Rick Rude was vastly underrated as a talker and wrestler. He was one of my favorite wrestlers growing up. His pile-driver was the shit.

@lucag.lisickza425

3 жыл бұрын

yeah, he done great piledrivers, remember clearly

@chozahfearless7524

3 жыл бұрын

I loved his neck breaker the rude awakening best neck breaker I’ve ever seen and nobody as used it as a finisher it’s shocking

@jimmyfaustjr6413

3 жыл бұрын

Best heel of all time imo

@CraigSmithII

3 жыл бұрын

He did a pretty good Tombstone Piledriver also & he sold one real good too. Pull up the 6 man match between Rude, Sid Vicious & Vader vs. Sting, British Bulldog & Dustin Rhodes. Rhodes reversed a Tombstone attempt from Rude & did the move on him. Rude sold it like he was dead weight.

@jaymeister4850

3 жыл бұрын

I don't think he was underrated; I think it's more he was valued more in the way he was used.

I remember those training montages, Rude running on the beach, lots of intensity saying he can beat the Warrior..... That felt like a genuine shift to being a main eventer. One of the all-time greats.

Rick Rude was one of the Greatest Ever I agree he should have been in the main event of WM 7 and going in as WWF Champion Hulk Hogan vs Rick Rude would have been awesome

@frankb6819

3 жыл бұрын

Rick Rude wouldn't want to job to Hogan though. It would've ruined his momentum.

@gangstachef9046

3 жыл бұрын

I agree

@tomwalker389

3 жыл бұрын

Hogan didn't want to work with Rude. Flair said he was afraid of him.

@TL2354

3 жыл бұрын

Leon Tan you’re basing it on someone else’s opinion? Get a life

@pheo1418

3 жыл бұрын

Rick Rude wasn't "big" enough to wrestle Hogan, Hogan enjoyed wrestling with workers over 350 pnds with the exception of Randy Savage.

Rick was a phenomenal performer. Literally excelled at all. Absolute travesty both his career and life ended WAY too soon. In my top 10 performers ever in the business. #RIPRick.

@NevrSilent

3 жыл бұрын

I have to say, I never saw a SPECTACULAR match from Rude. However, he was one of the most steady, HARD workers of that period. He had legitimately evolved into a genuine mechanic, or workhorse. At very least, he probably should have figured regularly in the IC title picture--however, by 1990 he was hungry for better than that in the WWF, which was maybe one the reasons for him leaving.

@lucag.lisickza425

3 жыл бұрын

definitely. i always admired him legendary definitely

@WEK-kh8gd

3 жыл бұрын

jediknightgeo I totally agree.

@arthurmorgan7086

Жыл бұрын

@@NevrSilent shut up

@Glasschin2.0

5 ай бұрын

@@NevrSilentI watched an old match with him and hacksaw the other day. He even made hacksaw look a million dollars and the crowd popped massive for little stops.

Wrestlemania 7 had so many missed opportunities. Why no LOD vs Demolition? Why no Rockers vs Harts? These matches seemed so obvious at the time.

@GameTime-yj6qv

3 жыл бұрын

Very true

@GameTime-yj6qv

3 жыл бұрын

@Edgehead10075 only because the WWF handled the LOD/Demolition feud horribly, and booked Demolition even worse from mid 1990 on.

@vannavanity1195

3 жыл бұрын

Harts and Rockers wasn't marketable. Who cares about match quality? That does nothing for heat. They already had plenty of matches Crush couldn't possibly work in Demolition. Without Ax, it was dead. Ax was a top performer and Smash was good at best. Crush was always average. Ax and Smash was a great package and you didn't have that ego problem. Smash and Crush was barely better than a preliminary team with a fancy costume.

@QuentinDude

3 жыл бұрын

They had done Rockers vs hart Foundation on a lot of house shows

@theman6705

3 жыл бұрын

Every year wwe always misses an obvious Mania match tbh lol

Prichard is evading the wrestlemania questions.

@j.3o21

26 күн бұрын

Whats new

Some wrestlers have stated that Hulk Hogan did not like working with Rick Rude mainly because Rude was a legitimate "bad ass" outside of the ring. If Rude "potatoed" you, then you couldn't give him a "receipt", because then you'd really make him angry. Barry Darsow said that Rick Rude beat up a number of guys in the locker room for one reason or another. I think that Hogan's huge ego couldn't handle being stretched by Rude, especially if he couldn't retaliate in kind. Given that Hulk Hogan was Vince McMahon's "golden goose", if he didn't want to work with you, then that affected your "push" in the company. Notwithstanding, Rick Rude is appropriately regarded as one of the greatest heels in the history of pro wrestling.

