I will never understand why people find it so hard to believe that Watts, an amateur wrestler couldn't easily outwrestle and handle a guy like Rude who had no background in combat other than being an arm wrestler.
Because Rude was a savage who loved to fight, and in Bret's book there's a part where Bret (Provincial champ), Hennig (not sure how high he went in amateur), and Anvil (stupidly strong) couldn't budge Rude from the ref's position. The other thing is, we have a plethora of fight stories from people about Rude. I've not heard the Watts fight story from anyone but Watts.
@@JamesMMcCann This wasn't a fight though. Aren't you familiar with Erik's college wrestling days? He was pretty darn good. Curt Hennig was nothing but an above average high school wrestler at Robbinsdale. Aside from being strong, I have no idea what Neidhart's wrestling background was and actually don't think he had any. I couldn't tell you what Bret learned from his father in terms of getting down on the mat.
@@curthennig9448 Bret was a high school wrestling champion in the Alberta Province and wrestled in college for about a year or 2 before turning pro. Neidhart was an average high school wrestler.
Rick was such an arrogant, obnoxious heel in the ring but out of it he was like one of the nicest guys. He even wrestled with his wedding ring on, just covered in tape according to Bret Hart.
@@CalvinTennesseelike all of us I'm sure they are just going by what stories they've heard during shoots and give credibility to the ones they've heard several times by several people. Like I've heard the same about Rude plenty of times. Now what this guy is claiming I've NEVER heard not even once. And as popular as Rick Rude and Curt Hennig are during shoots I'm sure we would have heard at least something about this story before. His stories seem a bit farfetched to put lightly.
Erik is one of the nicest guys I have met with a big heart to match the rest of him. My dog fell in love with him immediately when they met and if you knew my dog lol if you see this Erik HI from Livingston, Texas, and Diggy
I feel like these videos are the only thing keeping my childhood memories alive of pro wrestling. These videos are so awesome because now we know the behind the scenes history. Thank you for doing these
So many people here want Rick Rude to be this invincible fighter who was the toughest man to ever walk the face of the Earth like he was Don Frye. He got his reputation from beating up other high schoolers in Minnesota and drunks in bars. It's not hard to believe he was stretched by an amateur wrestler
@@michaelhauser6440 Road Warrior Animal said that Rude stayed with them in Georgia when he was trying to break into the business. They were going on the road for a couple of days and told Rude not to go to the club down the road from where they lived. Of course Rude went down to the club. Some girl invited him to come outside to her car with her and he got jumped by 3 guys. When the Road Warriors got home, a visibly bruised Rude was sleeping on the couch. Rude told them what happened. They wanted to head back there with him to find the guilty parties. Rude declined and waited until they went back on the road before he returned himself. He caught up with 2 of the 3 guys and scared the female off. People will sometimes say Ric Rude was a bully but he was more like a warrior with a set of brass balls. Sometimes he got beat, but he feared no one.
@@jacktion1546 Toughness means nothing if there is a skill disparity. Erik was a former college wrestler so it is not hard to believe he could handle a guy with limited real wrestling experience in a real wrestling match.
I seriously doubt Watts handled Rick Rude🤔. Also, why would Bret, Owen or Taker give a crap about helping Watts? He was in a tag team that was dead on arrival ! He literally had maybe 3 matches
@@M98-j9k Fair enough, but Hawk, Lanny Poffo, Kevin Sullivan, John Nord, Barry Darsow, Sting, Ron Simmons, Steve Austin to name a few have said how bad ass Rude was. There are zero stories about Eric Watts or this alleged scuffle. Don't argue just to argue
I can’t speak to Rude’s character but Rude was never used to the best of his ability accept maybe as champion in WCW. If only Sting had injured himself instead Rude.
I was buying the entire story until he said he handled Rick rude. I have heard 1 million stories about how tough Rick Wood and I’ve never heard anyone talking about Eric watts being tough
I read in some book that Rude claimed that nobody could turn him over in a traditional wrestling positon where one guy is on his knees and the other guy starts behind him and Watts said he could do it and apparently did it like 3 times in a row. So it wasn't a real fight but he handled him in a wrestling match.
It's been talked about before, it's fairly well known. He didn't beat up Rude in a fight or anything, but did allegedly come out on top in an amateur wrestling contest.
Rude had no athletic or combat background unless you count arm wrestling and lifting weights. Watts was an Amateur wrestler, Rude used to put his girl up by the bar alone so guys would approach here so he had an excuse to beat people up.
Eric Watts might have been a good wrestler but he was a crappy professional wrestler. He is a legend in his own mind. Rude was a legit bad ass, it’s easy to talk smack about someone after they are gone. Anyone that name drops like Watts does is very insecure.
