Having retired while with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994, Rick Rude returned to the professional wrestling business with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1997. Soon after, Rude returned to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in August 1997, as the "insurance" that Shawn Michaels needed. Rude essentially become a member of the Shawn Michaels lead faction, D-Generation X (DX).
Rick Rude returns to the World Wrestling Federation
August 1997
Vince McMahon interviews Rick Rude about his return to the WWF
RAW IS WAR
August 1997
Rick Rude calls Shawn Michaels a "pecan" instead of an "Icon"
October 13, 1997
At the annual pay-per-view Survivor Series, on November 9, 1997, Vince McMahon ended a match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart to ensure that Shawn Michaels would win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. The sudden ending to the match was allegedly not disclosed to Bret Hart, who was slated to leave the WWF for the WCW in the coming weeks. This shocking ending where Hart allegedly did not know the outcome of the pre-determined agreed-upon result was extremely rare and later was labeled as the Montreal Screwjob and documented in the 1998 documentary, Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows.
Despite his role as a member of Shawn Michaels' faction, Rude considered Bret Hart a close personal friend and strongly disagreed with McMahon's handling of the match at the Survivor Series. Rude was not under contract with the WWF and thus had no obligation to continue with the company, despite his ongoing negotiation with WWF management to do so. Based on this fact, Rude decided to abruptly leave the WWF after he was featured in a taped segment to be aired for the November 17th edition of WWF RAW IS WAR. Rude's short stay in the WWF in 1997, was impactful by making him a regular on a major wrestling promotion's television program again after his long absence. After an agreement with WCW, Rude appeared on WCW Monday Nitro, shocking and confusing pro wrestling fans as they switched between the two wresting programs and saw Rude on both rival programs!
For his contributions to the professional wrestling industry, Rude was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2017.
Rick Rude on WWF RAW IS WAR
Aired on November 17, 1997
Rick Rude appears on WCW MONDAY NITRO
Live on November 17, 1997
Vince McMahon speaks about Rick Rude after his death
April 1999
WWE retrospective on Rick Rude's dual appearances
Aired April 2012
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