@chriszaa2309

3 жыл бұрын

Um hogan wrestled rude numerous times

@HereIsWisdom1318

3 жыл бұрын

I like Rude; i think he deserved a chance to be World champ (in WWF), but if he didnt get a chance because he was a “legitimate ’bad ass’”, then the fault lays completely on him (Rude)!!

@brianlefevre5154

3 жыл бұрын

@@chriszaa2309 not a televised program, stupid.

@chriszaa2309

3 жыл бұрын

@Blvck Lvnd how about you do your research and see hogan has wrestled rude numerous times moron

@7654x

3 жыл бұрын

@@brianlefevre5154 Survivor Series 87

It’s mind boggling that Warrior got the push he did and Rude never did, if they had chemistry in matches it’s because Rude carried him

@Glasschin2.0

5 ай бұрын

Hogan refused to work with Rude saying he wasn’t a safe worker. Hogan refused a run with Jake the snake too, as Jake was getting huge crowd reactions as a heel.

@jameshurtado5389

5 ай бұрын

@@Glasschin2.0 and Warrior was way more dangerous in the ring than Rude

@Glasschin2.0

5 ай бұрын

@@jameshurtado5389 Rude actually beat Warrior up outside the ring.

Rick taking the " Atomic Drop "was always so funny and well done, for a kid in the 80's it made you believe it so much. And then you'd see a Terry Funk match and for a kid it just seemed so real and a natural progression of selling and Ass-Kickery ! 😱

@rustykuntz94

3 жыл бұрын

Rude & Honky Tonk Man both sold the atomic drop incredibly

This was the first ppv I ever bought as kid!!☀️

@larrybutcher4407

3 жыл бұрын

Same!

@brenthopper5414

3 жыл бұрын

Pp

@glitchedmochi

3 жыл бұрын

Me too! Well, my dad bought it...

@alanvillarreal979

3 жыл бұрын

Same here. Still my all time #1 PPV

@murraysaucedo897

3 жыл бұрын

Excellent choice

@ Conrad: I hope you're being coy when you state that you don't understand the reason why there wasn't a Hogan-Rude matchup at WM 7. Essentially, Hogan wrestled Rude in a few house show matches at the Boston Gardens and at Vancouver in early '88. After wrestling Rude a couple of times, Hogan complained that Rude was too unpredictable and wrestled too wildly for a typical Hogan style match. Hogan called Rude a Tazmanian Devil and wanted nothing more to do with him after their scheduled house show matches. That's what he told Vince. Also, in the early fall of '90 after SS, Rude got fed up as we wanted to be the new WWF champion. Warrior told Rude that Rude didn't have what it took to be champion and Rude basically kicked Warrior's butt in the locker room. Vince, and maybe even Bruce himself put Rude in a program with the Big Bossman where Rude insulted Bossman's mother, and both men would lead their respective teams in Survivor Series 1990. But, Rude wanted out. He and Vince worked out a deal where Rude agreed that he wouldn't wrestle for the WWF's main competition (WCW) for a year. Rude kept his word. He left in October of '90 and appeared on WCW's Halloween Havoc in 1991, wrestling only in the indies and in Japan for about a year.

I always thought Rude should of been put in the Shawn Michaels spot in 92

@jons5658

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t understand? Rude was in WCW in ‘92 - and he was in a higher spot in WCW than Michaels was in WWF. The “92 Michaels” spot also would’ve been a downgrade from where Rick had been on the card in 89-90 in WWF.

@mistermay7986

3 жыл бұрын

@@jons5658. Meaning the push. Michael was about to be push into the stratosphere. On way to becoming champ. I believe if Rude was offered that. He would of skipped WCW. Rude to me. Before Sting ended his career was the top heel in the sport. But with the WWF machine behind him. Rude would have been an even bigger star

@jons5658

3 жыл бұрын

mister may In ‘92 though? Michaels wasn’t pushed as a main eventer until ‘95-96. Rude was ready for that “95-96 Michaels push” in 91-92! IMO.

@tawandamajasi9763

3 жыл бұрын

It would take Michaels an extra 4 years to be world champ from 92.

@based9930

3 жыл бұрын

@@mistermay7986 Rude left WWF because of the steroid trials.

Rick Rude got his time on top in WCW. He was given a better opportunity there and dominated until he injured his back. God bless!

@mattsharkey8437

3 жыл бұрын

@@runnerbean6166 and his promos had another level of intensity. The Rude Collection agency is coming...and I expect to be paid......IN FULL!

According to Ric Flair Hulk Hogan said Rick Rude was the Tasmanian devil and didnt want to work with him in wwf or wcw in 94.

