WWE Region, Memphis Subregion, First Round: (13) Rick Rude vs. (20) Raven

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the WWE Region, Memphis Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under WWE Rules. It will be held at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.

#13. Rick Rude

Vs.

#20. Raven

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[8thwotwATG]

The Ravishing one goes over here. Actually, these two guys are fairly closely matched, but Rude's just a little bit bigger, stronger and more talented both in the ring and on the mic(IMO). After a fan pleasing, entertaining matchup, with Rude being his usual bump machine and selling like hell, he nails Raven w/ a rude awakening for the win.

 

[AhSpicyDrop]

This match was one of the hardest picks I had in the entire bracket being that it consists of two of my all-time favorites. This is a match featuring two of the best sellers in the history of the wrestling business, and it would be a treat for any fan to watch.

I picked Raven to go over Rude in my bracket, but was sort of thoughtless in my selection. After going back and taking it into consideration, especially the region they're wrestling in, I think Rude would edge this out. Raven has always been more comfortable when it comes to using weapons, and has seemed out of his element when they aren't in play. I think Rude would subdue him with superior technique in the ring, and eventually score the pin with the Rude Awakening.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

The Ravishing one goes over here. Actually, these two guys are fairly closely matched, but Rude's just a little bit bigger, stronger and more talented both in the ring and on the mic(IMO). After a fan pleasing, entertaining matchup, with Rude being his usual bump machine and selling like hell, he nails Raven w/ a rude awakening for the win.

I totally agree with you on this one. I have always been a fan of Raven, But Rude just about out matches him in every department and while I have to say that the Match would easily get five star, rude will be the one picking up the win after putting down Raven with the Rude awakening

 

[6timehitta]

If I'm not mistake, I had Raven going over here on my brackets. But with that being said I thought more and more about it and realized that Rick is probably one of the most underrated wrestlers in history. Rude definitely has the potential to go far, although I see him getting bopped out probably next round.

 

[Alex]

Looking up Rude he was a good in ring worker and all but seemed to be better as a manager. He certainly could have a great match with most people though.

Raven is demented, this is a guy who could play mind games like a motherfucker. Rude may very well be able to out wrestle Raven (who's no slouch himself) but would he be able to get out of the mind games Raven would undoubtedly use??

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I think I will take Rude in this matchup. If this was the ECW region I may reconsider but considering its in the WWE region and Raven never did anything of note in WWE. Rude however was a success everywhere he went. He was a main eventer in WCW, having consistently great matches and in WWE he was about as high as a mid carder could go without actually being a main eventer.

Raven had a good run in ECW, a good run in WCW for the first little while but in WWE his was a curtain jerker constantly wrestling in Hardcore title matches and having a feud with a guy who was in love with a mop (Moppy Noooooooo!).

In ECW Raven has a chance but in WWE he won't last 10 minutes in the ring with Rude. Rude win's this easy.

 

[The Brain]

I’m pretty surprised by what I’ve read so far. Even though most seem to support Rude, I’m surprised by how close you guys think this is. I figured Rude would win this in a landslide. He probably will when the polls open. Raven had the right gimmick in the right promotion at the right time. I don’t fault him for that but about a two year run in a third rate promotion is not enough to get him past Rude. Rude was a top guy in WCW and got wins over names like Ric Flair, Sting, and Ricky Steamboat. I think Rude’s 14 months as US champ and five months as IC champ (beating the Ultimate Warrior for that title) trump Raven’s accomplishments in ECW. Rude moves on without much trouble.

 

[Brewski]

Ravishing Rick is one of my all time favorites, he had it all before he got hurt. Raven was a good character but rick outwrestles him easily here for the win. Just way more talented.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think Rude takes this and it's not even close.

Roode is someone that's pretty well loved among wrestling fans. He had an interesting gimmick, a great look and brought solid overall in-ring ability. Raven, in my opinion, is a perfect example of an indy favorite whose hype exceeded his ability.

If this was a hardcore match, then I'd honestly probably go with Raven. People say that ECW was more than just hardcore wrestling blah blah blah but, frankly, I don't buy into it. Hardcore matches are what ECW emphasized whenever they advertised themselves. Hell, TNA's Hardcore Justice tribute show was all hardcore matches. If there was a flaming table nearby for Raven to put Rude through, it'd be a different story I think.

Roode had feuds with and wins over some of the biggest stars in the business in the two biggest companies. Like a lot of so called "greats" from ECW, Raven was a big deal there but never made it as a significant star in the big leagues.

 

[Papa Pillman]

In ECW Raven has a chance but in WWE he won't last 10 minutes in the ring with Rude. Rude win's this easy.

I'm not sure it would be as easy as this is making it sound, but the logic is valid and is the deciding factor.

Without weapons as an equalizer Raven gets narrowly outclassed in every category. And even if things got hardcore Rude could hold his own, the guy did compete as part of a losing effort in a five star Wargames affair at WrestleWar '92, plus got his feet wet in ECW as an associate of Triple Threat, so he's no stranger to Raven's preferred environment. Raven has the chops to defeat alot of guys that could have found there way onto the 13-line, but not this one. Rude was more accomplished, more polished in the ring, and better on the mic. I'm not sure if you can put much stock in most of Rude's "world championships", which could hurt him as he advances on, but against Raven the "Sexiest Man Alive" should swivel into round 2.

