Dusty Rhodes

**Virgil Riley Runnels Jr.** (October 12, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as **"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes**, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".

Rhodes was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions, later known as WCW, he was a United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time World Television, World Tag Team and World Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling and performed for WWE.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Bionic elbow
	+ Figure four leglock
* **Signature moves**
	+ *American elbow* (Running elbow drop, with theatrics)
	+ Backhand chop
	+ Biting a cornered opponent's forehead
	+ DDT
	+ Diving crossbody
	+ Dropkick
	+ *Flip, Flop and Fly* (Multiple jabs, with theatrics)
	+ Flying clothesline
	+ Hair pull
	+ Mounted punches
	+ Multiple slap variations / combinations
		- A big, swinging slap while charging to a standing opponent
		- Slaps to the opponent's body, ending with a big, swinging cross with theatrics
	+ Rotating vertical suplex
	+ Shoulder block
	+ Sleeper hold
	+ Texas piledriver
* **Managers**
	+ Baby Doll
	+ Gary Hart
	+ Dr. Jerry Graham
	+ Sapphire
* **Wrestlers managed**
	+ Dustin Rhodes
	+ Kevin Nash
	+ Scott Hall
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"The American Dream"**
	+ "Bull of the Woods"
	+ "Dirty" Dusty"
	+ "The Common Man"
	+ "The Midnight Rider"
	+ "Son of a Plumber"
	+ "Stardust"
	+ "The White Soul King"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **National Wrestling Alliance**
		- "You Can't Judge a Book (By Looking at the Cover)" by Hank Williams Jr. Feat. Huey Lewis
		- "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
	+ **Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling**
		- "Purple Rain" by Prince and the Revolution
		- "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
		- "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Turner
		- "Hello Dolly" by Louis Armstrong
		- "You Can't Judge a Book (By Looking at the Cover)" by Hank Williams Jr. Feat. Huey Lewis
		- "Baby Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini
		- "Midnight Rider" by Willie Nelson
		- "Rockhouse" by Frank Shelley (used as a member of the New World Order)
		- "American Dream" by Jimmy Hart & Howard Helm
	+ **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
		- "Kakutougi Theme" by Ryuichi Sakamoto
		- "American Dream" by Freedom
	+ **World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment**
		- "Common Man Boogie" by Jimmy Hart & J.J. Maguire
	+ **Extreme Championship Wrestling**
		- "This Is Why (I Sing the Blues)" by Reckless Fortune Feat. Joe Lynn Turner
	+ **Ring of Honor**
		- "Midnight Rider" by Willie Nelson
	+ **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling**
		- "Leather" by Dale Oliver
		- "Midnight Ryder" by Dale Oliver
		- "Chief of Staff" by Dale Oliver
	+ **Independent circuit**
		- "Fight the Good Fight" by Triumph
		- "Midnight Rider" by Willie Nelson
		- "I Stand Alone" by Jackyl

## Championships and accomplishments

* **50th State Big Time Wrestling**
	+ NWA North American Heavyweight Championship *(Hawaii Version)* (1 time)
* **Big Time Wrestling**
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Detroit Version)* (1 time) – with Dick Murdoch
* **Central States Wrestling**
	+ NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA North American Tag Team Championship *(Central States Version)* (1 time) – with Dick Murdoch
* **Championship Wrestling from Florida**
	+ NWA Brass Knuckles Championship *(Florida Version)* (2 times)
	+ NWA Florida Bahamian Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Florida Global Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Magnum T.A.
	+ NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (12 times)
	+ NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Dick Murdoch (1), Dick Slater (1), Bobo Brazil (1), and André the Giant (1)
	+ NWA Florida Television Championship (2 times)
	+ NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship *(Florida Version)* (10 times)
	+ NWA United States Tag Team Championship *(Florida Version)* (2 times) – with Bugsy McGraw (1) and Blackjack Mulligan (1)
	+ NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship Tournament (1978)
	+ NWA United States Tag Team Championship Tournament (1980) – with Bugsy McGraw
* **George Tragos / Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame**
	+ Class of 2017
* **Georgia Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Cadillac Cup (1984)[77]
* **International Wrestling Alliance (Australia)**
	+ IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dick Murdoch
* **Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA United States Heayvweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA World Television Championship (3 times)
	+ NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with The Road Warriors[64][84]
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Mid-Atlantic Version)* (2 times) – with Dick Slater (1) and Manny Fernandez (1)
	+ NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Buff Bagwell
	+ Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (1987) – with Nikita Koloff
	+ Bunkhouse Stampede (1985–1988)
	+ WCW Hall of Fame
		- Class of 1995
* **Pro Wrestling Federation (Florida)**
	+ PWF World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **National Wrestling Alliance**
	+ NWA Hall of Fame
		- Class of 2011
	+ NWA Legends Hall of Heroes
		- Class of 2016
* **NWA Big Time Wrestling**
	+ NWA Brass Knuckles Championship *(Texas Version)* (3 times)
	+ NWA American Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Baron von Raschke (1) and Dick Murdoch (1)
* **NWA San Francisco**
	+ NWA United States Heavyweight Championship *(San Francisco Version)* (1 time)
* **NWA Tri-State**
	+ NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (*Tri-State Version)* (1 time)
	+ NWA United States Tag Team Championship *(Tri-State Version)* (1 time) – with André the Giant
* **National Wrestling Federation**
	+ NWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dick Murdoch
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked **#193** of the top 500 wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2001
	+ Ranked **#11** of the top 500 wrestlers of "PWI Years" in 2003
	+ Ranked **#76** and **#88** of the top 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Magnum T.A. and Manny Fernandez, respectively, in 2003
	+ Feud of the Year (1987) – with Nikita Koloff and The Road Warriors vs. Four Horsemen
	+ Match of the Year (1979) – vs. Harley Race (August 21)
	+ Match of the Year (1986) – vs. Ric Flair (The Great American Bash)
	+ Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1978, 1979, 1987)
	+ Stanley Weston Award (2013)
	+ Wrestler of the Year (1977, 1978)
* **Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum**
	+ Class of 2010
* **World Championship Wrestling (Australia)**
	+ IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dick Murdoch
* **World Wrestling Entertainment**
	+ WWE Hall of Fame
		- Class of 2007
	+ Slammy Awards
		- "Say What" Quote of the Year (2013) – "One stipulation: I'm in my boys' corner and I'll be your huckleberry all night long."
	+ WWE Bronze Statue (2016)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Best Babyface (1980)
	+ Best Booker (1986)
	+ Most Charismatic (1982) – Tied with Ric Flair
	+ Most Embarrassing Wrestler (1990)
	+ Most Overrated (1987, 1988)
	+ Most Obnoxious (1988, 1989)
	+ Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (1987, 1988)
	+ Worst Feud of the Year (1988) – vs. Tully Blanchard
	+ Worst Gimmick (1988)
	+ Worst Television Announcer (1997)
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
		- Class of 1996