@Wreevesjr

3 жыл бұрын

They worked together, just not in a pay per view.

@knowyourroleboulevard7119

3 жыл бұрын

@@Wreevesjr sad thing is they wasted it on some random show. Which was just 20 near days before the Royal Rumble 1988. And sad thing is Hogan wasn't at the first Rumble.

@matthillegas3099

3 жыл бұрын

@@knowyourroleboulevard7119 He was there, he just didn't have a match. He had the contract signing with Andre.

@michaelperez5172

Жыл бұрын

You can look up hogan vs rude on you tune flair lies about everything.

@joemixon834

Жыл бұрын

@@michaelperez5172 he worked with him a few times in late 1987 early 1988 but other than that no he didn't work with him

Rick Rude was the best working heel the company has ever seen. He was the perfect guy to get face champions over. Such a shame they never gave him a run with the winged eagle, even if it was short run as a transitional champ.

Rick Rude was one of the best heels. I think if Mr. Perfect turned babyface a match between the two would have been great. Both very talented strong wrestlers or performers imo. Plus they respected each other being best friends in real life so they would have sold for each other very well.

Rest In Peace Rick Rude and Ultimate Warrior. WWE definitely drop the ball on WWE

Rick Rude and Curt Henning were two heels that should have had a run with the world title. They would have drawn tons of money for people to see them finally get beat. They could draw heat like no others.

I never remember Rude being out of shape. The man was in outstanding shape even in WCCW.

@Learningisfree808

3 жыл бұрын

Roided

@dougfitzpatrick2527

3 жыл бұрын

Regular Dad Here SERIOUSLY, RIGHT? I was actually gonna leave the EXACT SAME message!

@calebberaud9747

3 жыл бұрын

So what? Roids don’t just magically make you shredded. If anything you have to dial in your nutrition, cardio, and strength training even more in order to reap the full benefits. otherwise why take it other than helping your body recover from the stress of wrestling.

@Learningisfree808

3 жыл бұрын

caleb beraud so what? He shortened his life for nothing. All of these guys ruined their lives to look “great” for a moment in time. It’s just sad.

@regulardadhere8832

3 жыл бұрын

Learningisfree Hogan is still alive. Oh yeah my bad, he said his prayers, took his vitamins, and believed in himself. 🙃

Haha I love the little tiffs between Conrad and Prichard.

Rude managed by Heenan against Hogan for WM 7 would have been MONEY

God damn I love the passive aggressive back-and-forth multiplied with burns and insults and inside jokes that are all on archive and make it

Hogan Rude would have been gold

@keith1r

3 жыл бұрын

They wrestled in 88 in Boston and Hogan won

@ljvue

3 жыл бұрын

No.

@Jesse_Saucedo

3 жыл бұрын

Bret Hart vs Rick Rude would have been a classic also I've been tryna look up to see if they had a match but I don't see anything also imagine a Macho Man-Piper Feud in the 80's

@kaqueburlington4278

3 жыл бұрын

Bronze

Survivor series 87 Rick Rude was in the Main event on Andre's team

@7654x

3 жыл бұрын

+ was in a s mi feud with Mr Wonderful.

@bertmustin

3 жыл бұрын

Conrad said not including Survivor Series or Royal Rumble.

Maybe Hogan/Rude at WrestleMania wasn't meant to be, but it could have been a hell of a match for Survivor Series, the Rumble, hell even Saturday Night's Main Event. You're telling me they couldn't have Hogan/Rude *one* time at SNME? 🤔

@knowyourroleboulevard7119

3 жыл бұрын

It should've happened at the 1988 Royal Rumble. They fought 2 weeks before that or something and sorta not really feuded.... Hogan didn't even compete at the First Rumble SuperCard

@chriszaa2309

3 жыл бұрын

It's already happened at survivor series

Wow for over 20 years me and my brother have been saying it should of been Rude vs Hogan at WM 7. No disrespectful to SGT but that match was boring! And this is why Rude went to WCW and became a 3x World champ and a bigger star

Hogan gave the typical "That doesn't work for me brother" that's why you never seen rude vs. hogan

@MrJon76

3 жыл бұрын

@evildeaddrew - Hogan vs. Rude happened in late '87!

I love the old stories and fantasy bookings. The 80s and 90s WWF was amazing entertainment. However, i always find Bruce to protect what happened, instead of speculating on how other angles, pushes etc would work. He frustratingly tows the company line instead of exploring other ideas.