 

[Tastycles]

Looking up Rude he was a good in ring worker and all but seemed to be better as a manager. He certainly could have a great match with most people though.

Raven is demented, this is a guy who could play mind games like a motherfucker. Rude may very well be able to out wrestle Raven (who's no slouch himself) but would he be able to get out of the mind games Raven would undoubtedly use??

Are you fucking joking? Rick Rude was better as a manager? Rick Rude became a manager because injuries finished his career. His highlight was undoubtedly the late 80s, when he was probably the most over mid card heel in the WWF at an incredibly popular time. Raven was the most over in ECW. It's not a comparison.

Raven played a character well, but was essentially out of his depth when in the bigger promotions, and never really trusted. The WWF trusted Rude to build its biggest stars - Rick Rude is one of about three people I can think of who beat the Ultimate Warrior, and I'm fairly sure he's the only person who beat him before his title win. He'd win this, and it wouldn't be close.

 

[deem]

This is kinda tough for me. I like both men a lot and Raven is probably one of my favourites of all time. His promo style kills me, I lap it up. He's decent in the ring as well - Vs Punk in ROH, Vs Dreamer for Tommys title win etc.

Both of those matches were extreme rules if I remember rightly. As were most of his work. He has been really, really consistent for years other than his WWE reign, so I think judging him on that is harsh. In ECW he was The Ace of the promotion. in TNA he had helf the title, had numerous stints in the main event and participated in a lot of good upper midcard feuds. In WCW he got over and was successful as a midcarder.

The one big thing Rude has is a more credible world title. Beating Flair is a huge deal. I won't state he's a three time champion as that flatters to deceive - it was pretty much one title reign with the title bouncing around a while. Still, he was the champion of the second biggest promotion in the 90s for the best part of a year. Raven's TNA reign was near the beginning of the company with very few big name competitors. He didn't get close to the title again when the roster filled out with more talent.

That, plus the fact that Raven is somewhat exposed without extreme rules, lead me to picking Rude. I'm not entirely happy with it.

Meant to mention too, completely forgot - HE BEAT WARRIOR AT MANIA. Huge big game ability there. Even challenged him for the WWF title in a Summerslam main event (not actually THE main event cos of hawkkk hogan).

 

[D-Man]

I’m pretty surprised by what I’ve read so far. Even though most seem to support Rude, I’m surprised by how close you guys think this is. I figured Rude would win this in a landslide. He probably will when the polls open. Raven had the right gimmick in the right promotion at the right time. I don’t fault him for that but about a two year run in a third rate promotion is not enough to get him past Rude. Rude was a top guy in WCW and got wins over names like Ric Flair, Sting, and Ricky Steamboat. I think Rude’s 14 months as US champ and five months as IC champ (beating the Ultimate Warrior for that title) trump Raven’s accomplishments in ECW. Rude moves on without much trouble.

I love how Brain and I agree on almost everything. He said it all here.

Are you fucking joking? Rick Rude was better as a manager? Rick Rude became a manager because injuries finished his career. His highlight was undoubtedly the late 80s, when he was probably the most over mid card heel in the WWF at an incredibly popular time. Raven was the most over in ECW. It's not a comparison.

BINGO. Anyone who wants to know about Rick Rude need to look up his feuds with Jake Roberts and the Ultimate Warrior. Then you'll see that he was not only an entertaining character and a great wrestler but he was someone who picked up the slack from green and sloppy wrestlers like the Warrior was at the time.

Like some have mentioned, the only way I would have even considered Raven to win this match was if it took place in the ECW region. Aside from that, Raven has no leg to stand on. Rude was a ring general, a big player, and had defeated opponents in major promotions while Raven was running around as "Johnny Polo." And when he was wrestling, if weapons or mind-fuck storylines weren't involved, ghe wouldn't win anything.

Rick Rude by a landslide.

 

[supernatural1981]

This is the one that as really got me 50/50 because Rick Rude is one of the all time greats and Raven is my fave wrestler ever. However i gotta go with logic and thought this through since yesterday and i have picked "Ravishing" Rick Rude.

Raven would get some good offense in and might even look like pulling off the shock win once he hits the Evenflow DDT however Rude kicks out and after wearing Raven down he hits with his Piledriver for the 3 count around the 23 minute mark.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Everyone on here knows I am a big fan of ECW-era Raven. His gimmick, look, style, promos and finishing move make him one of my all -time favourites and it still annoys me to this day how he was wasted in WCW and moreso in WWE.

However, as good as Raven was I can't vote for him in this match.

Rick Rude is one of those guys who, like Scott Hall and Curt Hennig, always gets brought up as someone who "should have been world champion", and I agree. Rude was a great talent, and what a heel he was. The feud with Jake Roberts was fantastic, and Rude LOOKED like a star with his physique.

Rude was a major player at a time when the business was stacked with top talent, while Raven achieved his greatest success in ECW before the promotion became bigger. He did well in WCW but never really achieved his potential as his personal issues held him back, which is a damn shame.

Rude would win this as Raven is out of his weapon-filled comfort zone, and although he would put up a good fight I cant see him getting the win. Rude Awakening for the win after 9 mins

 

[Alex]

So after checking out some Rick Rude matches after Tastycles sort of recommendation......yeah Raven loses.

I like Raven as a character more than Rick Rude (not by much mind) but Rude actually wrestled non hardcore matches a lot more than Raven.