RIP Dusty Rhodes
By Mike Cardillo
Sad news in the world of professional wrestling broke Thursday afternoon. Dusty Rhodes, The American Dream, passed away per a statement on the WWE. He was 69.
The WWE Hall of Famer, born Virgil Runnels Jr., won numerous world titles, including the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. His impact on the world of professional wrestling is hard to encapsulate in a blog post. Rhodes was an instrumental booker, in-ring performer, innovator and the father of both Dustin Rhodes (Goldust) and Cody Rhodes. Recently his impact could be felt in the development of the WWE NXT.
His most iconic promo about “Hard Times” can be seen below, during his famous feud with Ric Flair.
Rhodes was a little before my time but his YouTube clips live on and endure. If a chubby guy with a glorious blonde perm winning the world title isn’t the spirit of The American Dream, I don’t know what is.
If you want to go down a wrestling wormhole, check out Rhodes brief stint as the mysterious Midnight Rider.
RIP.