Rick Rude was prolly the 1st heel I liked back in the day. Well and mr. Perfect with those vignettes they did to bring him in from the AWA, well and ted diBiase and Randy savage, wait, have I always liked the bad guys lol

As a kid Rude was the perfect foil. I LOVED WARRIOR but I remember Rudes matches more than anything. He got the word "sweat hogs" over, I still have never heard that word before or since

@chadvaughn7377

3 жыл бұрын

"Sweat hogs" was popularized on the '70s sitcom 'Welcome Back Kotter'.

@johnytwotimes4072

3 жыл бұрын

@@chadvaughn7377The show where Travolta would OMG Mr Kotter

hard to shit on the WM7 card, because it was magical. hogan v. slaughter and warrior v. savage carried that card. jake roberts v. rick martel was a close 3rd for me. Also Taker's WM debut.

Rick Rude left the company in October and shows up in WCW at Halloween Havoc as the Halloween Phantom.

@mr.perksy

3 жыл бұрын

Yes but that was 1 year later. He left WWF in Oct 90, and showed up in WCW in Oct 91.

Rick Rude deserved a World title reign or main event. To answer the question of where he was at Mania 7 he was gone from WWF by the fall of 1990 and would be in WCW in 91. Rude was awesome and I think would have been good. It was hokey but I still remember laughing at Slaughter's antics. Ultimate Puke, Immortal slime. It was cheap heat but as a kid my family got a kick out of it. As for Warrior after Rude who did he really work with? They built up to Savage but they had him working six-mans with LOD feuding with Demoltion. This is supposed to be the guy and you have him working with a kind of past their prime tag team. They could have had him with work with Dibiase, Martel, Warlord, Rude, Perfect etc. They just go to slaughter and then he is done. Imagine if Warrior-Savage was for the belt and retirement on the line. I think it would have done better as a main event then Hogan-Slaughter. Yeah Warrior wasn't drawing as well as Hogan. And would have to drop the belt eventually but always felt like they cut his legs off to me(and granted he was difficult to work with) Hell I always thought Earthquake deserved a bit more of heel push. Why not have him beat Warrior and finish the Hogan-Earthquake feud. But never had Hogan get a pin on Earthquake in any of their matches until Mania when he slays the beast. Just fantasy booking. Still watched it and enjoyed it as a kid bu t its fun to look back

@jasond4658

3 жыл бұрын

He did have a world title reign in wcw. Got cut short cause of a back injury.

@user-sb2tb9oe7d

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasond4658 No he didn't. He was International WCW Champion which wasn't the World Championship and he had 3 reigns with it. He never won the WCW World Title

@jasond4658

3 жыл бұрын

@@user-sb2tb9oe7d wcw recognized it as a championship.

@user-sb2tb9oe7d

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasond4658 No they didn't. Rude in kayfabe did but Flair and Vader had been the actual World Champions at that time.

Was at this at Summer Slam in Philly, LOD, and Hogan got the loudest pops…

Loved Summerslom 1990 but that steel cage main event squash match sucked. I feel Rude should have been champion. Rude was way better in WCW anyway.

@coresan9956

3 жыл бұрын

The messed up thing was they didn't build up rude enough to be as big a heel as earthquake. He got way more heat than rude did, which is why the match wasn't very good.

@jonstone6460

3 жыл бұрын

@@coresan9956 they built rude up with all this gym vignettes only to be dominated in the cage. I know warrior was big and coming off the ultimate challenge but it made no sense to me for rude to just be destroyed. It was dangerous allinace time anyway

@coresan9956

3 жыл бұрын

@@jonstone6460 im saying they didn't build him up as far as getting massive heel heat like they did with earthquake. As a matter of fact he had more heat during their summer slam match the year before

My height of my fandom was Wrestlemania 6 and 7. This was so awesome to me. Rude was a bad ass heel. Shoulda been world champion.

Got to agree, need to break away from Meltzer quotes. That’s like getting news from the unicorn farm.

I still remember Jesse Ventura saying in the Warrior title match " Rude could of been champion 5 times". I also wanted Rude to become champion, he beat Warrior all over that cage. I knew then that Rude wasn't going to win, cuz he was just steps away from winning and just wouldn't step out of the cage. Rude vs. Savage would of been my Wrestlemania main event. Hogan vs Slaughter could of still been done without the world title involved.

@jaquio69

6 ай бұрын

@@user-ow1yz4nq6j Mmm, Yeah, you're right. It was in fact, not, Jesse Ventura; It sounded like Piper. I need to go back and re-watch that video.

Wow. Bruce really doesn’t answer anything anymore.

@joejay4646

Жыл бұрын

This is podcast is unlistenable because of his attitude. Are there episodes where he ISN'T the most annoying person on the plant?

@hofcollector8717

Жыл бұрын

Just like he was working with Vince. Never said anything. Just Yes Sir. Yes Boss. Etc etc He is a pompus Yes Man

@philipbolin6776

Жыл бұрын

What didn't he answer?

