10 Forgotten Final Wrestling Matches Of WWE Hall Of Famers
Going out, but not the way you might recall...
9. Ravishing Rick Rude
At the time of Rude's death in 1999 at the age of 40, the self-assured ladies man was reportedly training for a comeback to the sport. In the preceding two years, Rude worked for each of the big three promotions in non-wrestling roles, such as bodyguard and colour commentator.
His last match as a full-time active wrestler came in the spring of 1994 when he was wrestling Sting at New Japan's Wrestling Dontaku. There, Rude seriously injured his back when he landed awkwardly on a platform's edge after Sting dove onto him, and he retired shortly after.
Technically, however, Rude was a part of one other match after that, albeit without much in the way of physical exertion. Come 1997, Rude was a babyface commentator in ECW, his trademark being his tawdry and lascivious remarks, especially towards Francine. At that year's Heat Wave event, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman needed a partner for a six-man cage match against WWE reps Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and Jerry Lawler, and Rude stepped in. It was all a ruse, however, as Rude immediately clotheslined Dreamer, and aided the heels in a group beatdown of the ECW faithful.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
