Virgil Runnels, Jr.
From Freepedia
Virgil Runnels, Jr. (born October 12, 1945 in Austin, Texas) is an American professional wrestler working under the stage name Dusty Rhodes.
Contents |
Career
Rhodes started his career as a rule-breaking heel, tagging with fellow Texan Dick Murdoch to form the tag team The Texas Outlaws. In the mid-70's, Rhodes broke out as a solo babyface superstar, primarily in Florida, referring to himself as the "White Soul King" and the "American Dream", a working class hero. Rhodes ascended to the top of several National Wrestling Alliance promotions in Florida, Georgia, and eventually with Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic – the forerunner of World Championship Wrestling. Here, he formed teams with Manny Fernandez, Magnum T.A. as "America's Team" and Nikita Koloff as The Super Powers.
Rhodes had legendary feuds with stars such as Abdullah The Butcher, Kevin Sullivan, Blackjack Mulligan, Nikita Koloff, Harley Race, "Superstar" Billy Graham and most notably, The Four Horsemen (especially Ric Flair). Rhodes, Flair, and Race each fought each other many times over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rhodes won the NWA World Title three times.
Rhodes also was a booker for WCW while they were competing with the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-80's. He is credited with inventing many of the WCW pay-per-view names and gimmicks, such as War Games, BattleBowl, and Lethal Lottery. After being let go in that capacity after a taboo on-screen bloodletting, Rhodes briefly performed with the WWF (now known as World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE) as the yellow polka-dotted "Common Man" Dusty Rhodes. He was managed by Sweet Sapphire who left him during Summerslam 1990 for The Million-Dollar Man's money.
Rhodes later returned to WCW, where he briefly joined the nWo; he then left or was fired from WCW and went to ECW where he put over former ECW Champion, "King of Old School" Steve Corino. Rhodes returned once more to WCW, re-igniting his feud with Ric Flair. He is now semi-retired. He appeared on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling shows, becoming the "Director of Authority" at their November 7, 2004 pay per view, TNA Turning Point. At the same time, Rhodes became a true powerhouse behind the scenes of TNA, acting as head booker and writer. In May 2005, Panda Energy head Dixie Carter asked Rhodes to move onto a creative team, which would have included several other names, including Jeremy Borash, Bill Banks, and Scott D'Amore. Rhodes balked and resigned as booker, waiting out the rest of his contract with TNA, which expired soon after.
For several years, Rhodes operated Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, a small Georgia-based promotion. Rhodes' son, Virgil Runnels III, known in wrestling as Dustin Rhodes, followed his father into the business, most notably as the eccentric WWE character Goldust.
In late 2005, Rhodes signed a WWE Legends deal and he was brought onto the Creative Team as a creative consultant. Rhodes officially started his creative consultant job on September 8, 2005. Rhodes most recently made a appearence on WWE Homecoming in which he, along with other legends beat up the young and cocky Rob Conway, to whom Rhodes delivered a Bionic elbow.
Finishing and signature moves
Figure-Four Leg Lock
Championships/Accomplishments
National Wrestling Alliance
- 3-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (San Francisco version)
- 2-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Dick Slater and Manny Fernandez)
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Detroit version) (with Dick Murdoch)
- 3-Time NWA World Television Champion
- 1-Time NWA National Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Road Warriors)
- 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Buff Bagwell)
- 1-Time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (Hawaii version)
- Winner of 1987 NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (with Nikita Koloff)
- Winner of 1985 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
- Winner of 1986 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
- Winner of 1987 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
Florida Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time Florida PWF Heavyweight Champion
- 7-Time Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion
- 10-Time Florida Heavyweight Champion
- 4-Time Florida Tag Team Champion (with Dick Murdoch, Dick Slater, Bobo Brazil and André the Giant
- 1-Time Florida Brass Knuckles Champion
- 2-Time Florida Television Champion
- 1-Time Florida Bahamian Champion
- 2-Time Florida United States Tag Team Champion (with Bugsy McGraw and Blackjack Mulligan)
- 1-Time NWA Florida Global Tag Team Champion (with Terry Allen)
Other Titles
- 1-Time Central States Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time Central States Tag Team Champion (with Dick Murdoch)
- 1-Time NWA Tri-State North American Champion
- 1-Time Georgia Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 11 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also ranked twice in the best tag teams of the "PWI Years". He was ranked # 76 with Magnum T.A. and # 88 with Manny Fernandez.
- Dusty also won several PWI Awards over the years. He won Wrestler of the Year in 1977 & 1978 and Most Popular Wrestler of the Year in 1978, 1979 and 1987. He was involved in the 1987 Feud of the Year (Dusty & Nikita Koloff & the Road Warriors vs. the Four Horsemen). He was also in the Match of the Year in 1979 (vs. Harley Race) and 1986 (vs. Ric Flair).
Books
Autobiography: Dusty: Reflections of an American Dream 2005
Quotes
I ain't never seen nothin' like this and I've been to three goat-ropin's and an all-night fair, daddy!
See also
Dusty finish (professional wrestling)
External link
Categories: American professional wrestlers | 1945 births | People from Texas | Professional wrestling managers and valets | Professional wrestling announcers | Professional wrestling executives | NWo