@mikenayers5981

10 ай бұрын

What can he really say? Conrad’s basically asking the whole time “Why didn’t you do thirty years ago, what I fantasy booked today?”

@mikenayers5981

10 ай бұрын

@@philipbolin6776I’ve listened to enough of these interviews, and Conrad’s nothing but a professional mark, who scolds Prichard and Bischoff over everything he didn’t like on TV as a kid. And here they are, decades later, and he thinks he has them beat because all the little details and factors which led to making these decisions were lost in time.

I wanna send a question for an upcoming show. Where exactly do I send it ? Can someone provide a link ?

Rick Rude was the ultimate heel that should've received the strap at least twice. I'm a grown man but I'm still upset about that.

Rick rude was alright a stand up kind of guy from what I heard

hogan and rude did battle in house shows. i saw them at the boston gardens. i couldnt say the date, but i recall the the whole laying down in the ring to arm wrestle as being something they were doing during house shows elsewhere.

Conrad and Bruce are an epic podcast duo!

Bruce calling Meltzer a liar is rich

I like this annoyed, slightly angry version of him. It just sounds so much more like conversation than a podcast.

Rick rude was pound for pound strongest guy ever in wrestling. Minny guy.

Ya I was sad to see Rude go from WWF in 90 and the whole thing about him getting fired for saying bad things about the Boss Man's mother was the most absurd storyline in wrestling history possibly. They should of kept him around but I'm sure the budget didn't allow it and he had already feuded with all the top names outside of Hogan in the company at that time so a fresh start in WCW was good for him. Unfortunately he got hurt and that was terrible.

Rude and perfect are my 2 favorite wrestlers ever

Rick Rude and curt Henning 2 of the best heels of all

@jasond4658

3 жыл бұрын

not even

@davidworden4470

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasond4658 who do you thinks better

@jasond4658

3 жыл бұрын

Flair, Hollywood Hogan, Jake Roberts Ted Dibiase, Randy Orton, Randy Savage

@davidworden4470

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasond4658 all great heels yes but the one thing that they all have in common is that they are babyfaces too rude and perfect are full time heels not once were they ever a babyfaces

@jasond4658

3 жыл бұрын

Perfect was a face a couple of times. Rude i think your right about him but i don't think that works for him.

Rick Rude and Ted Dibiase both should have had title runs in this time period.

Should have pushed rick to the moon , one of the very best

Rude should of been world champ at least 2 times him and warrior should of just did the wrestlemania 5 ending but have heenan hit warrior on the cage

Mr. Bruce was so funny as brother love😀😀😀😀

If rick rude stayed in the wwf, I suppose he would have faced the big boss man at the 91 royal rumble instead of the barbarian. I wonder what could have been afterwards.

They dropped the ball with Rude.

People get into it so much more when their are clips instead of just talking.

NOTE: Rude was let go prior to Survivor Series 1990.

@nv5781

3 жыл бұрын

I felt like the title of the video made no sense because of this comment. Was he actually let go? Or did he leave?

@RdotBLADE

3 жыл бұрын

N V Kayfabe suspension. He ended up in WCW after that.

@RdotBLADE

3 жыл бұрын

N V They were gonna have him go against Big Boss Man as the main feud when he was feuding with the Heenan family. He kept cussing on Superstars and he was suspended right after.

@stevenhigney3985

3 жыл бұрын

Everything I've ever heard about Rude leaving was a pay dispute over Summerslam 1990. Warrior, Hogan, and Earthquake got main event pay while Rude got paid like he was just on the card.

Rude went to another level when he went to short hair.

Rude, Bret, Kurt, Shawn ... would have been awesome matches for years

Vince didn't like the fact that Rude beat up his top star.

This PPV made me a wrestling fan. 10 year old boy seeing Hogan get his revenge on Slaughter. Macho and Liz getting back together...I gad no idea about the story with those two, but it was awesome.

Had Rick Rude stayed in the WWF, he would have had a good chance to win the title in 92 or 93.

@brianticas7671

6 ай бұрын

I don't think so. Vince was pushing the smaller guys like Bret or Shawn Michaels.

Such a shame Rude left the wwe (wwf) at the time

@MeLoNHeAd00

3 жыл бұрын

He was wasted . They should have gave him a run with Hogan and the belt.

@mr.tonywilliams1236

3 жыл бұрын

Wasn't a shame his best work was yet to come in wcw

@rileyo

3 жыл бұрын

@@mr.tonywilliams1236 Totally agree -- Rude's angles with both Sting and Steamboat were in my opinion the most interesting of the era.

