53-year-old Dustin Rhodes has had a career of highs and lows which saw him headline pay-per-views and win multiple championships while also having some of the worst gimmicks of all time. Now though, having reestablished his legendary status in AEW as one of the promotion’s first signings, it appears fans need to ready themselves for his retirement. This is because he has shared on Twitter is contemplating stepping away from in-ring competition, acknowledging it’s a scary decision.
Rhodes made his wrestling debut in 1988, and due to being the son of Dusty Rhodes, he’d get the opportunity to work for WCW, All Japan, and WWE within his first few years. And while nepotism is undoubtedly a part of pro wrestling, he would go on to prove he was deserving of his spot during his second WCW run, which commenced in 1992. And had he not been fired for going against company policy and blading in 1995, he would likely have become one of the company’s top stars in the battle against the nWo.
Ultimately though, it was in WWE where he cemented his legacy as Goldust, a character he portrayed on and off between 1996 and 2018. This, though, would at times put him firmly in the category of Wrestle Crap, and he’d win Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s worst gimmick on multiple occasions. Additionally, it led to him being given the gimmicks of Seven and Black Reign, which went nowhere in WCW and TNA, respectively. Thankfully though, his run in AEW has allowed him to demonstrate how great of a talent he could be without an over-the-top gimmick, and when he does step away, his ring work will be fondly remembered.
