Former WWE star Dustin Rhodes was recently interviewed by Sporting News to talk about several professional wrestling topics. The man formerly known as “Goldust” talked about why fans believe he’s underrated, and competing against his brother at All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) “Double Or Nothing” pay-per-view (PPV).
Here are the highlights:
Why fans believe he’s underrated:
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.
Competing against his brother at “Double Or Nothing”:
I have zero to prove to anybody. If they don’t f-ing like me, then f- them. I don’t give a s-. I don’t care if they like me or not. I have nothing to prove to Cody. I have nothing to prove to the world. I have everything to prove to myself. I’ve never lost it. I can still go out there at 50 years old and put on a hell of a show. If people don’t like it, then f- them. I’m going out there to do my job and have some fun while doing it.
This is the most crucial time in my career. Whatever I do after this is going to be way down on the totem pole. This is like the Parking Lot Brawl with Roddy Pipper or teaming with my brother against The Shield at Battleground in 2013. This is a moment on a grand stage that I get to go out there with my flesh and blood and have some fun and tell a story. Because after my promo and Cody’s kickass promo, there’s nothing else to do but to lock up and let’s do our best to give the crowd what we can and the best product we possibly can.
That promo by Cody stayed in my mind for three or four days because it was a shoot. There are special moments in your career, and this is one of them. He wants to kill the Attitude Era. It’s generation vs. generation. I get it. I watched him succeed and grow up in this business. I watched him stumble and fall. I watched him keep growing and growing. He’s picked himself up and become something special. But he wants to kill some history. I take some exception to that. I’ve [had] more heartbreak than anyone could ever imagine or care to know, and Cody intends to pull this trigger on what he calls a “dying horse.”
He better open his eyes because he’s going up against something that’s stood the test of time that continues to rise harder, stronger and better and look you dead in the eyes and come for you. I’m coming for my brother to end this once and for all, which should have ended a long time ago. This is my one last ride, or is it?
