Rick Rude, born Richard Erwin Rood, was a professional wrestler who passed away on April 20, 1999, due to heart failure caused by an overdose of mixed medications.
Rick Rude began his wrestling career in the 1980s and quickly became known for his chiseled physique, his arrogant and flamboyant character, and his signature move, the “Rude Awakening” neckbreaker. He wrestled for many promotions, including World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).
During his time in the WWF, Rude became the Intercontinental Champion and was a part of memorable feuds with wrestlers like Jake “The Snake” Roberts and The Ultimate Warrior. His time in WCW was also notable, where he held the United States Heavyweight Championship and was a key member of the Dangerous Alliance.
After retiring from active competition due to a back injury, Rude made sporadic appearances in various wrestling promotions. In 1997, he made history by appearing on both WWF’s “Raw is War” and WCW’s “Monday Nitro” on the same night, due to the shows being taped and live, respectively.
Tragically, Rick Rude’s life came to an early end at the age of 40. On April 20, 1999, he was found unconscious by his wife and was pronounced dead upon the arrival of emergency services. The autopsy revealed that he died from heart failure, which was attributed to an overdose of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and other prescription drugs. His untimely death was a significant loss to the wrestling world.
In recognition of his contribution to the industry, Rick Rude was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, solidifying his legacy as one of the most memorable characters and performers in professional wrestling history.
