Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. ( born October 12, 1945 in Austin, Texas), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a former American professional wrestler, wrestling promoter and today's Booker. He held several times the highest title of the NWA Wrestling umbrella organization and is a member of the WCW Hall of Fame, and the WWE Hall of Fame.
Career
After Rhodes had played in his youth at West Texas University Football, he began in 1966 with the wrestling training, where " Joltin " Joe Blanchard. Two years later he made his debut as "Dirty " Dusty Rhodes, a name he had borrowed a baseball player, and could already at December 13, 1968 strap on the Central States Heavyweight title. Early in his career he played a feared rule breakers and formed with Dick Murdoch a team called Texas Outlaws. Together they were able to win in Florida, Detroit and even Australia title. In the early 1970s parted their ways and Rhodes was made in 1974 after a match with Pak Song vs. Eddie and Mike Graham a crowd favorite.
Rhodes was at that time in addition to Andre the Giant the most popular wrestler in America and won regional titles churning. At the same time he was in Florida Booker local NWA outline, later he built from this position and became the creative head of the NWA.
As a wrestler he was allowed on August 21, 1979 defeating Harley Race and therefore the NWA World Heavyweight Title win. After only five days Race got back the title. Two years later, Rhodes Race defeated again and it started a feud with " Nature Boy " Ric Flair, which lasted for several years.
In the 1980s, Rhodes created as Booker the NWA Great American Bash, in the case of a Barbed Wire Match against then NWA TV Champion Tully Blanchard in 1987 he took to the title and $ 100,000, and both won.
1989 Rhodes lost his post as a Booker after he had to answer a story in which the Road Warriors should try to outdo him with her spiked shoulder pads to eyes. Then Rhodes joined the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). Here he feuded with Ted DiBiase and Randy Savage and brought his son Dustin as.
After the Rhodes in 1991 changed to the WCW, Dusty came shorter as a wrestler and focused on his job behind the scenes. He was on camera a member of the nWo and managed the Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash ). Dusty had between 2000 and 2003, a league of its own, called Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, and worked for WWE and TNA. 2001, shortly before its closure, Rhodes was at the ECW obliged, where he delivered himself brutal Barbed Wire match with Steve Corino.
On 31 March 2007 he was introduced by his sons Cody and Dustin in the Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile Runnels has worked as a booker and Interim General Manager for WWE NXT junior league wrestling.
Achievements
- Florida Heavyweight Title (10x)
- Florida Tag Team Championship ( 4 times )
- IWA World Tag Team Titles ( Australia) ( 1x)
- North American Heavyweight Championship ( Tri-State and Mid-South version) ( 1x)
- NWA American Tag Team Titles ( 2x)
- NWA Bahamas Heavyweight Champion (1x)
- NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship ( 1x)
- NWA World Tag Team Titles Detroit ( 1x)
- NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title ( 2x)
- NWA Florida Television Title ( 2x)
- NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship ( 1x)
- NWA Global Tag Team Titles ( 1x)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles ( 1x)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title ( 1x)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic World Six Men Tag Team Titles ( 2x)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles World ( 2x)
- NWA National Heavyweight Championship ( 1x)
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version) ( 1x)
- NWA North American Tag Team Titles ( 1x)
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) ( 7x)
- NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title ( 2x)
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) ( 1x)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version ) (2x )
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship ( Tri-State version ) (2x )
- NWA World Heavyweight Title ( 4x)
- NWA World Television Title (3x)
- NWA / WCW United States Heavyweight Championship ( 1x)
- WCW Tag Team Championship ( 1x)
- WCW Hall Of Fame Class Of 1995
- WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2007