Dusty Rhodes

Virgil Riley Runnels Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (October 12, 1945 - June 11 2015), was an American former professional wrestler and trainer who worked for WWE. He made occasional on-air appearances on other WWE television and pay-per-views and works as a backstage booker and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes' character was that of the American working man, particularly in promo videos such as his famous 'Hard Times'.

Rhodes is a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions (the forerunner of WCW), he was a former United States Champion, and multi-time Television, World Tag Team, and Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He has also won many regional championships during his wrestling career.

He is one of six men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. He is the father of professional wrestlers Dustin "Goldust" Rhodes and Cody "Stardust" Rhodes they both currently wrestle for WWE.

On June 10, 2015, emergency personnel responded to Rhodes' home in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday morning after getting a call reporting he had taken a fall. Rhodes was then transported to a nearby hospital where he eventually died. Rhodes is survived by his four children, including Cody Runnels and Dustin Runnels, along with his wife.

* National Wrestling Alliance Central States Heavyweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version)
* National Wrestling Alliance Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version)
* National Wrestling Alliance Florida Bahamian Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Florida Global Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Florida Heavyweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Florida Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Florida Television Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)
* National Wrestling Alliance United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version)
* National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Georgia Heavyweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance National Heavyweight Championship
* International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance United States Heayvweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
* National Wrestling Alliance World Television Championship
* Pro Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance American Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version)
* National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship (Detroit Version)
* National Wrestling Alliance Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship
* National Wrestling Alliance North American Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version)
* National Wrestling Alliance United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version)
* National Wrestling Alliance United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version)
* National Wrestling Federation World Tag Team Championship
* International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship

## See Also

WWE Alumni -- WWE Hall of Fame -- TNA Alumni -- WCW Alumni