Dusty Rhodes NWA Title Reigns

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.

  

These three incidents occurred in the Championship Wrestling from Florida Territory: January 14, 1983 in Orlando, February 9 in Miami Beach, and February 12 in Sarasota.  The most famous of these 3 finishes that was later televised was on the 9th in Miami Beach.  NWA President Bob Geigle was the guest referee that night and after The Midnight Rider won the title Mr. Geigle advised the Midnight Rider that he would need to unmask to be awarded the championship.  Rider refused, knowing if he did it would prove that he was indeed Dusty Rhodes and violating his Suspension and he would never be able to wrestle again.  The title was decision was reversed and the title was returned to Flair.

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. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

The WWE is no longer for Wrestling Fans

If your reading the blog then you know that I am a lifelong wrestling fan.  My dad was a fan of wrestling and I started watching wrestling because of him, I've never not watched wrestling.  WWE, then WWF, you could say was my first favorite promotion, we didn't have cable at my mom's house so I could only watch Superstars and Saturday Night's Main Event.  My dad has cable and got WTBS so I could watch NWA / WCW plus AWA on ESPN and later even UWF and the Savoldi's ICW / IWCCW.  My dad would also rent all of the wrestling tapes, through all that as a kid WWF was THE BEST.

My tastes in wrestling has changed, but I have never not loved pro wrestling.  I was the perfect age and demographic for ECW in the mid to late 1990's.  In the early 2000's I really go into New Japan Pro Wrestling and that style.  With the advent YouTube and streaming watching wrestling around the world became easier. I've been a subscriber of New Japan World since it's launch.

My passion for WWE has a whole has dwindled, over the years as talking segments became the predominant part of their shows.  I like bell to bell in ring action, that is what I appreciate.  WWE has not been my number 1 flavor of wrestling for many years now, for a time NXT with my number 1 US promotion but then they did that NXT 2.0 ridiculousness and to me it just went down hill.

Since the launch of AEW they have taken over as my number 1 US promotion, world wide New Japan is number 2.  I enjoy wrestling from across the independents, Japan, Mexico, the UK, Canada and beyond.

I haven't watch a full episode of Raw or Smackdown since the VERY disappointing March 10, 2025 episode of Raw from Madison Square Garden.  I had, had hopes that they would put on a great show.  Instead on an over 2.5 hours show, we got 53:55 of in ring action spread over 4 matches.  I keep up and I read the results but I only go watch specific matches now.  I watch the PLE's but get frustrated with all the recaps and promo packages and video packages between matches. 

Ever since TKO bought out WWE they have slowly changed the company structure.  They, essentially do not do house shows in the US, only running a couple in Texas this year.  Ticket prices are ridiculous!  The cheapest seats at WrestleMania 42 in 2026 are $800.  The upcoming Raw in Boston, Cena's last Boston Appearance, the backrow of the balcony was near $300 and now with Ticketmaster dynamic pricing it's over $400.  The back row of the balcony!  With these ticket prices and lack of house shows WWE has priced me out.  It's not affordable to take my kids to a show.

With the lack of wrestling on their TV shows, I really have no interest in going to their TV product.  In the last 15 years the best wrestling was at their House shows.

My buddy Ben, a WWE loyalist and self described apologist, blindly loves everything WWE and thinks they do no wrong, even he feels betrayed by WWE's announcement to hold WrestleMania 43 in 2027 in Saudi Arabia.  WrestleMania weekend was a vacation destination for fans from around the world to converge on whatever city it was going to be held.  They are not going to have the same fans traveling to Saudi Arabia for the shows.

I was surprised when Royal Rumble 2026 was announced for Saudi Arabia, I never thought they would get Mania before the UK.  I thought for sure they would run WrestleMania at Wembley Stadium to get a bigger number than AEW.  With that rabid European fanbase it seemed like a nature place to have you first Mania outside for North America.

How can I watch WWE, great question, I have to pay for Netflix to watch Raw, I need to pay for Cable to watch Smackdown and NXT unless you have antenna that gets the CW.  You have to pay for Peacock to get the NXT PLE's, Saturday Night's Main Event, and the WWE Library and you have to pay for ESPN Premier package to get the PLE's.  That adds up to a shit-ton of money a month. 

I was very frustrated with how Vince was running the WWE near the end of his tenure.  After reading this quote TKO Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro saying that Vince McMahon was "primarily pricing tickets for families and wasn't totally focused on maxing the opportunity there".   It's odd to discover that Vince was actually doing right by the fans.  This quite also proves that TKO doesn't care about wrestling fans, just getting as much money as possible from them.  I get it, wrestling is a business and businesses to make money, but they are doing so at the expense of their fan base.  They are catering to the causal fan and social media influencers.