Wrestle Mania 7 should’ve been heel Warrior defending against Hogan in a rematch, or Babyface Warrior defending against Macho.

Linda would have loved that angle with rick , no resistance at all

Never was a hogan fan but him vs rude would have been great ..slaughter never really entertained me

It's sad that Bruce has to cover up for his & everyone's booking failures & politicking during that era. When you look back at Hogan's 80's run there's a reason why he mainly worked with giants. It's amazing he agreed to a program with Curt Hennig (R.I.P.). No matter how much Rude (R.I.P.) would have bumped for him, Hogan knew he was extremely outclassed. No disrespect to Slaughter, but the Iraqi sympathizer angle was a horrible excuse for shock value. Hogan/Rude would have made more sense as WM draw. Warrior was already over when they were trying to make him a credible champion with Rude. Just another recycled feud that Rude should have won

@markant9534

Жыл бұрын

Warrior flopped as champ, Rude should have been booked to win at summerslam and the defend the belt v Hogan at wrestlemania.

Rick should have been in the main event for the belt and won the belt the pop would have been huge

Rude should of been atleast a 1 time wwf champion

Hogan vs Rude did happen a couple of times on house shows. One was at Boston Garden and was on a Coliseum Video, and on a Hogan DVD.

I saw a house show on KZread with a match between Rude and Hogan.

How do they not know why we never saw Hogan vs. Rude??? Their are countless interviews from insiders and wrestlers that all said Hogan always refused to work with Rude ( He called him the Tasmanian Devil ). Hogan never faced Rude in WWF or WCW and refused to be booked with him using his creative control because he thought Rude would look better then him.

Rick Rude should have been champ at least once along with Mr Perfect. I bet it was backstage politics involving Hogan

@Ijustinsultedyou

3 жыл бұрын

Politics ??? Hogan was way more over than them ! Way more huge ! Make no mistake about it Vince says who is champ and who isn’t.

@Sharpshooter828

3 жыл бұрын

The problem with a lot of comments like these is that it's looking at the way things now not back then. The belt didn't change like it does today. Mr Perfect maybe getting a run is one thing but even though I liked Rude I don't think that would have worked as well

@D2Kprime

3 жыл бұрын

Heel champions don't sell merchandise. "Politics" isn't the reason why. Rude and Perfect were heels. Neither Rude nor Perfect drew enough to warrant being a "heel" world heavyweight champion. Both guys were IC champions. The only person in the 1980s that would have worked as a heel-champion was Andre The Giant because of the cache' he had, and even HE understood that you put the belt on the top-draw of the company. That way *EVERYBODY* makes money. That's he jobbed to Hogan at Wrestlemania III. That's why he put the Ultimate Warrior over in squash-matches. I don't think Andre should have gone to that extreme, but that act showed you the confidence he had in the Warrior to draw money. If Perfect and Rude were babyfaces and they drew like the Warrior did, maybe they would have had a world-title reign. That's the reason the Ultimate Warrior was allowed to beat Hogan. The only reason Vince puts the world-title on a heel is because they either are drawing just as much as the top babyface (i.e The Rock in 1998,) or there is some real-life situation that Vince is trying to capitalize on (i.e. The Iron Sheik with the hostage-situation in Iran and Sgt. Slaughter with the Gulf War.) Yokozuna was the first-heel to be champion for any extended-period of time since the Superstar Billy Graham, and that had more to do with the fact that Yokozuna was a spectacle. He drew (for awhile at least) just based on his sheer-size and athletic ability. Once people got used to seeing him, then his weight started getting out of control, and he lost a lot of the athletic-ability he had, he was drawing as much but business overall was down so he could not be blamed.

@jarrettjordan

3 жыл бұрын

D2K Prime yeah, that was the way things were done in the territory days (which includes 80's-early 90's WWF). You only used heel champs as a way to transition to a new babyface champ. You almost never had a good heel run as champ. Could Rude or Perfect have been used in Slaughter's spot, and put on a much better WM main event....sure. But, it would have never been anything more than a couple months to transition the belt back to Hogan.

