By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Sporting News interview with Dustin Rhodes
Conducted by Steve Muehlhausen
Interview available at SportingNews.com
Rhodes on the perception that he is underrated even though he has been able to be at a high level for so long: “I believe it has a lot to with the fact that they (WWE) never pushed Goldust to win a WWE title or [get] a world title opportunity. That is not for everybody. That is a hard thing to accomplish in the business. Yes, it’s still a dream of mine. The dream has taken a back seat for now because what I’ve realized about the last 24 years of the Goldust character is that Goldust didn’t need a world title. Goldust went out and entertained, had a good time with the fans and left a lasting impression. Every once in a while, a character comes along like Goldust and you don’t need to put a world title around him. I’m OK with me not winning a world title. I get why people would say I’m underrated, but I disagree.
“Of course, I want to win a world title and put it on my top shelf. Anybody who wants to get into the business wants to do it. If you don’t want to be in the industry to become a world champion, then you shouldn’t be in the business. I’m a good worker. I’m a good storyteller. I’m a good salesman. And I love to entertain and perform for the fans. I’ve never prepared for anything as I have for my match with my brother at Double or Nothing. I will be ready. All those times people would call me the Benjamin Button of the WWE and wrestling, it’s true. I stopped the clock, and it turns back. I go out there and perform at a high level, and they see something they’ve never seen from a 6-foot-5, 50-year-old man that can still hang with the Young Bucks, Cody and the younger kids and shine on a spectacular show.”
On what AEW do to change the wrestling landscape: “If I’m running a company, I want to see more wrestling, fewer commercials and less talking. The group of kids right now in AEW that have been out there working the independent scene and kicking some ass and taking some names are very creative. It’s not all about the older generation anymore. It is about the young kids, and we have to pass on our knowledge to them and let them rise and shine to the occasion. They’re doing a great job of that. They bring all kinds of stuff to the table. They bring their energy. We have some of the best tag teams with The Young Bucks. This is going to be something special. You have Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. You have top dogs.
“As long as you give them a little time and have wrestling matches on television and give them some stories to sink their teeth into, I think the people will follow. When you are in a three-hour situation like the other company (WWE), the matches don’t mean anything, and you focus on two things the entire show and everything is filler. That sucks because everybody feels like they can contribute more to the business than they’re doing, but they’re not getting allowed to. It’s frustrating to the fans and frustrating for us wrestlers behind the scenes that hanging out on the lower end of the card because we aren’t getting that opportunity to shine and work with a Kenny Omega, a Roman (Reigns) and a Jericho, and that sucks because you’re so hungry and you want to get out there and prove yourself. I think that’s what AEW offers more than any other wrestling company in the world and that’s hungry young lions.”
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It’s cool that he won’t admit it, but Dustin/Goldust is so underrated as a performer. The stuff he did early on with Marlena was so unlike anything I had ever seen. Granted I was just a kid then, but still… really out of the box. He took a character that a lot of guys might’ve failed with, and he made a HoF career out of it. If he wants to do it, I hope he wrestles for a few more years.