There are so many wrestler in the promotion that I love like AJ Styles, Stephanie Vaquer, Kevin Owens Dirty Dom, and other.  I do enjoy their Saturday Nights Main Event specials and how they are presenting Lucha Libre AAA.

As a whole though it's frustrating that the promotion that I literally watched my whole life has changed so dramatically that it's hard for me to watch.

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time! 

Maryland Wrestling Adventure

Last year when it was announced that the APCO International Conference was going to be held in Baltimore, Maryland my boss asked me and my fellow Operations Managers if we would be interested in going to the conference.  The answer was yes, absolutely!

Fast forward to July 26th and we are in the Ford Explorer driving to Baltimore for the conference.  You can read about that on my Labbe Family Voyages here: Mike's Work Adventure in Baltimore

I knew straight away that I wanted to go and see the Wrestling in Maryland historical marker sign.  I had learned about it over a decade ago and this would be my first chance to see the sign as I had never been to Baltimore before.

The other thing I was hoping to do was go to wrestling in Maryland, specifically Baltimore where wrestling history has been made numerous times in the past.  In 1977 "Superstar" Billy Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino to end his second reign as WWWF Champion in Baltimore.  Sting defeated Ric Flair at the 1990 Great American Bash to capture his first NWA Worlds Championship in Baltimore. 

I was really hoping that either AEW, TNA, or WWE might have a show in the city while I was there, no such luck.  There are two independent promotions MCW Pro Wrestling, formerly known as Maryland Championship Wrestling, founded in 1998 and EWA Maryland founded in 2004 that run regularly.

A couple months prior to the conference MCW Pro Wrestling announced Summer Slamboree taking place in "Baltimore" on Sunday July 27 at 7pm.  I secured my front row seat about 2 weeks out from the show once I knew for sure that I would be able to attend.  

 

Once we got checked into the hotel and registered for the conference Jessica and I headed out to explore.  The first stop we made was at Wrestling in Maryland sign.  It was erected in 2007 and is located at the Camden Light Rail Station near Camden Yards.

I decided to go with the classic wrestler pose from the 1950's and 60's for my photo.  We did some more exploring checking out Edgar Allen Poe's grave, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum and took in a ballgame at Camden Yards.

Sunday I had a full day of conferencing starting at 8am and running until 4:30pm.  After getting changed up hoped in the vehicle and headed out to the show.  Even though it was listed as being in Baltimore the show was in Dundalk, an unincorporated community and suburb of the City of Baltimore about 10 miles from the hotel.

This summer Coke released Diet Cherry Coke exclusively at Kroger grocery stores, we do not have any Kroger's in Maine.  It was also available at the Kroger family of grocery stores, including Harris Teeter which they have in the Baltimore area.  On the way to the show I stopped at one and picked up 3 twelve packs plus a few other items for the room.  It POURED while I was in the grocery store so I waited for the quick passing shower to stop. 

I got the venue, the North Point Plaza Flea Market, well before doors opening at 6pm so I left and went to the Burger King down the road for to hit the drive thru.

This flea market is a lot nicer than the flea market I went to wrestling at in Brewer, Maine.  MCW had a great set up standard height ring, nice entrance way, ringside barricades, vendors, merch tables, and concessions.

The packed in an excellent crowd, clearly a large group of regulars like we have at Limitless Wrestling.  I knew the names they had on the show that had WWE runs, but I wasn't familiar with the bulk of the wrestlers on the show.

It always fun seeing the wrestlers that you know, but it's also fun being introduced to wrestlers you've never heard of or seen before. They opened the show with a moment of silence and tone the bell 10 times for Hulk Hogan.  Let's get to the matches!

MCW Pro Wrestling 

July 27, 2025

North Point Flea Market, Dundalk, Maryland

Spencer Slade submitted “Mecca” Brian Johnson with Hellfire McGuire

This was a fantastic opening contest!  Slade is a cross between Kurt Angle and a Steiner with his style in the ring.  Great technical wrestling with some shenanigans by Johnson that backfired, really got the crowd hyped up.

Jadis Quinn & Simone Valentina defeated Alec Odin & Tina San Antonio when Valentina pinned San Antonio

Solid mixed tag team match, I have seen Tina San Antonio wrestle before in person and on IWTV with Wrestling Open.  It always catches me off guard her name and gear present her as a cowgirl gimmick, but her accent is a Cyndi Lauper-esque New York accent.

Women’s Champion: Amara Voyd defeated Tiara James by referee stoppage

Voyd appears the be the leader of a stable with The Devil's Business tag team, she made her entrance has Quinn and Valentina were exiting and it lead to a scuffle between Valentina and Voyd that was very well done.  I had seen James previously in January for Limitless Wrestling against Gabby Forza.