I watched WCW Worldwide in 1992/3 Erik watts was dreadful. Rude was the top heel with great matches with Sting and rick steamboat. Erik was that shit he turned Rude fan favorite in matches they had. Nepotism at its worst. In interviews all he says is dad dad dad
@@corybowman9583 , I wrestled professionally for many years especially in Mexico and Erik Watts didn't even know how to stand in the ring or hit the ropes. Maybe a nice guy but a terrible wrestler.
@@brianhanssens7996 Eric is tough. He could hang with me for a few seconds - that's tough. When I was 3, I was punching through concrete - trained fighting with monks. Hanging with me for even a second means you're legit.
Cut that damn auto editing off of your audio! You're ruining the entire interview. All of your interviews are the same now! You can never understand the person you're interviewing! Cut it off! Who cares if it takes some of them a couple of seconds to say what they want to say! Cut it off!
And, rude was never the same after that fight with Erik behind the scenes. And then has the audacity to brown nose him after the fact. Everyone lost respect for Rick after getting smacked around by that kid
@@brianhanssens7996 the big question though... Did everyone start chanting "rudy" when he did it? Because I think he's got the memory mixed up with a Sean Astin movie..
Rude was a "reputation tough guy" one of these ones everyone hears about being tough but hardly anyone actualy has seen him have to fight or bothers to fight him because he his reputation and attitude but when actualy put to the test against a fair match obviously rather than someone much weaker. Or smaller weaker drunk guys he beat up at bars. As in picking fights he knew he would win easily. But when tested with a fair equal opponent he fails. I mean i don't know that for sure but it's just the impression i get
If anyone of my age is still alive then we herd all this stuff before and if not who really cares about dead wrestlers I hate to say this but its boaring
@@troyspartan95 He was big, had a college football background and excellent wrestling skills but he was pushed by WCW office (at the time his father) too quickly. The fans just didn’t buy him contending for championships so soon.
He has been hanging out with Brian Blair apparently as he is embellishing a bit here. He did not beat Rude up as manhandling may make it sound like he did. They went at it in amateur wrestling in the locker room and he got the better of Rude doing that. Rude would have wrecked him in an actual fight.
couldn't disagree more. Erik was a lot bigger, a college football player, a promoter's son which means you have to be tough, and most fights end up on the ground anyway. Rick's perceived toughness mostly had to do with wrestling/grappling.
I disagree with you all but I appreciate that you just disagree and are not being jerks. I've heard too many stories from other wrestlers who have talked about Rick rude's Wars out there. We just agree to disagree
RIP to the Ravishing One
Nobody sold the receiving end of the Atomic Drop like Rude
I will never understand why people find it so hard to believe that Watts, an amateur wrestler couldn't easily outwrestle and handle a guy like Rude who had no background in combat other than being an arm wrestler.
Because Rude was a savage who loved to fight, and in Bret's book there's a part where Bret (Provincial champ), Hennig (not sure how high he went in amateur), and Anvil (stupidly strong) couldn't budge Rude from the ref's position.
The other thing is, we have a plethora of fight stories from people about Rude. I've not heard the Watts fight story from anyone but Watts.
@@JamesMMcCann This wasn't a fight though. Aren't you familiar with Erik's college wrestling days? He was pretty darn good. Curt Hennig was nothing but an above average high school wrestler at Robbinsdale. Aside from being strong, I have no idea what Neidhart's wrestling background was and actually don't think he had any. I couldn't tell you what Bret learned from his father in terms of getting down on the mat.
@@curthennig9448 Bret was a high school wrestling champion in the Alberta Province and wrestled in college for about a year or 2 before turning pro. Neidhart was an average high school wrestler.
@@stevejamieson8468 Thanks for the info.
@@JamesMMcCann yeah , you ever hear any tales of Erik watts fights ? Lol
Erik Watts, I met in the 90’s he was super down to earth and nice! Not a big star. But, super good dude!!
Love Erik sporting the UofL gear!
Thats right!
40258 PRP here
Rick was such an arrogant, obnoxious heel in the ring but out of it he was like one of the nicest guys. He even wrestled with his wedding ring on, just covered in tape according to Bret Hart.
how many times did you work with him?
@@CalvinTennesseelike all of us I'm sure they are just going by what stories they've heard during shoots and give credibility to the ones they've heard several times by several people. Like I've heard the same about Rude plenty of times. Now what this guy is claiming I've NEVER heard not even once. And as popular as Rick Rude and Curt Hennig are during shoots I'm sure we would have heard at least something about this story before. His stories seem a bit farfetched to put lightly.
Some guy’s interview better than others. This is a good one
Erik is one of the nicest guys I have met with a big heart to match the rest of him. My dog fell in love with him immediately when they met and if you knew my dog lol if you see this Erik HI from Livingston, Texas, and Diggy
@dawndonovan8819 your dog??
