annual stint as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

“Ravishing” Rick Rude performed for WWE, WCW, Jim Crockett Promotions, and ECW, among others. Among his accomplishments included a run as Intercontinental Champion in the WWE and the United States Champion while with WCW. Perhaps his most memorable accomplishment, however, came in 1997 when he managed to appear on WWE’s Monday Night Raw and WCW’s Monday Nitro in the same night, as RAW had been taped a week earlier and Rude jumped ship to WCW in the time between. A little known fact is that Rick appeared on ECW television that same weekend as well.

Rick Rude was forced to retire from in-ring competition in 1994 after suffering a devastating back injury during a match with Sting in Japan. Rude continued wrestling in the match after taking a bad fall on the outside and actually won. Ironically, of course, is the fact that Sting was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2016 after he, too, was forced to retire due to injury.

Among his Hall of Fame credentials is that not only did he appear for WWE and WCW in the same night (never happened again), but he also became the first performer to be booked in both legendary factions, D-Generation X and the nWo, albeit in managerial capacities. Rude joined Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna as an insurance policy for D-X and departed the WWE after the Montreal Screwjob because he was upset with how the incident was handled.

Rude’s mainstream time in wrestling ended in 1999 after a year and a half with WCW, spending time with both nWo factions. He and good friend Curt Hennig (Mr. Perfect) had the tail-ends of their careers derailed by injury, with Rick believing he had testicular cancer, which later turned out to be spermatocele. Rude passed away due to heart failure in 1999, and Hennig followed four years later.

Rude’s heart failure was later revealed to be caused by an overdose of mixed medications, and Mr. Perfect died because of an acute drug intoxication. At the time of Rude’s death, he was believed to be training for a return to the ring and he was survived by his wife and three children.

Eighteen years after his death, “Ravishing” Rick Rude will be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

[Featured Image by WWE]