If Bruce just said clearly early in this interview: "As we proceeded into the fall, it was starting to look like Warrior wasn't getting over as champ (which on my end would still have to insist was pretty early / abrupt--but maybe the guy was already being a complete pain in the ass, so it wasn't feeling worth it to keep trying to build him as the on top guy), so we wound up basically winging it through the fall trying to figure out how to lead into Wrestlemania." It was as simple as that. Before his departure, Rude was heading into a program w/ Bossman (who it seemed they were grooming as kind of a Jake the Snake position near top of the card). Rude wasn't at the top of the card again, but was figuring in w/ guys they were positioning for top of the card. He wasn't really losing his "spot" per se, but maybe he was feeling like: "Oh, great, is it my job now to help put over non-champ faces to elevate them to the top of the card? Am I getting buried in the process?" So he walks out. Little does he realize, if he had stuck around, he very well may have figured into the top of the card plans. That's pretty much the story in a nut-shell. WWF was re-shuffling its deck by Thanksgiving, because it had lost a couple of hands it expected to win, or when it did win hands, the pot wasn't as large as they thought it was going to be. Before Royal Rumble, as an outside viewer, I had been under the impression they were working toward a Warrior / Savage main event. But that may have never been the intent, or maybe it was--for awhile--but BY the Rumble they were already deciding "neither of these guys are reliable enough for us". So they go with the Real American vs. American Turncoat angle to stoke the Gulf War heat. 'Cos that's about as good as they can muster at that point.

@Thor-Orion

3 жыл бұрын

Rick Rude as the heel to Bret Hart’s hero.

Rude beating warrior at mania 5 was a great upset. WM5 is underrated

Rick Rude vs Hogan would have been MONEY!!!

Rude made the right move in 1991-1992.

Dang tho, think they missed one there. Never thought about Rude, super heel, in that spot.

Rick Rude was great..he was the right opponent for Warrior in 89 but not in 90..problem was wwf had nobody else/new ready for the Ultimate Warrior after WM 6...

Rude should have been world champion for wwf he would of done a better job then warrior as world champion one last thing mr.perfact should have been wwf world champion he was perfect

@vannavanity1195

3 жыл бұрын

Well, the title wasn't passed around like condoms back then. Mr Perfect was the worst drawing opponent Hogan had of that era. Why would you put the title on Rude? I can think of many who would have been better in that role. It doesn't help that Rude was a hothead so it's hard to trust people in that position. Warrior didn't have the staying power management would have wanted. But he was a very special performer when he was popular. He drew a lot of money with the Undertaker. Warrior's problem was the steroid scandal. It didn't help that he had no one to feud with, which includes Perfect. I don't think Perfect was that good. He hits the right notes for those in the industry. But wow, I think his offense looked weak. I can't really explain why that was. He just didn't look menacing. I think Rude was much better. But I also think Rude risked being one dimensional as a character, which is why he would often get lost in the shuffle. You can only go after someone's wife so many times or get into pose downs. Did he ever have a reason to hate someone if it wasn't that? Chasing the title as a villain is a money bleeder I think you need to look at character development and performance. People look too much at the wrestling aspect. That doesn't and has never sold tickets

Rude was a legitimate tough guy, and Hogan was afraid to work with him because if Rude didn’t want to put Hogan over, there was nothing Hogan could physically do about it.

@mrsain19

3 жыл бұрын

yea but that theory really made no sense because Rude was also viewed as being extremely professional, and wouldn't sacrifice that reputation as it would affect him working in WWF or anywhere else. Also, Hogan wasn't afraid of Rude at all. Whats there to be afraid of. If Rude kicked Hogan's ass for any reason, he is out of the company and likely out of the business. If you look at the majority of Rude's tenure in WWF, Hogan was doing what Hogan was usually doing: working with monsters (Kamala, OMG, Studd, Bundy, Andre, Bossman, Earthquake, Taker, Sid, even Zeus), and working with his friends in between the monsters (Dibiase, Hennig, Haku, Orndorff, Savage, Slaughter). Piper was really the only one that he honestly left a lot of money out on the table on. With Rude, it just didn't happen. I don't think there has to be a definitive reason why. Should have at least happened on a SNME or 2. They crossed I believe only 3 times. A recorded house show, match is out here on KZread, Rumble 90, and Survivor Series 87.

@user-sb2tb9oe7d

3 жыл бұрын

Rude would not have shot on Hogan unless he pissed him off and even then Rude was never known to shoot on people in the ring, he waited until after the match if he had an issue. After Ultimate Warrior stiffed him, he finished the match then confronted him in the locker room and bitch slapped him.

When I was a kid, thinking about Hogan retiring was like "oh wow" but in hindsight Holy Shit. He's going to wrestle like 2 more decades.

Rude wrestled Hogan on at least one house show in 1987.

Bruce gets pretty touchy on anything Dave Meltzer reports. Not a fan if Meltzer personally but kinda funny how ultra defensive Bruce can get.

I think that Conrad knows that Hogan demanded NEVER to wrestle Rick Rude.

**Vince McMahon voice** "Welcome Everyone to 5 🌟 Wrestling!!"

Earthquake should've crushed Hogan then taken the strap off Warrior at Survivor Series or Royal Rumble. Setting up Earthquake defending against Hogan at WM7.

