How did Dusty Adjust to His WWF Early 90's Run?

[sarkerpolseng]

Dusty was a huge star and booker for the second largest (arguably largest at times) promotion in the country.  He called the shots.  Booked for himself and others.  Multi-time champ, and consistent top guy.  I assume he was a pretty vocal guy backstage amn during meetings.

Comes to WWF in 1989.  Gets put into an awful gimmick right away, over a personal vendetta the boss had.  He isn't booking shows anymore anymore.  He is nowhere near the top of the card, and probably will never be. He had a meh feud with Savage that had a terrible story and build.

I know money is money, but how did a guy like Dusty Rhodes put up with this nonsense?  He just does not seem like a type that would idly stand by and take direction by other for his character and direction.

[Mozenrath]

I don't know about anything else, but Dusty tended to put it over as a good experience. I think as much as his ego was legendary, he still was well aware he'd gotten stale in NWA and the time away from them gave people time to miss him, even if that'd run out again on his return.

I'm pretty sure he always insisted the polka dots were his decision. He knew he was doughy and that WWF was all about the visual flair, so polka dots probably wouldn't have stood out as that much weirder than wrestling in canary yellow trunks or pink tights, etc.

He also said he got paid very well, and had he stayed, he felt Dustin would be in good hands. Still, he left WWF because he wanted to book.

I do think that yeah, he wasn't necessarily on a path to become WWF champion, but I do think you're really underselling his run in some respects. His feuds had him working with some of the top heels in the company, he was pretty protected, and he was always figured in, so to speak. I think, had he stayed, he could have probably had a tag title run with Dustin. He seemed to more or less be their new Junkyard Dog. A popular face, well pushed, but there to prepare people for Hogan or Warrior or whoever.

[Terry McConkey]

Dec 17, 2021 20:03:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I don't know about anything else, but Dusty tended to put it over as a good experience. I think as much as his ego was legendary, he still was well aware he'd gotten stale in NWA and the time away from them gave people time to miss him, even if that'd run out again on his return.

I'm pretty sure he always insisted the polka dots were his decision. He knew he was doughy and that WWF was all about the visual flair, so polka dots probably wouldn't have stood out as that much weirder than wrestling in canary yellow trunks or pink tights, etc.

He also said he got paid very well, and had he stayed, he felt Dustin would be in good hands. Still, he left WWF because he wanted to book.

I do think that yeah, he wasn't necessarily on a path to become WWF champion, but I do think you're really underselling his run in some respects. His feuds had him working with some of the top heels in the company, he was pretty protected, and he was always figured in, so to speak. I think, had he stayed, he could have probably had a tag title run with Dustin. He seemed to more or less be their new Junkyard Dog. A popular face, well pushed, but there to prepare people for Hogan or Warrior or whoever.

I enjoyed his WWF run because I grew up on watching him on Saturday nights at 6:05 on the Mothership. It was cheesy but even by then, most folks knew that Dusty's best days in the ring were behind him.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 17, 2021 20:06:23 GMT -5 Terry McConkey said:

Dec 17, 2021 20:03:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I don't know about anything else, but Dusty tended to put it over as a good experience. I think as much as his ego was legendary, he still was well aware he'd gotten stale in NWA and the time away from them gave people time to miss him, even if that'd run out again on his return.

I'm pretty sure he always insisted the polka dots were his decision. He knew he was doughy and that WWF was all about the visual flair, so polka dots probably wouldn't have stood out as that much weirder than wrestling in canary yellow trunks or pink tights, etc.

He also said he got paid very well, and had he stayed, he felt Dustin would be in good hands. Still, he left WWF because he wanted to book.

I do think that yeah, he wasn't necessarily on a path to become WWF champion, but I do think you're really underselling his run in some respects. His feuds had him working with some of the top heels in the company, he was pretty protected, and he was always figured in, so to speak. I think, had he stayed, he could have probably had a tag title run with Dustin. He seemed to more or less be their new Junkyard Dog. A popular face, well pushed, but there to prepare people for Hogan or Warrior or whoever.

I enjoyed his WWF run because I grew up on watching him on Saturday nights at 6:05 on the Mothership. It was cheesy but even by then, most folks knew that Dusty's best days in the ring were behind him.

There's that, too. He had value still, obviously, and fans, but even Dusty at his vainest knew that he was getting older, and especially back in NWA/WCW, getting spread thin, so a lot of his wrestling seems to have been house shows or tagging with Dustin a bit and being a cornerman.

I feel like if all Dusty gave a shit about was being the top guy, he could have gone from NWA to AWA for more than just a few appearances, and they'd have likely had him and Larry Zbyszko trading the title back and forth. The writing would have been on the wall about AWA's demise, but they'd have made him a king if it was just about a push.

[horsemen4ever]

I always wonder what was Dusty's relationship with Arn and Tully in their short time together in the WWF? What about his relationship with Ronnie Garvin they had an ugly end in JCP.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 17, 2021 20:52:32 GMT -5 horsemen4ever said:

I always wonder what was Dusty's relationship with Arn and Tully in their short time together in the WWF? What about his relationship with Ronnie Garvin they had an ugly end in JCP.

I'd be curious, too. I imagine Tully would have had more of an issue than Arn for a variety of reasons. Like, I have no idea if they ever buried the hatchet.

[Mandarin Dessert Version 0]

I don't know why, but I find it kinda fascinating that that Royal Rumble 1991 Tag Team Match with him and Dustin against Ted Dibiase and Virgil was essentially his retirement as far as being a regular competitor went.

When he returned to WCW, he was mostly a booker and commentator but he didn't wrestle regularly for them in 1991, right?

