He began his wrestling career in Minneapolis after being discovered while working as a bouncer alongside the Road Warriors and Barry Darsow, who would become Smash of Demolition. Rude underwent training with Eddie Sharkey and made his debut in 1983 as the fan favourite Ricky Rood in Vancouver's NWA All Star Wrestling. He moved to Georgia and then Mid-South, where he teamed with King Kong Bundy to win a tag team title. He moved on to work for Jim Crockett's NWA, feuding with the Road Warriors. When he made his return to Memphis in 1984, he arrived as "Ravishing" Rick Rude, turned heel and took on Jimmy Hart as his manager. Rude would headline in feuds against Jerry Lawler and King Kong Bundy before moving on to Championship Wrestling in Florida. 

    Rude took on the future Paul Bearer, Percy Pringle, as his manager and waged war against Billy Jack Haynes and Wahoo McDaniel. He and Pringle showed up in World Class to feud with Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams, winning the WCCW World Heavyweight Title. Once he lost the title, he fired Pringle and began teaming with the future Ultimate Warrior as a heel team, before the Warrior turned face and feuded with Rude. Rude returned to Crockett and won the NWA World Tag Team Titles from the Rock-n-Roll Express in December of 1986. 

    Rick Rude signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 1987 and took on Bobby "The Brain" Heenan as his new manager. He took up Heenan's feud against Paul Orndorff before moving on to an epic feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts after Rude made a pass at Roberts' wife Cheryl during his pre-match antics. Rude began wearing tights with the face of Cheryl Roberts air brushed on the front, setting up several high impact matches including Rude's first WWF pay per view appearance at the 1988 Survivor Series where Rude was eliminated after Roberts hit the DDT. The feud hit a fever pitch at Wrestlemania IV when both were eliminated during the first round of the WWF World Title Tournament due to a time limit draw. 

    Rude moved on to feud with the new WWF Intercontinental Champion, the Ultimate Warrior. Rude and the Warrior engaged in a "posing contest" at the 1989 Royal Rumble pay per view that ended with Rude beating the Warrior down. Rude won his biggest title to date at Wrestlemania V, defeating the Warrior for the Intercontinental Championship when Bobby Heenan ran interferance. Rude began teaming with Andre the Giant in tag team bouts against the Warrior and Jim Duggan, leading in to a Summer Slam 1989 rematch that the Warrior won with help from Rowdy Roddy Piper. Rude and Piper began one of the most heated feuds of the time period, wrestling all over the country before trying to settle it inside a steel cage. Rude would even captain a team of Mr. Perfect and the Rougeaus against Piper, Jimmy Snuka and the Bushwhackers as part of Survivor Series 1989. Rude defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania VI and then went on to headline Summer Slam 1990 in a losing effort to the new WWF Champion, Ultimate Warrior. Rude was scheduled to take part in the 1990 Survivor Series, but decided to leave the WWF in October. 

    Rude laid low until October of 1991 when he made his WCW debut under a mask as the long awaited Halloween Phantom, defeating Tom Zenk at Halloween Havoc. Later in the card, Rude unmasked and took Paul E. Dangerously and Madusa on as his managerial team, challenging Sting for the United States Title. Rude became the centre piece for the new Dangerous Alliance stable that included Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko and a young Steve Austin. Rude captured the WCW United States Title and began feuding with Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff before unsuccessfully challenging Ron Simmons for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. Rude suffered an injury in November in December of 1992 but returned in April to feud with the new WCW United States Champion Dustin Rhodes. 

    Rick Rude didn't win the belt but looked strong, so he set his sights on the NWA World Heavyweight Title held by the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. The two wrestled a classic at Fall Brawl 1993 with Rude pinning Flair for the title which, due to WCW's break from the NWA, was known as the WCW International Heavyweight Title. Rude dropped the title to Hiroshi Hase in March of 1994 but regained it quickly before also trading it with Sting for a total of three title reigns. Rude suffered a career ending injury during this series of bouts with Sting and soon retired from the mat wars. 

    Rick Rude stayed out of the wrestling business until 1997 when he popped up in Extreme Championship Wrestling to feud with Shane Douglas over Francine's loyalty. When Rude finally unmasked, he became a colour commentatory and joined Douglas as part of the Triple Threat. 

    He returned to the big time in the World Wrestling Federation, calling himself an "insurance policy". He would quickly make his allegiance known, joining DeGeneration-X alongside Shawn Michaels, Triple-H and Chyna. He was instrumental in helping Shawn Michaels defeat Davey Boy Smith for the WWF European Title in October of 1997 and was also party to the infamous Montreal Screwjob in November. 

    Angered by the series of events involving Bret Hart, Rude quit the WWF and rejoined World Championship Wrestling, making history as the first man to appear on WWF RAW and WCW NITRO simultaneously, due to RAW being taped. Rude criticized the World Wrestling Federation, calling it a "sinking ship". He promptly joined the New World Order to manage Curt Hennig. The two joined NWO Wolfpac once that ran its course. Rude fell ill with testicular cancer in 1998 and quickly recovered with treatment and was rumoured to be training for a return to the ring in early 1999. Sadly, Rick Rude passed away in April of 1999 due to heart failure caused by a combination of medications and years of steroid abuse. 

    While many remember Rick Rude for his tragic end, his fans will remember him as one of the most controversial and talented wrestlers in the history of the sport. His battles with the Ultimate Warrior and Sting are legendary and stand up to anything being produced in any era. Whenever Rude got into the ring, he would say "CUT THE MUSIC" before giving the fans a message similar to what he said before wrestling the Warrior in Summer Slam 1990: "What I'd like to have right now is for all you fat, out of shape, Pennysylvania piss-ants... keep the noise down while I take my robe off and show the ladies what a REAL MAN looks like. Now hit the music!". Yes, Rick... we hear that music now. Welcome to the UWOW Hall of Fame.