In this post we take a look at the 3 NWA World Title Reigns of "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
The "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes is arguable one of the most beloved and popular wrestlers off all time who is well known for his career inside and out side of the ring. Dusty began wrestling in 1967 ending his full time in ring career in 1991, wrestling on and off over the next 19 years having his last match in 2010 teaming with his sons Cody and Dustin. During his near 50 years in wrestling he was a wrestler, booker, promoter, commentator, and his last role as a mentor and coach at NXT.
My first memories of seeing Dusty Rhodes wrestle was battling Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. A title coveted and held 3 times for a combined 107 days. According to Cagematch, Dusty competed for the title 274 times. The first time he challenged for the title was against Dory Funk Jr lost a best 2 out of 3 falls match on January 7, 1970 at the Fair Park Coliseum Lubbock, Texas for NWA Western States. The last time on October 8, 2003 challenged AJ Styles at NWA TNA episode 66 at the Tennessee State Fairground in Nashville coming up short in 15:40.
Dusty's first and shortest title reign was mere 5 days from August 21, 1979 to August 26, 1979 however he did have 3 successful title defenses.
August 21, 1979 Tampa, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida
Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title
August 23, 1979 Key West, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Harley Race
August 25, 1979 St. Peterburg, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Terry Funk
August 26, 1979 Jacksonville, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Don Muraco
August 26, 1979 Orlando, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida
Harley Race defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title
Dusty's second reign was his longest lasting 88 days from June 21, 1981 to September 17, 1981 with 63 successful defenses.
June 21, 1981 The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia Championship Wrestling
Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title
September 17, 1981 Kansas City, Kansas, Central States Wrestling
Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title
Special Guest Referee Lou Thesz
Dusty would defend the title in 11 states and 1 Canadian Province: Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, Iowa, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Central States Wrestling, NWA St. Louis, NWA Tri State, & Maple Leaf Wrestling.
He retained the title in matches against former World Champions: Harley Race, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr, & Ivan Koloff. As well as hall of famers Greg Valentine, Jimmy Snuka, Terry Gordy, Ken Patera, Roddy Piper, Bruiser Brody and more. He wrestled Dory Funk Jr in two 60 time limit matches.
Dusty's 3rd and final reign lasted only 14 days from July 26, 1986 to August 9, 1986 with 5 successful defenses. He defeated Ric Flair on the second to last stop of the 1986 Great American Bash tour inside a steel cage.
Below are the title matches that Dusty competed in during this reign, however on July 28th he tagged with Magnum TA in Wilmington, NC in a DQ loss to the Midnight Express. On July 29th in Rock Hill, SC at a TV taping dark match he teamed with The Rock n' Roll Express defeating Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, & Tully Blanchard.
July 26, 1986 Greensboro, North Carolina, JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Great American Bash Tour
Steel Cage: Dusty Rhodes pinned NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair to win the title
July 27, 1986 Dallas, Texas UWF: Universal Wrestling Federation
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair
July 31, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification
Augusta 2, 1986 Atlanta, Georgia JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Great American Bash Tour
Steel Cage: NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair
August 7, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification
August 8, 1986 St. Joseph, Missouri CSW: Central States Wrestling
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair
August 9, 1986 St. Louis, Missouri JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the championship
On 3 occasions Dusty Rhodes, wrestling under a mask as The Midnight Rider defeated Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Championship where the title change was reversed. At that time Dusty was under suspension and was competing under a mask as The Midnight Rider a gimmick that has been done numerous times by other wrestlers. The fans all know that it's Dusty Rhodes, as the do the wrestlers, but management can't prove it so they let it go. However the NWA had a rule at that time that a masked wrestler was not allowed to be the NWA World Champion.
There are numerous other incidents of times when Rhodes would appear to capture the title for the decision to be reversed. The most famous of these on November 28, 1985 at Starrcade: The Gathering where in the main event portion of the show from the Omni in Atlanta, Georgia Dusty Rhodes would appear to defeat Ric Flair to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.
The assigned official Tommy Young get's knocked out of the ring when Flair pulled him in front of a Rhodes clothesline. Arn and Ole Anderson hit the ring attacking Rhodes, who manages to get them out of the ring and score and inside cradle for the pin when another referee hit the ring.
The bell rings, Dusty is awarded the title, he celebrates in the ring and the fans go home thinking they just witnessed history with the crowning of a new worlds champion. Later, Tommy Young declares Rhodes the winner by DQ due to interference from the Andersons, Ric Flair is still the champion.
On September 1, 2018 at All In in Hoffman Estates, Illinois Cody Rhodes pinned Nick Aldis to win the NWA World's Championship marking the first time that a father and son have held the same World Championship.
Cody would hold the title for 50 days losing it to Aldis in his only defense at the NWA 70th Anniversary show in Nashville, Tennessee.
Personally I think it would be pretty awesome if Dustin Rhodes came back from his surgeries and won the NWA World title as well. He deserves a World Championship run, and even though brothers have held the title before, Terry & Dory Funk, it would be very cool.
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Until next time!