| Wrestler: | Goldust |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Dustin Runnels |
| Birthday: | April 11, 1966 in Austin, TX |
| Hometown: | Billed from Hollywood California Resides in Austin, Texas |
| Marital Status: | Divorced from Terri |
| Height & Weight: | 6’6″ – 266lbs |
| Trained by: | Skandor Akbar |
| Debut: | September 13, 1988 |
| Previous Names: | “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes (WCW) Goldust (WWF) Artist Formerly Known As Goldust Seven (WCW) “Lonestar” Dustin Rhodes (TCW) Dusty Rhodes Jr. (PWW-1) Black Reign (TNA) Gold Dustin (AJPW) |
| Finishing Move: | Shattered Dreams (Kick to Crotch in corner) Curtain Call (Snap Sit Neckbreaker) |
| Favorite Moves: | The Oscar (Sitout Head Buster) Shock Treatment/Director’s Cut Back Bump into Throat Thrust Inverted Atomic Drop into Clothesline Good Night Charlotte Jumping Hip Attack Bionic Elbows Side Slam Bulldog |
| Notable Feuds: Rick Rude Dick Slater Arn Anderson Steve Austin Razor Ramon Ahmed Johnson Undertaker Val Venis Vince Russo Ric Flair David Flair Rob Van Dam The UnAmericans Jericho & Christian Triple H Ric Flair |
Notable Feuds: Kid Kash The Naturals Raven Trevor Rhodes Chris Harris Abyss Kaz (Frankie Kazarian) Super Eric (Young) Sheamus (ECW) |
Dustin Rhodes Title History
Dustin Rhodes, perhaps better known to the world of professional wrestling as Goldust, is a professional wrestler known for his time spent with all major promotions including the NWA, WCW, TNA and the WWE. Dustin is a second generation wrestler and is the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, who became famous for his time spent in the National Wrestling Alliance with championship feuds against the likes of Harley Race and Ric Flair, as well as being one of the biggest mainstays in the WWF in the 1980′s, and also a WWE Hall of Famer.
Dustin himself, however, is no stranger to success, having a hugely notable resume of championships and accomplishments, including numerous World Tag Team Championships, United States Championships and Intercontinental Championships.
Dustin has achieved the majority of his controversy, acclaim and success as the controversial “Goldust” character, an effeminate, strange and bizarre character that does not know his true gender, using sexual metaphors, storylines and ring-styles to contribute to his personality and character. Of course, this made him one of the most hated wrestlers in the WWF in the mid to late 1990′s, having surfaced in the company in 1995 after leaving the WCW.
As the Goldust character, he has had notable feuds with the likes of Razor Ramon, Triple H, The Undertaker and Mick Foley, making a huge name for himself along the way. Of course, when he left the WWF for the WCW again in the year of 1999, he did so with another outrageous gimmick that never made it to television and he began wrestling as “The American Nightmare” Dustin Rhodes, in reference to his fathers gimmick “The American Dream.”
Dustin’s success in the WCW was minimal after comments made towards WCW’s head writer, Vince Russo, left him in the doghouse, and he was eventually written out of storylines as such after feuds with the likes of Terry Funk and Jeff Jarrett came to an end. He would later return to WCW in 2001 teaming with his father against Jeff Jarrett and Ric Flair after a real-life event with his father, in which the two made up and spoke for the first time in many, many years. In interviews with Dustin, he does not like to talk about the fall out with his father, and has been bought to tears in numerous shoot interviews at the mention of it when he tries to explain.
After WCW folded, Dustin had numerous runs with both TNA and the WWE, and is currently working on WWE’s RAW brand as a midcard wrestler. Both his father, Dusty Rhodes and his half-brother, Cody Rhodes are apart of the company also.
I have personally been a fan of Dustin Rhodes for many years. I own many old-school VHS tapes and DVD’s of his earlier work in the WCW with the likes of Dustin Rhodes, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson and Ric Flair and can safely say that Dustin is not a man who is hiding in his father’s shadow. Yes, he has a famous father and yes, he will often get compared to his father’s success, but I sincerely do not believe that their levels of success can be compared.
Dusty Rhodes came to fame in a world driven by classic wrestling styles and matches, whereas Dustin, while emerging in the same world as his father, came to fame in the world of “sports entertainment”, where the world of wrestling was constantly on the change. For this reason, it is unfair to compare the two.
I would have to say my favorite matches of Dustin Rhodes have to be when he is wrestling against, or teaming with Rick Steiner. The two have fantastic chemistry in the ring, and both are fluent with the veteran styles of classic wrestling and Japanese strong-style which makes for some high-impact matches. The two have wrestled each other on several occasions in the WCW in 2000 and 2001, as well as working together and teaming together on the Independent scene in the late 00′s.
Needless to say, Dustin is a unique and talented performer, and for those who may not have seen him work beyond his Goldust gimmick, do your research, study some tapes and you will find that beyond the face-paint is one of the most gifted performers, and one of the modern day sole-survivors of the classic NWA Wrestling Style made famous by the likes of Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Dustin Rhodes. You will never forget the name of Dustin Rhodes!
written by Wayne K. Wilkins
