Dustin Rhodes

[9.0] "A great talent that has a genuine love for wrestling. Dustin gets better in the ring with age, wrestling the best match of his career at 50 years old. He's spent the last few years competing, helping to guide younger talent like Sammy Guevera and the Von Erichs through the business, while also running an academy."

[7.0] "I honestly had no time for shit like Goldust, but OSW Review has given Dustin a new camp value for me. Being such a gimmick shapeshifter is doubly impressive when you consider how tempting it might have been to rest on his laurels."

[9.0] "Dustin Rhodes is a master of reinvention and one of the most respected veterans in the game. As Goldust, he broke barriers with a bold, provocative character that pushed WWE's boundaries long before it was common. But Dustin's true strength lies in his longevity and in-ring storytelling--smooth, believable, and emotionally charged. Whether working as a bizarre enigma, a gritty veteran, or simply himself, Dustin always brought credibility and heart. His late-career resurgence in AEW has shown the world that even after decades, he could still deliver classics when it mattered most. A true ring general who never needed a title to be elite....but damn you TNA for not giving him the NWA title"

[6.0] "A very talented man who has done a lot for the business, while helping advance the WWF from the Cartoony late New Generation Era into the Attitude Era. He obviously had a lot of issues in life, so there are a lot of dark periods in his career, but when he gave it is all, his work was amazing. I'm happy to see that he seems to have straightened out his life. I think his current role of a mentor in AEW is a great place for him, and it's always a pleasure to watch him now that he's sober. Aside from being one of the greatest gimmicky/comedy wrestlers of all-time, he was capable of putting on absolute bangers. The fact that most of his best matches in his career came in his later years is super impressive, and a testament to him truly being a natural."

[8.0] "One of the few wrestlers who I can say I appreciate more now than 20 years ago. Dustin Rhodes is veteran and great when he's just being himself. He's currently tearing it up on RoH in my favorite tag team called the Sons of Texas along with his talented younger partner Sammy Guevara. Dustin Rhodes is surprisingly good in the ring and in great physical shape despite his age and he can wrestle intense fast paced matches."

[7.0] "Goldust is fine, clearly had his good and a difficult time, Goldust was always a scandalous proposal, one of the first personalities in showing themes and characteristics of the actitude was, his blonde wig, Marlena taking him to the ring as if it were a dog and giant robe was a combination never seen before. Sadly Dustin could not keep Goldust for a long time, in actitude it was the standards of perversion had changed, Goldust was simply another irreverent. And he had to do something else to highlight, and that's why Tafka was born, a version of Dustin ... different, this time, Goldust was not scandalous, he was sincerely disgusting. The original Goldust was quirky but not unpleasant to view, another bad moment is Black Reign, it seemed a copy of Goldust, and it is at this time that Dustin's life is at its worst time. Dustin is currently quite good in AEW, it's not his prime, but he looks very good."

[8.0] "This man has had so many peaks, valleys, and Black Reigns in his career that he's pretty much the EKG of pro-wrestling. If at any point during the last six hundred years you wanted to know what was wrong with western civilization at any given time, you'd look at what's going on in France. If at any point in time during the last thirty years you wanted to know how well the American pro-wrestling scene was doing, you'd look at what Dustin Rhodes is doing."

[10.0] "There is something really captivating about Goldust, it cannot be explained but everyone can have the same feeling watching him. The perfect example of the great old school character that absolutely did aged well. Goldust could have had more titles and accomplishments, but it doesn't change the fact that he had a great and inspiring career. Goldust/Dustin isn't just a wrestler from the past, he had also wonderful moments later, including winning the tag titles with Cody against The Shield, and finally going to AEW, having one of the most emotional match (with Cody again)."

[9.0] "Dustin Rhodes, aka Goldust, is the ultimate icon of self-expression in wrestling. Like, talk about breaking boundaries! From his flamboyant character to his talent in the ring, he's the epitome of "be yourself." Watching him evolve over the years has been such a ride. He's proof that you can reinvent yourself and still crush it. Definitely a dad figure we didn't know we needed in wrestling!"

[8.0] "Like fine wine, He seems to be only getting better with age. He was 50 when he had that classic match with Cody and that was one of the best matches I have seen happened in American soil. He probably won't ever win a World Championship which is a shame but this guy is a legit Hall of Famer. One of the few things I am thankful for AEW is that we get to see how great he is after years of being misused by WWE."

