Dusty Rhodes

Real Name: Virgil Runnels
Nicknames: "The American Dream," "The Common Man"
Position: NWO Commissioner (?)
The turn of "the American Dream" Dusty Rhodes to the New
World Order is yet another example of how the nWo continues its ability
to shock the wrestling world...now retired from active wrestling, Rhodes
has held numerous championships over the course of his long and illustrious
career and has competed in several wrestling organizations, most notably
the National Wrestling Alliance (before it merged with WCW)...unfortunately
however, Rhodes will also be remembered for his stint with the World Wrestling
Federation just prior to his retirement, where he was saddled with a cartoon-like
gimmick which left an ugly blemish on his legendary career...a multiple-time
former NWA World Champion, Rhodes is the only member of the nWo who was
so loved by World Championship Wrestling he was inducted into the organization’s
Hall of Fame (in 1995)...after his retirement from the squared circle,
Rhodes’ role in WCW was that of a color commentator, and for years he was
a regular fixture on programs such as WCW Saturday Night and WCW Pro...after
the New World Order came on the scene in WCW to attempt its "hostile takeover"
of the company, Rhodes was one of the many outspoken broadcasters who sided
with WCW, and Rhodes remained against the nWo for well over a year...however,
after Rhodes shocked the world during the Scott Hall-Larry Zbysko match
at the 1998 WCW/nWo Souled Out pay-per-view by turning on Zbysko, Rhodes
later explained he was frustrated in his color commentator role...on WCW’s
Thursday Thunder program following Souled Out, Rhodes expressed bitterness
towards WCW for its lack of respect towards him, and for being "pushed
out" of his broadcast duties...more notably however, Rhodes explained his
turn was due to his close relationship with nWo member Scott Hall, whose
career Rhodes had been partly responsible for starting several years earlier...now
in the New World Order, Dusty Rhodes is enjoying a renewed popularity among
young nWo fans unfamiliar with his past achievements...Rhodes is rumored
to soon have a larger role in the nWo, as he may soon be named the nWo’s
commissioner to combat WCW Commissioner J.J. Dillon...presently Rhodes
regularly accompanies Scott Hall to ringside, and is steadily becoming
a more dangerous presence in the nWo’s continuing war against WCW.
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