Phoenix Region, NC Subregion: First Round: (11) Rick Rude vs. (22) Dean Malenko

[FitFinlay4Life]

I'm going to go all factions here, we have Dean Malenko who was always a subordinate in factions like the Four Horseman, the Revolution and the Radicalz. Rick Rude on the other hand (as an active wrestler, before anyone mentions dX or the nWo) was highly focused upon in both the Heenan Family and the Dangerous Alliance.

No storyline match between these two guys would ever see the 'Man of 1000 Holds' go over the 'Ravishing' one. Rick with the Rude awakening in either a squash (if both guys are are heels) or 15 minutes if Dean is playing the plucky underdog babyface (after a kick to the back of the head by valet Madusa).

 

[TheOneBigWill]

That entire first page had me worried before I logged in a vote for Rick Rude. Nothing but love for Malenko, and it puzzled me as to what logic people were using to think Malenko would/could ever win here.

Rude isn't a mask wearing cruiserweight. He may of had an extreme style for what it was worth in the 80's and 90's, but make no mistake, Rick Rude was a very dangerous and bad person to wrestle with. He isn't going to go hold for hold with you. He won't allow you to do these back and forth 8-12 move spots where you trade off on each other. He's going to punch and kick you until you bleed. He's going to connect on the singular moves that will weaken your neck the most, and then finish you off.

Rude defeated guys like Sting, Flair, Steamboat and needless to say, but also the Ultimate Warrior. Malenko has wrestled guys like Mysterio, Juvi, Jericho and Benoit, in time-limit wars but split the victories with all of them, or even lost the majority of them. Rude has proven to be in the upper echelon of Pro Wrestlers and was every bit of one of the best. Malenko is good, Rude is better.