[7.0] "Somehow managing to make a questionable gimmick, not only work, but also keeping it for years upon years, is no small feat. While Dustin is not the greatest worker, his skill and dedication to the art is still commendable. His time in AEW highlights this."

[8.0] "Fantastic performer who was saddled with a difficult and controversial gimmick early on and did everything in his power to make it memorable and have staying power. I mean, who would have thought that Goldust, an androgynous character that you'd think would have died off in the 90s would be wrestling well into the late 2010s? It's a testament to Rhode's work and ability to make the character adapt and evolve. While Dustin would try and move away from the character and do his own thing, it didn't really resonate with the fans and he would eventually return to "The Bizarre One." As a pro wrestler, in my opinion, Dustin has shown time-and-time again he's a more than capable in-ring performer. Even as the years have gone by, Dustins skills have yet to show signs of slowing down. On top of that, he's an unselfish performer, never showing himself to be above working with the young guys or working in ROH. I can't put into words how much I admire Dustin Rhodes as a competitor and as a person."

[9.0] "Very gifted second generation pro wrestler with bad luck to luckluster creative ideas from higher-ups. 80's and early 90's WCW's gold boy who was able to put huge effort to portray Goldust character as Vince wanted, but it didn't give Dustin proper satisfaction. His run in AEW shows how good since day one he is, even in his 50s. One of the most underrated workers and unfullfilled careers in wrestling business."

[7.0] "Dustin is a very talented pro wrestler, and if I were going by that alone I'd rate him an 8. But there were pretty dark periods in his career, especially during his Black Reign gimmick in TNA. I appearance not only at his effort since he got clean, and I'm also impressed at the ability he still has to put on a good match."

[7.0] "I think Dustin is sensational, never watched his career much deeply like I wanted to, but from what I saw, very good worker, always cohesive and with excellent executions, when asked to be a comedy wrestler and do some more goofy gimmicks he did with all of his efforts, and I don't think there's many guys that I enjoy more watching mid card matches than him, every talented wrestler should have a match with Dustin Rhodes, he's just a blast to watch, love his style."

[10.0] "Dustin Rhodes has been an invaluable addition & one of the best things to ever happen to AEW, because his passion for the industry is palpable, & to see him still working this well at this age is truly a treat. Was able to play a death-knell of a gimmick in the 90's and make that shit work to his advantage, & to see his son Cody Rhodes rise through the ranks is a testament to the love and passion that this family has for the business. It's been amazing to watch Dustin deliver kicks and shots that look like a million bucks and still bleed occasionally as he nears 60. One of the best."

[8.0] "One of the most rigorous and hard working students of the game, he has been in the ring for so long that it's beyond imagination. He has definitely left a great legacy and set an outstanding example already. I hope when he retires they give him the best send off ever."

[9.0] "Dustin has always been a really good worker, and he managed to do it while saddled with some weird creative. His career resurgence in recent years has been fun, whether its the 5 star classic with his brother Cody, or the matches with Punk and Bryan. Hell, when he had to fill in for Keith Lee against Swerve, he did it. He will go down as an all time great when all is said and done."

[10.0] "Nothing but respect for him, he is a great worker just like Cody who has been working since 80s and can still go, his longetivity is utterly ridiculous and he is one of THE greatest tag team wrestlers ever, insane commitment to both wrestling and his character and he is capable of promos as well, Dustin Rhodes desreves Nothing but respect."

[10.0] "I can't put much words to admire this man. He started his career as another young cowboy like Barry Windham in CWA and had a solid run in USWA, then a short WWF run where he had the opportunity to work with his dad showcased the bright future ahead of him, where it was already obvious he would return there someday. Next it the big blast it was his WCW run put his name on the map right away with a Six Man, World Tag, United States title runs as the Natural, just to end abruptly due to a stupid bleeding policy. Then he would return to the WWF where it would all change...a cowboy enters Hollywood's Hot sticky scenes and bate himself in Gooooold. Goldust, although bizarre and hard to explain, made fans climb the walls in awe with his sensual, pervert, mysterious and eccentric persona that helped paving the Attitude Era, making him a big time player. Years gone by and he went through some hard times with marriage, drugs, personal issues and emotional breakdowns. Thank God, DDP saved him and he rebuild himself into another healthy career that spams to this day in AEW, while he uses his Rhodes name, he displays that half of Goldust still in him. Dustin is a role model, a man's man, and definitely, a perfect 10!"