As awesome as Rude was, as great of heel he was sometimes its forgotten from his start in WWE until a little after WM6 he was part comedy wrestler. Frankly you trim the comedy down a bit and dial up the serious he's probably in top spots. Not Rudes fault, but he wasn't treated seriously for most of his WWF run.

@airfixx_8952

3 жыл бұрын

Some of his earlier PPV matches were pretty weak too.... Vs Steamboat being a major disappointment. Him a Jake at WM4 was pretty rough too.

16:40 is the greatest thing I've ever heard on wrestling KZread 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🤜🏽🤛🏽💯 thank you Bruce. FDM. Conrad Rude was not an attraction enough in 1990 to beat Warrior, Savage or Hogan ESPECIALLY at Mania, and he wasnt a proven nationally known wrestling and mainstream character like Slaughter either.

This is like listening to 2 brothers fight 😂

I do agree Rude should have been in more ppv main events, but you have to consider the time. There were only 4 ppvs a year, and one was the Rumble and the other Survivor Series. So if you're not counting multimen main events, there was only Wrestlemania and Summerslam. But still I think Rude should have gotten a ppv main event against Hogan.

Heard that Rude was so intense in the ring, that Hogan wanted nothing of that. Hence, why this match only happened on a house show once.

Sgt Slaughter was picked to be Hogan's WrestleMania opponent because of his mainstream name value. He was a real life member of GI Joe. He was on the cartoon and movies. He had a GI Joe action figure. That made him the third most visible professional wrestler to the mainstream world in the 1980s after Hulk and Andre. He even had Presidents seek him out to salute him. Rick Rude had no mainstream name value outside the world of pro wrestling, period. Even though the Iraqi turncoat angle was awkward and not a good fit, Slaughter vs Hogan would draw more interest from non-wrestling viewers than Hogan vs What"s Him Name. People never factor what will sell the show to non-wrestling, mainstram viewers when second guessing past WWF decisions.

@knowyourroleboulevard7119

3 жыл бұрын

That's true. Though Slaughter could've worked with Dusty Rhodes at this time. And feuded with Hogan around summer/fall '91. After all they had a Survivor Series esk main event match at SummerSlam '91.

@clintsaines9274

5 ай бұрын

Even as a kid I said what the heck are they giving sgt slaugther the belt for

Why not go with a heel change for Roddy Piper and have him as the WWF champion and have him face Hogan that would have been the biggest match possible at the time imo.

Do you think Rick Rude should've been a 3x World Champion even against Hogan?

@diggitydave75438

3 жыл бұрын

Rude was a 3 time world champion

As much as i loved Hulk Hogan, i think Hogan was afraid that Rick Rude would really hurt him in the ring... And the WWF at the time, was gonna protect their biggest star.

@e1vieira

3 жыл бұрын

They wrestled in 88 without incident, Rude was always a businessman in the ring

@mrsain19

3 жыл бұрын

Hulk arguably had a harder job: working with every monster they brought in. That's a big part of where his money was. Tearing down each perceived monster heel brought in to end Hulkamania. The list is easily 10 deep if not more. When he wasn't doing that, he was working with his friends and helping them get over. Paul Orndorff, Ted Dibiase, Randy Savage, and a few others. Rude was just the odd man out of this equation.

@Thor-Orion

3 жыл бұрын

D and in a blur of neon and cocaine, the 80’s were over.

@mrsain19

3 жыл бұрын

@@Thor-Orion and the 90s began in that same blur.

If you like a little bit of wrestling talk with your 27 ads then this is the video for you.

Bruce doesn't seem to want to answer directly, but the answer is obviously "No," Vince didn't see Rick Rude as a guy to main event Wrestlemania, or even to really "main event' Summerslam. (The Earthquake-HOgan match was built more as the main event.) At this point, Rude had lost matches to Jake Roberts and Brutus Beefcake, not to mention the Warrior, so he didn't have the credibility in the fans' eyes, not matter how many vignettes of him in the gym were shown. In that era, the results of matches mattered. Mid card matches were not seen as "throw-away" matches; it was understood that the winners had a higher spot in the pecking order than the losers. They just couldn't turn around and act like Rude never lost those matches and was all of a sudden a world title contender. The other options the WWF had were to have Sgt Slaughter as a heel, but without the Iraqi sympathizer element to his character, or at least a toned down version of it. Or, they has just split up the Powers of Pain, and both had winning streaks after the split-up. Either the Warlord or the Barbarian might have made a credible challenger to Hogan.

Jack Tunney announced from the very beginning of wrestlemania six that there would be no rematch between Hogan and Ultimate Warrior.