Dusty Rhodes is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever step foot inside a wrestling ring. “The American Dream” became a fan favorite thanks to his unmatched energy and over-the-top promos. His representation of the common man made him a natural babyface during his career. Rhodes also paved the way for future generations to take up professional wrestling as a profession.
Rhodes won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times in his illustrious career. He is also a former NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion and has also won the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship ten times. Rhodes signed with the WWE in 1989 and appeared as the “Common Man” Dusty Rhodes and wore a yellow polka-dotted costume. His feud with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase is one of the most talked about feuds in the WWE. He has also worked for the WCW, TNA, and ECW in his career.
In his personal life, Dusty Rhodes was married to Sandra McHargue from 1965 to 1975. He then married Michelle Rubio in 1978. He had four children named Dustin, Kristin, Teil, and Cody from his two wives. His sons Cody and Dustin are professional wrestlers and are household names among professional wrestling fans.
Dusty was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 by his sons Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes. He is also an inductee into the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. He is one of the six men to be inducted into each hall of fame class.
How did Dusty Rhodes die?
Dusty Rhodes sadly passed away on June 11, 2015. He fell in his home a day before his death. The legendary wrestler was rushed to the hospital by the paramedics but they were unable to save his life. Rhodes passed away at the age of 69. Kidney failure was revealed as the cause of death. The WWE legend was cremated and his ashes were spread in a ranch that he loved to visit.
Rhodes has also played a big role in developing the current WWE talents. During his time in NXT as a trainer, Dusty was able to mentor and develop some of the biggest names in professional wrestling. Stars like Becky Lynch, Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, etc. are some of the big-name stars that Dusty helped create.
WWE has honored Dusty Rhodes after his death by conducting a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic every year. AEW on the other hand, named the company’s Gorilla Position “The Dusty Position” to pay respect to his legendary career. His sons Cody and Dustin are currently carrying the legacy of the irreplaceable professional wrestling legend through their careers.
Cody Rhodes pays tribute Dusty Rhodes at WrestleMania 39
Dusty’s son Cody Rhodes became the first Rhodes to main-event a WrestleMania at the 2023 edition of the global event. He was unsuccessful in his quest to win the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship but he made his father proud with his performance. Rhodes paid respect to Dusty at the show by hitting the Bionoc Elbow during the match.
Come on Cody Rhodes. Dusty Rhodes is so proud!❤️ #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/yn74a8GZUr
— AJ’s University of Nerds and Geeks!❤️⭐️️🦋 (@AjBlueBayBelt) April 3, 2023
Cody was unsuccessful in winning the WWE championship and becoming the first Rhodes to hold the coveted championship. But fans feel that it’s only a matter of time before “The American Nightmare” achieves his father’s American dream.