[fortknox]

Dec 17, 2021 22:47:04 GMT -5 Mandarin Dessert Version 0 said:

I don't know why, but I find it kinda fascinating that that Royal Rumble 1991 Tag Team Match with him and Dustin against Ted Dibiase and Virgil was essentially his retirement as far as being a regular competitor went.

When he returned to WCW, he was mostly a booker and commentator but he didn't wrestle regularly for them in 1991, right?

No. He didn’t wrestle again till '92 when he teamed with Dustin on a Japan supershow.

[Hit Girl]

He got fatter.


No, seriously, he embraced the character and it worked. He was tremendously entertaining in that gimmick.

[horsemen4ever]

Think about late 1990, you had Dusty and his pokka dots and the fake red spikes neutered Road Warriors, only to think 2 years these 3 guys did one of the bloodest angles ever.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

I seem to remember Bruce Prichard saying it took some selling to get Dusty to accept his role. Bruce is full of shit on a lot of things, but that's one I can believe.

It's also true that Dusty's spot was much better than people tend to paint it as being. It wasn't just "polk dots LOL," he was close to the top of the card and usually looking strong.

[tafkaga]

I've heard guys from that era say that a lot of talent in the business had this view of Vince that he could turn anything into gold, e.g. Terry Taylor going along with the Red Rooster.

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 18, 2021 1:27:53 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

I've heard guys from that era say that a lot of talent in the business had this view of Vince that he could turn anything into gold, e.g. Terry Taylor going along with the Red Rooster.

Well one of the things that Vince was one of the best at was promoting someone and as overboard as he went with it now... I do think some of his Buzzwords helped with that. For instance these aren't just any wrestlers these are the Superstars of Wrestling.

it differentiated and made his group of guys sound better. (even though his group of guys worked with everyone else at random intervals) >_>

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 18, 2021 1:03:21 GMT -5 "Playboy" Don Douglas said:

It's also true that Dusty's spot was much better than people tend to paint it as being. It wasn't just "polk dots LOL," he was close to the top of the card and usually looking strong.

Yeah, like his main feuds were against Macho Man and Ted Dibiase who were two of the top heels of the company.

[Jake, The Jake, Jake]

I think I remember dusty saying on one of those Legends of Wrestling Roundtables back on the day that it did take some time to adjust. He recalled talking with Vince and Vince telling him that for the first time in years he didn’t need to worry about anything else, and dusty saying it was a load off his mind. He also said he enjoyed the Dibiase feud because after every match he got dibiase’s briefcase and threw the money into the crowd, and for every dollar he threw out there he stuck two down his tights.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Other then his last four or five months when I'm guessing he had probably communicated to them that he was going back to WCW, he was actually treated pretty well. Especially when you factor in the fact he was in his mid 40's and was literally at the end of his rope as a full time wrestler. Vince could've just jobbed him out the entire time if he wanted to but he didn't. I think he was there like 18-19 months and while he wasn't the main face like he was in the NWA, for about 14 of those months he was a protected upper mid card face feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase.

Just summarizing what he did from June 1989 to August 1990: beat Honky Tonk Man at Sumemrslam, survived a Survivor Series match, decisively won his feud with Big Boss Man going over on him on Survivor Series and SNME as well all of their house show matches, good showing in the Rumble in which he lasted a long time and eliminated Savage, long feud with Savage who was one of their biggest stars, won a Wrestlemania match that was also the second biggest match on the card after the main event. That's a pretty good year. Yeah after that it went down hill as he was made to look like a dope in the Dibiase feud which might be the most lopsided feud in favor of a heel during that era but like I said he had probably told them he was leaving.

[horsemen4ever]

The whole polka dots run, as far as making fun of Dusty, it all pales in comparison to Rio Rogers, now that is burial and making Dusty look like a fool more than they did to anything when he was with the company.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Dec 18, 2021 3:13:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 18, 2021 1:03:21 GMT -5 "Playboy" Don Douglas said:

It's also true that Dusty's spot was much better than people tend to paint it as being. It wasn't just "polk dots LOL," he was close to the top of the card and usually looking strong.

Yeah, like his main feuds were against Macho Man and Ted Dibiase who were two of the top heels of the company.

Yeah, anyone who tries to say Dusty was being buried was clearly not watching at the time. In 1990 he was probably the #3 face in the company behind only Hogan and Warrior.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Dec 18, 2021 1:27:53 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

I've heard guys from that era say that a lot of talent in the business had this view of Vince that he could turn anything into gold, e.g. Terry Taylor going along with the Red Rooster.

I mean, you remember the Red Rooster, don’t you?

[tafkaga]

Dec 18, 2021 15:04:34 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

Other then his last four or five months when I'm guessing he had probably communicated to them that he was going back to WCW, he was actually treated pretty well. Especially when you factor in the fact he was in his mid 40's and was literally at the end of his rope as a full time wrestler. Vince could've just jobbed him out the entire time if he wanted to but he didn't. I think he was there like 18-19 months and while he wasn't the main face like he was in the NWA, for about 14 of those months he was a protected upper mid card face feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase.

Just summarizing what he did from June 1989 to August 1990: beat Honky Tonk Man at Sumemrslam, survived a Survivor Series match, decisively won his feud with Big Boss Man going over on him on Survivor Series and SNME as well all of their house show matches, good showing in the Rumble in which he lasted a long time and eliminated Savage, long feud with Savage who was one of their biggest stars, won a Wrestlemania match that was also the second biggest match on the card after the main event. That's a pretty good year. Yeah after that it went down hill as he was made to look like a dope in the Dibiase feud which might be the most lopsided feud in favor of a heel during that era but like I said he had probably told them he was leaving.

He was also allowed to go back to his old school look during his DiBiase feud, proving that Dusty's true power was in the polka dots, and that Vince knew what he was doing.