Rick ride is in my top 5 all time. You can’t take away from Erik Watts athleticism being a D1 QB
I feel like these videos are the only thing keeping my childhood memories alive of pro wrestling. These videos are so awesome because now we know the behind the scenes history.
Thank you for doing these
Erik looks like his dad now
George Santos and Erik Watts are twin brothers by different mothers.
Fantastic interview!
Great interview tremendous insight
So many people here want Rick Rude to be this invincible fighter who was the toughest man to ever walk the face of the Earth like he was Don Frye. He got his reputation from beating up other high schoolers in Minnesota and drunks in bars. It's not hard to believe he was stretched by an amateur wrestler
Na , just listening to 20 plus wrestlers over one kinda sways it a bit
Has anyone besides Erik Watts validated this story? I've never heard it.
@@Blackson187Nobody has ever backed up his version. Lol
@@michaelhauser6440 Road Warrior Animal said that Rude stayed with them in Georgia when he was trying to break into the business. They were going on the road for a couple of days and told Rude not to go to the club down the road from where they lived. Of course Rude went down to the club. Some girl invited him to come outside to her car with her and he got jumped by 3 guys.
When the Road Warriors got home, a visibly bruised Rude was sleeping on the couch. Rude told them what happened. They wanted to head back there with him to find the guilty parties. Rude declined and waited until they went back on the road before he returned himself. He caught up with 2 of the 3 guys and scared the female off. People will sometimes say Ric Rude was a bully but he was more like a warrior with a set of brass balls. Sometimes he got beat, but he feared no one.
Why is a photo of Alberto Del Rio used. Instead of Rick Rude?
very believable story
I could see how Rude was upset about this situation.
The southern Michael Rapaport
I don’t believe for a second that he “handled” Rick Rude. Rude was one of the toughest guys in pro wrestling. Not quite at Haku’s level, but up there.
@@jacktion1546 Toughness means nothing if there is a skill disparity. Erik was a former college wrestler so it is not hard to believe he could handle a guy with limited real wrestling experience in a real wrestling match.
I seriously doubt Watts handled Rick Rude🤔.
Also, why would Bret, Owen or Taker give a crap about helping Watts? He was in a tag team that was dead on arrival ! He literally had maybe 3 matches
Cause you knew rude and just know how badass he was?
@@M98-j9k
Fair enough, but Hawk, Lanny Poffo, Kevin Sullivan, John Nord, Barry Darsow, Sting, Ron Simmons, Steve Austin to name a few have said how bad ass Rude was. There are zero stories about Eric Watts or this alleged scuffle.
Don't argue just to argue
@@maddognogood8346 How was this a scuffle? It wasn't a fight.
@@curthennig9448 Exactly. They were wrestling. The real kind
55 years old and he talks like a teenager. Seems to be like his Daddy and has *an exaggerated sense of self-importance.*
I can’t speak to Rude’s character but Rude was never used to the best of his ability accept maybe as champion in WCW. If only Sting had injured himself instead Rude.
I was buying the entire story until he said he handled Rick rude. I have heard 1 million stories about how tough Rick Wood and I’ve never heard anyone talking about Eric watts being tough
I read in some book that Rude claimed that nobody could turn him over in a traditional wrestling positon where one guy is on his knees and the other guy starts behind him and Watts said he could do it and apparently did it like 3 times in a row. So it wasn't a real fight but he handled him in a wrestling match.
It's been talked about before, it's fairly well known. He didn't beat up Rude in a fight or anything, but did allegedly come out on top in an amateur wrestling contest.
Rude had no athletic or combat background unless you count arm wrestling and lifting weights. Watts was an Amateur wrestler, Rude used to put his girl up by the bar alone so guys would approach here so he had an excuse to beat people up.
@@kevthegoat8774 Rick Steiner could never understand that. Why Rude would set up half drunk guys just so he could beat them up.
Exactly!
Nice WASP shirt bro
Eric Watts might have been a good wrestler but he was a crappy professional wrestler. He is a legend in his own mind. Rude was a legit bad ass, it’s easy to talk smack about someone after they are gone. Anyone that name drops like Watts does is very insecure.
This is a true story and Rude was pissed but suddenly easier to deal with up until he retired roughly a year later
Speaking of promoters sons wrestling….how about Rick Rude v George Gulas?
Very fitting shirt hahahaaa...cheers!
major case of exaggerating and over embellishing if i ever heard it 😂
Eric watts “handled” Rick rude 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 yeh rite 🙄
Damn, he kicked Rudes ass!
Yet nobody confirmed it not Sting or even Mick Foley who was in WCW at the time.🤔
Jealousy is a part of life.....Stay away from them
What?
Watts aint messing with rude. Only time i heard this and contradicts every other story from multiple folks. Guess he still believes his own hype.
Damn man, the resemblance to his pops is uncanny!