[8.0] "Dustin Rhodes always amazed me, but it doesnt seems for the other people, why? He is so good, he really loves this business and u can tell by his face"

[9.0] "Dustin still has a greater understanding of the ten-minute TV wrestling match than just about anyone who's ever lived. Punches, pacing, promos, physicality. Early Dustin rules, there are multiple Golddust runs that rule (early, tag w/ Booker, ECW), current Dustin rules. Obviously the docked point is for the drugged-up low moments, and few will ever have moments lower than Dustin's lowest, but there's a lot to be said about his persisting through it. It's like he was born to be a wrestler, huh."

[1.0] "I never considered Dustin Rhodes/Goldust as a good wrestler. TBF, he was one of the worst wrestlers out there more primarily due to his horrendous Goldust gimmick. The way that he sexualizes his opponents in an obscene way on its first few years in WWF will never always be right. He never had a major push and just became an afterthought. Tell me one significant moment that he has on his entire career. None, nada, zilch. He is Dusty Rhodes's failed experiment second generation wrestler. The only reason why I didn't drop down to an absolute zero rating is his passion and knowledge in the business. He's way more fitting as a wrestling coach or trainer by that regard. The Goldust gimmick has got to be the worst created gimmick by WWE, maybe on par with The Gobbledy Gooker. The difference here is they let the gimmick sits for so long, makes it unbearable to watch when he's on TV. Aside from the Double or Nothing 2019 match, he never had a good match for his entire career. Nothing memorable or no highlights of his career to remember. I am so glad that we can rely on another Dusty's son in a form of Cody Rhodes which obviously is a superior wrestler than him. His sexual gestures while performing in the ring and his ASMR-like promos are cringe and unbearable. At least we don't see it much in AEW, glad that Dustin knew how awful that gimmick is not to bring it there. Unfortunately, he is already at a sunset of his career and it's quite late for him to redeem back his reputation as a good wrestler."

[8.0] "If you look past his gimmicks throughout the years, Dustin Rhodes was a fantastic wrestler. He wasn't the most athletic wrestler by today's standards, but he was a very solid worker throughout his entire career. I haven't seen too much of his work as The Natural Dustin Rhodes, but the work I did see was very, very solid. No doubt he's most remembered for his run as Goldust, whilst the gimmick was 100% a comedy thing, it really just showed how damn good Dustin Rhodes is as a professional wrestler. Played the Goldust gimmick perfectly, still used a nice array of moves as well. He has been pretty good in AEW, glad to see him working as himself again and not Goldust."

[8.0] "I like what I've seen of his WWE run, can't believe how committed the man was to Golddust, but I'm mainly rating him here based on AEW. Every match, no matter how inconsequentially booked, is so tight. The man knows how to pace a match in a way only decades of experience can bring. And at 54, he knows his limitations and knows how to work within them to still deliver a great show. Always excited to see him."

[8.0] "Dustin is truly underappreciated. Unfortunately, he faced the challenge of being associated with a highly distinctive gimmick. While he succeeded in making it unforgettable, it simultaneously hindered his transition to the main event, and he struggled to shed that persona. Remarkably, even in his 50s, he continues to deliver outstanding performances in the ring."

[7.0] "Wasn't particularly fan of Goldust though he showed a couple of time that he was a good worker but since he joined AEW, he showed that he can be a great worker who his age who can pull out some spectacular moves like a Code Red or a Canadian Destroyer but the best thing about Dustin Rhodes is that he has a great psychology and his movement is really smooth which makes him really interesting to watch. He's also a charismatic and really talented worker on the mic."

"My favorite wrestler. Without his demons, he would be a WWE mainstay, a WWE Heavyweight Champion at least once, and a widely recognized legend. Seems like everything happens for a reason though, as he is healthy and sober for many years now, wrestling smoother than anyone else, and teaching valuable life lessons to his wrestling protegees and his online followers. God bless you Dustin, I hope you will become a World Champion someday!"

