'Ravishing' Rick Rude to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame
Thursday 9 March 2017 16:03, UK
"Ravishing" Rick Rude will be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during the week of WrestleMania 33.
Rude, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 40, wrestled for WWE between 1987 and 1990, beating The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania V in 1989 to win the Intercontinental Championship.
The Minnesota-born star returned to WWE in 1997 as the "insurance policy" for D-Generation X, regularly appearing ringside at the faction's matches.
Rude will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday, March 31 - two nights before WrestleMania - by one of his greatest rivals, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, with whom he battled in WWE and WCW.
Rude engaged in a thrilling 30-Minute Iron Man Challenge against Steamboat at WCW Beach Blast in 1992, eventually losing by a 4-3 margin, and also fought Steamboat at the first WWE Royal Rumble event in 1988.
Rude claimed the United States Title, from Sting, after joining WCW in 1991 and went on to hold the belt for 378 days - only Lex Luger (523 days) has enjoyed a longer reign with the title.
Rude, famed for his chiseled physique, also battled Ric Flair, Vader, and Ron Simmons and was part of Paul Heyman's Dangerous Alliance before retiring from in-ring competition in 1994 due to a back injury.
