Richard Rood was many things to many people in his lifetime; a father, a husband, a friend, a hunting buddy, a son, a brother. But Rick Rude, pro wrestling character was one thing to many people; an unabashed sensualist who wore the most interesting tights in the business.
That is probably how Rick Rude, wrestling character, will be remembered, though it in itself has done much more for the business then simply swiveling his hips. So many memorable moments have come from this wrestler. In The WWF, his Slammy strip, feud with Jake Roberts, Intercontinental title victories over the Ultimate Warrior, his World Title matches against the same man, and his short stint in Degeneration X will be what people will look to when they think of Rick Rude. In WCW, the Press conference with Sting, where he pitched the "glass of water heard round the world" in Sting's face; matches with Ricky Steamboat, and the Dangerous Alliance are his milestones. Rude will also be remembered in ECW, where he had a memorable stint as Shane Douglas' nemesis, a Francine fetish, and a rapport with Joey Styles that was unbeatable.
My personal memories of Rude are, apart from his matches, as a funny, somewhat naughty rapscallion who broke some interesting rules about wrestling and sexuality. I have memories of SummerSlam '89, and his "posedown" with the Ultimate Warrior. I to this day occasionally quote his words to Gene Okerlund: "My next move, divot head...."
The world of wrestling, however, is having some trouble paying tribute to Rude. His death, one day after the school shooting in Colorado, received no mainstream attention. WCW, worried that paying tribute to Rude will somehow show their disrespect to the murders of the students, is trying to figure out a way to make tribute to both tragedies. The WWF is reluctant to do anything at all. ECW is working on a tribute.
Little does the WWF understand that they are already paying tribute to Rick Rude, In the form of Val Venis. Sean Morley, in every squirm of his hip and every off-color joke, is a tribute to Ravishing Rick Rude. Without the Rude gimmick, there would be no "Big Wiggle," no "The Grind." Gimmicks like Goldust, The Godfather, and Scott Steiner's would not have even gotten off of the ground. Rick Rude opened the wrestling world's doors to sexuality as an art form. And for that, this business is in debt.