[8.0] "A prime example of a guy who made lemonade out of lemons. He had a revolutionary gimmick which got him over in the form of Goldust. He also was saddled with a gimmick that was the biggest heaping pile of fucking dog shit in Black Reign. Though, I can guarantee that was NOT his fault. Black Reign? WOOF."

[9.0] "To me, Goldust is one of the greatest characters in wrestling. Vince McMahon pitched an insanely bizarre and out there idea and Dustin Rhodes gave it his all. The original 1995 run of gold dust is particularly great and stands out. Its honestly insane that 1995 the same year we saw the likes of Mantar, Bastian booger and all sorts of other goofy kiddy cartoon characters, Vince McMahon pushes this bizarre creepy, androgynous, sexualize degenerate. Goldust was basically an attitude era character that debuted a few years early. Dustins mannerisms from his soft-spoken voice to his body language was all on point, and made the character completely memorable. On top of that Dustin was always a fantastic wrestler. It is pretty unfortunate that Goldust never became WWF champion, because he honestly had amazing heel heat and this comes from someone who doesnt spout that every wrestler who is decent needed to become world champion at some point. Unfortunately, he left WWF in 1999 to go back to WCW who, unfortunately completely wasted him. I guess the seven gimmick couldve been something cool if it wasnt canceled due to controversy. Even though he returned to WWE in 2001, they severely water down the gold dust gimmick basically removing a lot of the sexual connotations and making him more of a comedic character. Although I did think his pairing with Booker T was pretty funny. Then of course he went to TNA and had the Black Reign gimmick which was completely stupid and you could tell that Dustin was in a bad place. But honestly his return to WWE in the 2010s was a pretty solid Lake career resurgence and its unfortunate that Vince McMahon didnt use him very much just because he was getting older. Dustin feud, however, with Cody Rhodes in early AEW will always be a career highlight of his with his fantastic match against his baby brother, which was one of the pinnacles of storytelling in modern wrestling. Even as his career winds down in AEW hes clearly made his mark on the industry, and Im glad to see him training the next generation of wrestlers in AEW. Dustin is an honestly will always be a legend in my book."

[7.0] "Very underrated which is mostly because of how he was presented in the wwe for most of his run. Nothing against the Goldust character as it kept him on screen for years but nothing about it ever worked for me. When they would go away from it and let him be Dustin(in story or just how he worked in ring) it was very good. He was never a standout worker or anything like that in wcw but he just had the basic shit down to a science and it worked for me. Very solid tag worker for his entire career which is where he had his best in ring work until some of the later stuff in aew. When not treated as a joke in the places he works the dude is such an valuable asset"

[8.0] "I believe this man is truly underrated. Whether he was Dustin Rhodes or Goldust, he always had good matches and memorable moments in and out of the ring. I believe he has the longest-running wrestling career in North America History. Good Stuff everywhere"

[9.0] "Great character work earlier on and added in some great ring work towards the end. He got so much better in-ring as an older wrestler. His promos are always good."

[10.0] "Dustin is a Rhodes, so I love him by default. He's had his ups (his original run as Goldust, his 2010s return, his current run in AEW, etc.) and downs (The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust, Seven, Black Reign, etc.) but I'd overall call his career great."

[9.0] "One of my favourite from WCW and WWE, still good at 54. Had his demons so we was passable in the mid-00's but since his comeback in 2009, he kicks ass."

[9.0] "Very good in-ring talent, a solid promo, but most importantly, an excellent character worker, and one of the few of his era who has stayed consistently good throughout his career."

[8.0] "Dustin longevity and commitment to pro wrestling is amazing. His early WCW stuff is not great but once he got the bizarre Goldust character he got much better. Outside of WWE he struggled in TNA and WCW to make anything good because of bad gimmicks. This changed with his amazing match with Cody in AEW and his AEW run has been his best outside of WWE. He has one of the best minds in the buisness. His charisma is outstanding and his in ring abilities are good."

[6.0] "Never quite as charismatic as his Father in the ring, but he was great at playing the character of Goldust. Had his issues on and off for years and left/returned to the WWFE mores times than I can count. I actually kinda liked his WCW days as The Natural. Perfect midcarder chasing the IC or US belts."

