Dustin Rhodes on AEW’s Future, His Legacy, & Why He’s Staying with AEW

·21 min·2 clips

Dustin Rhodes explains why he hasn't won a world championship yet, despite his brother and father both holding titles.

The episode begins with hosts Battle, Eli, and Josh welcoming Dustin Rhodes to discuss AEW's busy week in Texas. Rhodes immediately identifies Darby Allin, Daniel Garcia, and Will Ospreay as AEW's future breakout stars, praising their innovative in-ring work. He discusses his current program with MJF, noting how his 37 years of experience gives him an advantage against the younger champion. Rhodes reveals he recently signed a multi-year extension with AEW and expresses his desire to finally win a world championship, something his brother Cody and father Dusty both achieved. He talks about his trios team with the Von Erichs, sharing how meaningful it was to perform alongside them with their father Kevin watching. Rhodes reflects on the challenges of being a second-generation wrestler, describing the pressure of being Dusty Rhodes' son and how he had to find his own identity. He shares that his dream opponent was Randy Savage, though he never got to face him one-on-one. Rhodes discloses he has a three-year retirement plan in mind, wanting a Sting-like farewell on pay-per-view. He discusses his coaching and producing roles in AEW, emphasizing the satisfaction of passing knowledge to younger wrestlers. The conversation touches on his iconic Goldust character and the short-lived Seven gimmick that was canceled due to content concerns. Rhodes expresses interest in using his classic WCW entrance music for his final matches. He briefly comments on the NWA title's diminished prestige today compared to when his family held it. Throughout the interview, Rhodes emphasizes his passion for wrestling at age 56 and his determination to continue performing despite physical challenges.

As heard by us

Dustin Rhodes looks back on Dusty's legacy, years of listening, and one loud entrance-song fantasy.

Dustin Rhodes' conversation carries the most weight when it stays close to the years he spent learning under Dusty Rhodes' enormous shadow. He remembers his father's advice to shut up and listen, then points to five or six years spent absorbing lessons from wrestlers he trusted.

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Why you'd press play

You want the weight of a famous wrestling name, Dusty Rhodes' long shadow, five or six years of listening, and a dream Stranglehold entrance.

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