Lmao. This kid never drew a dime
Well, of course he wouldn't be happy around ppl he didn't approve of. Who's gonna be sunshine n daisy's around ppl who treat you poorly?
lol Erik Watts 'handled' Rick Rude??? Did everyone start clapping?
I watched WCW Worldwide in 1992/3 Erik watts was dreadful. Rude was the top heel with great matches with Sting and rick steamboat. Erik was that shit he turned Rude fan favorite in matches they had. Nepotism at its worst. In interviews all he says is dad dad dad
This guy was a nobody in wrestling with a 944 Porsche. I guess
Weren't the people Rick Rude beat up not wrestlers?
I think he had an open policy on who he beat-up.
Sorry but Erik Watts was a terrible wrestler , Erik did not deserve his spot. Erik seemed like a nice guy but he was just not good in the ring.
@@corybowman9583 , I wrestled professionally for many years especially in Mexico and Erik Watts didn't even know how to stand in the ring or hit the ropes. Maybe a nice guy but a terrible wrestler.
Let it go champ
Only watts ever tells these stories no one else backs him up,he must have dreamt it.all the other stories on rude was he was a wrecking machine
Him manhandling Rude has been verified by a number of people.
@@brianhanssens7996 Yes it's been verified many times over the years. Erik isn't lying.
@@paulrodney951 I'd like to know where I've never heard of this before
And his father was a bigger fake tough guy. All you could do is Bully smaller weaker new wrestlers
@@brianhanssens7996 Eric is tough. He could hang with me for a few seconds - that's tough. When I was 3, I was punching through concrete - trained fighting with monks. Hanging with me for even a second means you're legit.
Erik Watts never heard of her hummm guess one of those side chics
Why do I feel like he’s lying…
All you need is love machine
I call BS
Cut that damn auto editing off of your audio! You're ruining the entire interview. All of your interviews are the same now! You can never understand the person you're interviewing! Cut it off! Who cares if it takes some of them a couple of seconds to say what they want to say! Cut it off!
this guy is delusinal,who saw this guy man wrestle rude /
And, rude was never the same after that fight with Erik behind the scenes. And then has the audacity to brown nose him after the fact. Everyone lost respect for Rick after getting smacked around by that kid
I find it hard to believe he lost that fight tbh
@@jamespaul6315 Watts is embellishing but he did take and hold down Rude pretty easily.
@@brianhanssens7996 the big question though... Did everyone start chanting "rudy" when he did it? Because I think he's got the memory mixed up with a Sean Astin movie..
Rude was a "reputation tough guy" one of these ones everyone hears about being tough but hardly anyone actualy has seen him have to fight or bothers to fight him because he his reputation and attitude but when actualy put to the test against a fair match obviously rather than someone much weaker. Or smaller weaker drunk guys he beat up at bars. As in picking fights he knew he would win easily. But when tested with a fair equal opponent he fails. I mean i don't know that for sure but it's just the impression i get
@@cutekanjii i know its a rumour but once heard he koed the warrior with a slap when his arm was in a sling.
Erik Watts was soooo misused in the business!
If anyone of my age is still alive then we herd all this stuff before and if not who really cares about dead wrestlers I hate to say this but its boaring
Not as boring as some moron who can't spell. No one cares what you think.
@@darensparks thanks Darren you sound like a great guy pmsl
Why did you click on this video then? If it bores you then fine. Don't tell other people how to live their life
I'm 50 and been watching wrestling forever and I have no idea who this is!!!!
Bust out your old WCW tapes(circa 1992 and early 1993).
I think he was bill watts kid or something. Real obscure stuff
@@troyspartan95 He was big, had a college football background and excellent wrestling skills but he was pushed by WCW office (at the time his father) too quickly. The fans just didn’t buy him contending for championships so soon.
He has been hanging out with Brian Blair apparently as he is embellishing a bit here. He did not beat Rude up as manhandling may make it sound like he did. They went at it in amateur wrestling in the locker room and he got the better of Rude doing that. Rude would have wrecked him in an actual fight.
couldn't disagree more. Erik was a lot bigger, a college football player, a promoter's son which means you have to be tough, and most fights end up on the ground anyway. Rick's perceived toughness mostly had to do with wrestling/grappling.
Watts would have still taken down Rude in an "Actual fight"
Watts dwarfed Rude and was an elite freestyle wrestler. The safe money would be on him.
@@brianhanssens7996 Exactly it's common sense, even guys who are not as known like Craig Pittman would have ragged Rude about with ease.
I disagree with you all but I appreciate that you just disagree and are not being jerks. I've heard too many stories from other wrestlers who have talked about Rick rude's Wars out there. We just agree to disagree
This dude just said he manhandled Rick Rude. Ok, hoss...
Watts was an amateur wrestler, Rude was an arm wrestler/weight lifter