[8.0] "Gimmicks and goofiness aside, if you actually sat down and took the time to really observe Dustin Rhodes, the worker as opposed to Goldust, the gimmick, or Black Reign (which sadly I remember) if you really studied and dissected his matches, you can tell that he was a (pardon the pun) natural in the ring. Since Dusty was such a great worker, in the case of Dustin, the apple really didn't fall far from the tree."

[4.0] "A sloppy and limited big man in the ring who held onto a career by adopting the uncomfortable Goldust character. What I remember most about his matches was how he was always adjusting ill-fitting gloves. I found it extremely distracting. You aren't really selling the "pain" of a move when your first instinct is to adjust your costume as opposed to reach for your supposedly injured body part. Liked to rub his crotch on his opponents. I guess less is more with Goldust. The less he was capable of the more he hid his limitations within his pageantry. And the less I see of him onscreen the more I enjoy the show."

[10.0] "You never know what you had til it's too late. From his esrly WCW days to 2023 Dustin's been having a mix of amazing matches and memorable gimmicks. 30 years of amazing wrestling is something so few can claim"

[10.0] "Edited to embellish. One of the most underrated performers in the entire history of the sport/business. Total confidence in his promos, stunning longevity, almost always extremely watchable/captivating and notable chemistry found with many - we could go on and on about his virtues though. Broke through and beyond nepotism, yes Dusty booked it - but it was up to Dustin to fail or achieve and he overachieved by leaps. He helped make WCW a far greater place in the early/mid 90's; gave his all during PPV's and Clash's. He was a pioneer of the Attitude era with his Goldust character; turning the entire wrestling world upside down and inside out almost instantly, due to his pure commitment to the business and character. Had a knack for turning "eh" into "unforgettable" and getting over no matter what. Almost everything is recommended except for some glaring moments (you know them when you bump into them). 9.5 rounded up!"

[8.0] "Nicknamed The Natural, it's no wonder why he had that nickname. He was really smooth and fastbin the ring in WCW. He got his most well known gimmick as Goldust and made it work perfectly. He started going downhill in the late '90s and in fact his period as TAFKA Goldust is really incosistent. His 2000 run in WCW was okay in-ring. In '02-'03 he was so entertaining with Booker T, clearly his best run, but WWE never really pushed them. In the mid-2000s he was getting downhill, finishing with Black Reign. In ECW he was generic but fine, plus it's a nice thing that he was fired as a producer because he got that resurgence in 2013 that proved he was still great at his 40s. He was still good in AEW those last years, especially in 2019. It's great that he's defeated his demons"

[9.0] "9.0 Always one to push the cuff and keep it different he is one of my absolute favorites. The few bad things were some costumes when he was formerly known as and his run in TNA. The good, however far outweighs it. His Seven out of character bomb is one of my all time favorite wrestling moments. He never failed to make me laugh whenever he was on screen. You never know what you'll get with Goldust and that's awesome."

[7.0] "I think he is one of the most under utilized wrestlers of all time I don't think it is a talent wise instead of bad booking."

[8.0] "A great wrestler and one of the most underrated in history. Without forgetting that he is one of the most veteran wrestlers nowadays. His Gimmick has always been good and entertaining, he was good before in WCW. And despite being his age, he still continues to put on a show when it comes to fighting. Living Legend."

[9.0] "Criminally underrated. Superb in WCW's first peak, somehow made that gimmick work in the fed, still manages to be a quality performer today in AEW when called upon. One of the smoothest ever in ring."

[9.0] "An extremely underrated talent in the world of wrestling that unfortunately saw the bulk of his career suffocate with the goldust gimmick as many didn't really understand what he was truly capable of in the ring, he's called the natural for a reason and was able to do pretty well with the goldust gimmick regardless."

[7.0] "Hes called ? The Natural? for a reason. From his debut until 2022 he? s performed at a high standard. His run in WCW from 92-94 is some of the best wrestling you? ll ever see. Explosive with offense and an exceptional seller. Never gets the recognition he deserves"

[8.0] "Dustin is an all time great wrestler. Sure he had an extremely controversial gimmick + a few bad spells, but there is no way he should be rated as low as he is. His career revival in AEW is letting him get one last good run in, and after 33 years he is still proving why he is the natural."