Dustin Rhodes recently appeared on the AEW Unrestricted podcast hosted by Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone. Rhodes talked about a wide range of topics, including his WWE ‘Goldust’ character, working for WWE, WCW, to AEW, working with the AEW women’s division, Cody as a leader in AEW and more.
One of the main topics covered centered around Dustin’s decision to leave WWE and the build-up to his Double or Nothing match against his brother Cody.
Dustin On Lossing Passion For Wrestling:
“You know when you’re sitting at home for a couple of months with another company, who doesn’t value you at all? You’re sitting there, and you know you have so much more to offer and give? You kind of lose your passion. For the first time in my 31 years I had lost my passion for the wrestling business. I love wrestling, you know? I came out of my mother’s womb wanting to be a wrestler. And we were raised that way and dad (Dusty Rhodes) wanted something different for me. He did not want me to go through the hardships that he went through. And I understand that looking back at it now.”
Leaving WWE:
“But I’m sitting there man just knowing I have so much more to give and they just will not give me the time of day. I’d had enough, I said enough was enough and for the first time I kind of stood up for myself in a big way and said, ‘I am quitting. I am asking you for my release, I’m done, I’m not happy here anymore.’ And you know how they they make you kind of wait it out? It was getting very close to Double or Nothing, and Cody called me. He said ‘would you like to work a match with me?’
Double or Nothing Match Vs Cody:
“At first I thought ‘we have tried this for years and years and years.’ He (Cody) has pitched this match to WWE for years, and they told us it was not good enough to be on the big stage. I heard that more than once. Every year Cody tried. They (WWE) didn’t see any value in it, so you know after years of that? I started thinking. ‘Could it be too late for for this match to take place? I’m 50 years old. Could I give a performance for my brother Cody for the Wrestling World and fans that I could be proud of?’ So I was nervous, I was scared.”
Cody As A Leader In AEW:
“Cody has really grabbed this ball and run with it. I see Cody personally, and I’m not just saying this because he’s my brother, but he does the most work here backstage and out in the ring. I mean he’s such a great performer. But the things that really impressed me are the things that he does backstage. From holding the meetings to just knowing what is needed to be done. Even though you have your Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Tony Khan, the group collective there.”
How Cody Reminds Him Of Dusty Rhodes:
“But Cody man. I just, because I know him and I’m watching him just handle business? On the business side of it, it’s just really impressive and it reminds me of dad a lot. Dad, And that thing about him. I’m more of the performer and the promo guy that can cut the promos and wrestle. Cody? He has the whole package. I think it is a giant burden on anybody’s back, it is hard to please the fans all the time. Especially with a whole roster of things and a whole TV show? It is tough to do. And he’s handling it and he’s listening to the people. He’s listening to their needs and their wants and we try our best to give them what they want. And you know, you learn from your small mistakes and you try to build upon those the next week and not have those same mistakes. He’s really handling it well.”
:AEW Talented Roster:
“The competition is fierce right now it’s very athletic, very fast, the talent are young, hungry, passionate. And here I am, you know, 31 years in the business and it’s like…of course I said yes to Cody. But I had that thing in the back of my head and I was very scared. I was very nervous about how the AEW crowd would take to me. Because I’d been with WWE for so so long, and I had heard that they were different crowds [at AEW events]. I was nervous about all kinds of things, so I lived in my head for way too long leading up to that match. We finally get there and it’s just like, I was made to feel loved and cared for and respected in the business from day one that I met Tony Kahn. And of course Cody, you know? Arms open, it’s great. It was awesome.”
Dustin Rhodes returns to action this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. He faces Kip Sabin, in a TNT Championship tournament quarterfinal match.
Catch up on all those details by listening to the full AEW Unrestricted podcast.
