Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. a.k.a. “The American Dream”, Dusty Rhodes, was born on October 11, 1945. He was a professional wrestler, booker, and trainer from the United States who most famously worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE. Rhodes is regarded as one of the best wrestlers and talkers in professional wrestling history.

Championship History

Rhodes was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, as well as a United States Heavyweight Champion and several World Television, World Tag Team, and World Six-Man Tag Team Champions during his stint with Jim Crockett Promotions, afterward known as WCW. He also won several regional titles and is one of seven guys inducted into the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Halls of Fame. Dustin and Cody, his kids, have also followed professional wrestling careers, now appearing for AEW and WWE, respectively.

Brief Appearnces

Following his retirement from wrestling, he worked as a backstage booker and producer in WWE’s NXT developmental division and made infrequent on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views. Rhodes, billed as “the son of a plumber,” did not have the body of a traditional wrestler; his character was that of the “ordinary guy,” noted for the personality displayed in his interviews. According to WWE chairman Vince McMahon, no wrestler “personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes.”