In the 1980’s, Rick Rude inspired many wet dreams among young wrestling fans, thanks to his shredded torso, cocky attitude that wouldn’t quit, and ever-flexing Biceps. I’ve featured Rude before in galleries extolling his sex appeal, his crushing Bearhugs and deadly Rude Awakening. But the seat of Rude’s power was definitely that shapely behind, always ensconced in colorful tights that showed off his curves. In his matches, Rude’s ass was portrayed as the source of his strength as well as his vulnerability.
Like most men blessed with a full seat, it was obvious that Rick Rude takes pride in his round, strong ass as an indication of his power and his superiority over weak, undesirable, flat-assed men. For example, when he would take time out to showboat in celebration of his dominance, Rude would sometimes perform a succession of quick butt clenches for the crowd and the cameras (and jealous fans around the world would swoon…) And to humiliate Rude, his opponents would sometimes pull down the back of his tights, exposing his muscular butt to degrade him sexually and imply a rape or penetration.
Rude also had a fetish for air-brushing his current infatuation onto his tights — the face of his female love interest or male enemy plastered over his bulging groin (forever pressed against his dick) and draped around the crevice of his backside so he could forever sit on the lover/enemy’s face. To express his narcissism, his own face is stretched across his buttocks for this match, the mouth positioned near his hole (kissing his own ass??) This draws the viewer’s attention to, arguably, Rude’s greatest asset.
The sexual tension is pumped up for this match because two of the buffest, most handsome Alpha Males square off in the ring. Their names — “Ravishing Rude” and Mr. “Beefcake” — express their sexual prowess and physical attraction. Rude establishes his dominant position with impressive bicep poses in Beefcake’s face, which the out-matched pretty-boy does not even attempt to compete with.
Rude then challenges Beefcake to a Test of Strength to prove his dominance. Later Rude embraces Beefcake in a stunning Bearhug, their muscular bodies locked together like a pair of lovers. Like I said, the sexual tension is thick enough to cut with giant scissors.
The Atomic Drop is used as a metaphor for the penetration of Rude’s ass. After the impact of Beefcake’s knee against his backside, Rude over-reacts by pressing his knees together, bouncing around on his toes, sticking out his buttocks and clutching his ass like a horny baboon. Is he inviting Beefcake to further violate him??
The implication is that Beefcake has harmed Rude’s manhood; torn him a new asshole; destroyed his strength and pride; emasculated him by jamming his knee into Rude’s ass.
Rude rubs his sore behind against the corner pad and crumples into the fetal position, holding his ball-sack, utterly raped and castrated.
The bully has gotten his comeuppance. No longer proudly strutting around, he is suddenly vulnerable, embarrassed, open to assault from behind –his “asshole” is showing. Will he ever regain the pride and domination he enjoyed at the beginning of the match?
What is good for the Goose is good for the Gander. While Beefcake had attacked Rude’s backside with the Atomic Drop, Rude reverses the move to destroy Beefcake’s crotch, crushing his balls over a bent knee.
Now it’s Beefcake’s turn to be emasculated, laying on his back with his long hair spilling onto the mat as he rubs his aching groin. Instead of a wrestling match, this is a test of Manhood, a pissing contest to determine who has balls-of-steel and who is the bitch.
After both men fall out to the floor together, Rude is able to climb back in the ring first, where he flexes his biceps in apparent domination and victory. However, after turning his back, Beefcake sneaks up from behind (another rape reference), holding a pair of (phallic) scissors pointed threateningly at Rude, who scurries away to protect his virginity.
So in the end, the heroic Brutus Beefcake wins by assuming the male role, while Rick Rude (no longer flexing his manly muscles) is proven to be a frightened bitch. The cocky asshole has been put in his place which, for many wrestling fans, was the height of excitement.
This match can be seen on YouTube if you want to check out Rude and Beefcake alternating between the dominant and submissive roles.
Awesome pictures of one of my all-time favorite wrestlers! Rude’s gimmick was a parody of America’s idea of masculinity at the time–self-centered, feminized, superficial, elevating image over accomplishment and character. It was social critique and eye candy in one sumptuous package. Beefcake was, of course, a variation on the same themes, but your analysis cuts to the gist of this particular match’s take on gender roles. Good critique and good writing!
Thank you for exploring my longest-running wrestling obsession–the ass-consciousness of Rick Rude.
I’m with “JOHN”. Whenever RUDE was wrestling, his HOT, TIGHT ass was most often where my focus would be. “BUTT”, unlike JOHN, I was never TOTALLY obsessed with RUDE’s ass; his extraordinary package upfront was always competing for my attention! I’d REALLY enjoyed watching RUDE’s OVER-THE-TOP, “HORNEY BABOON-like” reaction to being on the receiving “end” of an “ATOMIC DROP”. (GRRRREAT SIMILE!!!) More recently, I’ve noticed that hunky pro wrestler, “ROMEO ROSELLI” has adopted RUDE’s very same “shtick” in HIS matches. He’d be set up for an “ATOMIC DROP”, it would take place, and ROSELLI would immediately grab hold of his mouth-watering pair of “sculpted glutes”, and then SKIP around the ring with feigned agony etched across his face. He’d soon be once again in front of his opponent, who’d then spin him around, and set RUDE up for second “ATOMIC DROP”; an even MORE devastating WMD in which ROSELLI’s “TAINT” region and overly large, clean-shaven “BALL-SACK” would be crushed upon impact with his opponent’s bent knee. ROSELLI would then “SKIP” about the ring, alternating between sticking out his UBER-tempting glutes, (making sure that his fingers were reaching deeply between them, drawing all attention to his throbbing pucker-hole, contained barely beneath his sweat-soaked trunks), and then thrusting out his pelvic region, offering up his OVER-FLOWING basket of what are now, little more than spandex -wrapped, squashed Italian meatballs, and well-bruised, overgrown sausage contained within to all the lusting patrons. ALL are invited to “LOOK, but DON’T TOUCH!” OH! How I’d LOVE to comfort poor, poor Romeo and his irreparably damaged “PRIVATE PARTS”. I’m just a “GIVER”! (What can I say???) ; P
MIKE, thanks for the tip about Romeo Roselli. I hadn’t been aware of him, so I checked him out on YouTube and found this match containing an example of the kind of Atomic Drop sequence you describe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_xooQAyX0o
Roselli’s is probably the most pronounced reaction to an Atomic Drop that I’ve seen since Rude’s. And he definitely adds his own twist to the proceedings. I love the way he reaches into his crack with his fingers.
And, like you, I guess I’m a giver, because chief among my Rick Rude fantasies was providing comfort to the Ravishing One after an Atomic Drop.
Cheers!