Dusty Rhodes - Biography & Images

Virgil Riley Runnels Jr – born October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015 – was better known as “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

He was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation.

Rhodes is considered as one of the greatest wrestlers and talkers in the history of professional wrestling.

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.

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.

Images of Dusty Rhodes