Dustin Rhodes: Underachiever...OR...Overachiever?

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Discuss.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I think he went exactly as far as his skillset was going to take him. He should have no regrets.

I would love to see a Goldust vs Cody feud culminating in a WrestleMania match.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I am going to go with slightly underachieved.

Why?

Put it this way...as Dustin Rhodes...ol boy had that cornfed southern boy body...big, tall dude...looked good. Thi nk, Barry Windham. Dustin could talk...and he had a charisma about him. I think he could've been more in his Dustin Rhodes persona early on in WCW.

As Goldust...perhaps the second best gimmick ever, behind The Undertaker? I'd say yes.

Even then, I think it could've been more.

HELL...I think they are leaving some money on the table by not having a legitimate Goldust-Cody feud. That could be a feud that would actually get Cody over, IMO. Dustin still gets bigger pops than Cody anytime Goldust comes out.

[EmpireWF]

Goldust, 95-96 maybe even into 97 too, was an outstanding gimmick with multiple layers.

Don't get that anymore.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I am going to go with slightly underachieved.

Why?

Put it this way...as Dustin Rhodes...ol boy had that cornfed southern boy body...big, tall dude...looked good. Thi nk, Barry Windham. Dustin could talk...and he had a charisma about him. I think he could've been more in his Dustin Rhodes persona early on in WCW.

As Goldust...perhaps the second best gimmick ever, behind The Undertaker? I'd say yes.

Even then, I think it could've been more.

HELL...I think they are leaving some money on the table by not having a legitimate Goldust-Cody feud. That could be a feud that would actually get Cody over, IMO. Dustin still gets bigger pops than Cody anytime Goldust comes out.

I hate WWE feud structure so I have no confidence in a quality feud between the two, but I would love to see a match on a big stage between them.

I'm watching a lot of old stuff right now and i'm even more down on modern WWE & TNA than ever when it comes to compelling stories and creating fights you want to see.

[s@ppisgod]

Somehow, both. In WCW, as The Natural, he was pretty over and seemed like he was destined to be in the main event at some point. Probably for a while (2-3 years, as a #2/3 babyface depending). He never took the next step, which seemed so logical at one point that it was all but set in stone in some people's minds. Really, who expected Diamond Dallas Page to be a main eventer and Dustin not to in the early 90's? Crazy.

Then he went to WWF, where the good 'ol boy look means squat in comparison to WCW's demo, AND is given a fruity gimmick in the midcard. I all but wrote him off, but he really embraced it and took it as far as anybody could. Then pretty much fizzled out because Vince won the war and totally gave up on the midcard, so he gets electrocuted and stutters.

Got further in WCW, but he should have gone further than he did there. Then in WWF, he over-achieved given his gimmick, crowd, and low spot in the pecking order.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Goldust was probably the #2 or #3 heel for a time in 1996.

You guys are higher on WCW Dustin Rhodes than I apparently was. I always saw him as an upper mid car gatekeeper babyface, who was lacking that something special to make it to the top. Sorta like Tito Santana in the early days of Hulkamania ('84-'86-ish), when he was pushed hard and the top heels had to go through him to get to Hogan. That role really doesn't really exists anymore. It was Chief Jay Strongbow in the Bruno era.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Goldust was probably the #2 or #3 heel for a time in 1996.

You guys are higher on WCW Dustin Rhodes than I apparently was. I always saw him as an upper mid car gatekeeper babyface, who was lacking that something special to make it to the top. Sorta like Tito Santana in the early days of Hulkamania ('84-'86-ish), when he was pushed hard and the top heels had to go through him to get to Hogan. That role really doesn't really exists anymore. It was Chief Jay Strongbow in the Bruno era.

I thought he had a ton of talent...really excelled in the tag team scenario in the ring. Real white meat, fiery babyface. Had some of his best work when working with or against the likes of Ricky Steamboat, Austin, Pillman, Barry Windham, Larry Zbyszko.

[Senser81]

Goldust was probably the #2 or #3 heel for a time in 1996.

You guys are higher on WCW Dustin Rhodes than I apparently was. I always saw him as an upper mid car gatekeeper babyface, who was lacking that something special to make it to the top. Sorta like Tito Santana in the early days of Hulkamania ('84-'86-ish), when he was pushed hard and the top heels had to go through him to get to Hogan. That role really doesn't really exists anymore. It was Chief Jay Strongbow in the Bruno era.

Strong comparison.

[SuperKevin]

Unfortunately he followed up gimmick gold(pun intended) with crap like Seven and Black Reign

[s@ppisgod]

Goldust was probably the #2 or #3 heel for a time in 1996.

You guys are higher on WCW Dustin Rhodes than I apparently was. I always saw him as an upper mid car gatekeeper babyface, who was lacking that something special to make it to the top. Sorta like Tito Santana in the early days of Hulkamania ('84-'86-ish), when he was pushed hard and the top heels had to go through him to get to Hogan. That role really doesn't really exists anymore. It was Chief Jay Strongbow in the Bruno era.

Yeah, and Ahmed Johnson was the #2-3 babyface. It was a real oddball time for WWF, and it seemed like the next-ups were there by default due to all of McMahon's names going to WCW without him having a chance to re-stock.