Athletes - Richard Rood

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	Athletes - Richard Rood

Richard Erwin Rood, better known by his ring name of "Ravishing" Rick Rude (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999) was a professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, most notably World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, in the 1980s and 1990s.

Career

After graduating from Anoka Ramsey Junior College with a degree in Physical Education, Rood began wrestling in 1983 as Ricky Rood, a babyface jobber. He competed for Georgia Championship Wrestling before moving on to the Memphis-based Mid-Southern Wrestling. He later left and joined the National Wrestling Alliance affiliate Jim Crockett Promotions where he and a variety of tag team partners feuded with The Road Warriors. He returned to Mid-Southern Wrestling in 1984, this time as "Ravishing" Rick Rude, an overconfident, arrogant heel managed by Jimmy Hart. Rood feuded with Jerry Lawler and later his former partner, King Kong Bundy.

Rood was hired by Florida Championship Wrestling in December 1984 where he was managed by Percy Pringle and feuded with Billy Jack Haynes and Wahoo McDaniel, while teaming with Jesse Barr. After a year, he jumped to World Class Championship Wrestling along with Pringle, where he feuded with Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams. After losing the WCCW Championship to Adams in July 1986, he fired Pringle and briefly replaced him with his sister, Raven. He formed a short-lived tag team with The Dingo Warrior, but Warrior turned on him and became a face.

In September 1986, Rood returned to Jim Crockett Promotions and joined Manny Fernandez and his manager Paul Jones in their rivarly with Wahoo McDaniel. Rood and Fernandez won the NWA World Tag Team Championships on December 6, 1986 from the Rock 'N Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, and began an epic feud that ended only when Rood left the promotion for the World Wrestling Federation in April 1987. To explain the sudden departure, Jim Crockett, Jr. aired a pre-taped non-title match where the Express defeated Rood and Fernandez and claimed that Rood had been injured as a result.

World Wrestling Federation

In the WWF, Rood was managed by Bobby Heenan and feuded with Paul Orndorff before starting one of his most famous feuds with Jake "the Snake" Roberts. Rood had a routine where he would kiss a girl (that Heenan picked from the fans) all the way down to the mat. He tried to get Roberts' wife, Cheryl, to comply, aggravating Roberts. On one memorable occasion, Rood came to the ring with a picture of Cheryl stenciled on the front of his tights. A furious Roberts charged the ring and stripped Rood, appearing to leave him naked.

Rood's next big feud was with The Ultimate Warrior and began in January 1989. With a little help from Heenan, Rood won the Intercontinental Championship from Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania V, dropping it back to the Warrior at Summerslam 1989 due in large part to interference from Roddy Piper. Rood then feuded with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, before resuming his conflict with Ultimate Warrior in the summer of 1990 after the Warrior had won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. The two battled in a cage at Summerslam 1990, in the only Pay-Per-View Rood would ever headline as a solo wrestler. Rood failed to win the title and departed the WWF in October 1990.

World Championship Wrestling

Rood returned to Jim Crockett Promotions, now known as World Championship Wrestling, as The Halloween Phantom at Halloween Havoc on October 27, 1991. He founded and led The Dangerous Alliance, consisting of himself, Paul E. Dangerously, Madusa, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko and "Stunning" Steve Austin. Rood won the United States Championship from Sting and feuded with Ricky Steamboat, at one point breaking his nose in a gang attack.

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