The legacy of Dusty Rhodes in professional wrestling

Dusty Rhodes is an icon in professional wrestling.

Whenever the legendary name of Dusty Rhodes is mentioned, many quickly think of his youngest child, WWE mega-star and former AEW VP Cody Rhodes. I can’t deny I used to be the same way, but that was until a particular documentary came across my eyes.

After a late night of work and writing articles like these, I turned on my TV and decided to put on Dusty Rhodes’s A&E documentary. Like many wrestling fans, I’m a massive fan of his son, so I just thought it’d be a nice thing to have on in the background, and it started off exactly like that — until it didn’t.

What started as watching the introduction turned into having my eyes glued to my 32-inch TV as it echoed the words of pro-wrestling legends who sang the great praises of the son of a Plumber and how innovative he was. Of course, I always knew he was because he was a booker for WCW. They didn’t just give those jobs to anyone, especially back then. You had to have some real pedigree under your belt. But still, I didn’t truly understand his genius and insight into the future.

As a 23-year-old black man hoping to dip his foot into the fast-paced world of pro wrestling someday, I had zero idea that Dusty Rhodes pulled the trigger on crowning Ron Simmons, a former black All-American football player hailing from my hometown, the first black World Champion. It blew my mind as I never thought about who made that decision. The man who proudly wore a white tank top and blue jeans to the ring the same way he did yellow polka dots was responsible for the reason so many pro-wrestlers of color came into existence. In a world where Ron Simmons did not have the power to put his people on the map, Dusty handed over the map and told him to do as he will.

Dusty made it possible for champions such as The Rock, Big E, Bobby Lashley, Booker T, Kofi Kingston, Moose, Keith Lee, and many more was able to come to pass all because he felt like representation mattered not just for the common man working to provide a life for his family but for the common man who was working the same job for only half the wage. Dusty was always an inspiration, but now he’s my hero. He’s my hero for making it possible for a boy from Warner Robins, Georgia, to have a dream of standing in the middle of the ring with a championship belt across his shoulders. He made it possible for many more to accomplish that dream before I was born.

Dusty brought stories to life in the ring and real life; for that, I will always be grateful for all he’s done for me and my people. Thank you, Dusty, for being the man behind the curtain who pulled it back for a fellow common man. Without you, who knows where we would be? We could still be working for half the wage, but instead, we’re champions in a sport where only the strongest survive.