Amara, according to the internet, has only been wrestling about a year, still looking a little green, but what she does she does well, boat loads of potential.

At intermission I was waiting in line to see if Tiara James had any trading cards, the guy in front of me gave her a container of them that his friend had, had made up for her she was excited and surprised.  I bought one for $5, she signed it and I got a photo with her.

Four Corners Match: Entitled Inc: Austin Kingsley & Zakar Shah defeated The Detractors: Lor Diaz & Mark Brutal, The Helm: Drew Blackwood & Tyler Root and Aristote & James Ellsworth with Justice Dicola 

This was a very short match.  A few minutes in they started a train wreck spot diving / jumping in various ways from the ring to the floor.  We get the big set up spot where one guy is going to go for a big tope con hilo but instead he gets grabbed and rolled up for a three count.  

I thought it was great!  It was very unexpected made since because everyone was tied up on the floor and shocked the crowd.  Only issue I had was the show match was very short.

Chris Slade pinned Patrick Clark (Velveteen Dream)

Slade is a big fan favorite, he had won the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup the previous weekend.  Clarks minions tried to interfere but it backfired 

Ken Dixon, Mike Walker, & Nick Comoroto defeated The Dolomac Dojo: Tony Macko, Chukwu & Reno with Ghost

The team of Ken Dixon, Mike Walker, and Nick Comoroto came out to "Real American" by Rick Derringer, Hulk Hogan's WWE entrance music.  Tony Macko's look and gear is clearly inspired by Sho'nuff from The Last Dragon.

Reno, not sure how long he has been wrestling, but he was bumping his ass off for everyone.  I was really impressed by him.

Danny Grandview with Maia Martinez defeated Ryan McBride with Christyan

The ring announcer notated that Ryan McBride was making his return to MCW Pro Wrestling, checking cagematch his last match had been December 30, 2023.  During the match after Maia Martinez interfered Christyan came out.  The storyline is that Grandview used to date Christyan and dumped her for Maia, he chose poorly.  Christyan is TALL most of it in the legs.  She's just getting started in wrestling, would have like to see her have a match.

Street Fight: The Zukkos: Ryan & Ronnie defeated Tag Team Champions: The Devil’s Business: AK Bain & Clay Jacobs with Amara Voyd to win the titles

I was not familiar with anyone in this match, and the crowd was HOT for it.  The Zukko's have a greaser gimmick and are fans love them while the Devil's Business are quite hated.

The story they told in the match was fantastic, how they divided up in and around the ring, the use of plunder, the set ups, the spots, they made them all mean something.  The emotion the took from the audience bringing us up and taking us down was amazing.

  

Eventually Amara Voyd interfered and with the seeds planted earlier in the evening, there was a big reaction when Valentina ran in to attack and stop Amara.

When the Zukko's got the pin there was a legit eruption from the crowd, the emotions that both Ronnie and Ryan showed after winning spread through the crowd.

 

This match may not have been a Meltzer 5 star classic, but the combination of the crowd, the story told,  was overwhelming and was a prime example of how professional wrestling is so amazing.  It's why I love wrestling.

I took the time after the show and waited while the Zukko's worked their way through their enormous line to tell them just that, and I took the picture with the champs the the belts.  I'm already pestering Randy to bring them to Limitless.  Would love to see them vs. Swipe Right, TDT, AG & Channing, really any team.

Matt Riddle defeated Heavyweight Champion; Joseph Keys with The Hustlers by disqualification to retain the title

Riddle had his working boots on!  We I mean technically kicked his flip flops off at the beginning of the match but you get what I mean.   I remember Joe Keys from back when he teamed with Rob Locke as Dixon Line, or as they were known in Chikara Jasper Tippins and Donald Kluger Dez Peloton.

By any name there were a great tag team, and I was not surprised to see Keys put on such a high caliber main event match against Matt Riddle.  We even got a Dusty finish straight out of Jim Crockett Promotions.  The ref got bumped by Keys, shenanigans happens, Riddle battles back, second ref runs in, makes the 3 count awarding Riddle the title, the crowd erupts!!

Uh-oh!! The first ref is in the ring waving his hands, he takes the title from Riddle, and gives it back to Keys.  Riddle has won the match because Keys got himself disqualified.  I can't believe how hard the audience was sucked into this finish.  I love it because they pulled it off to perfection, but I felt like I was the only one that knew what was coming.  

I really enjoyed the show as a whole, everyone was friendly, the wrestlers worked very hard to put on a great show, and the production was good.  I wouldn't hesitate to go again.

This was my 12th show of the year, my all time total is now 368.  This was my first live wrestling show in Maryland, my 11th different State to attend wrestling in.  For those wondering I've also checked off 2 Canadian Provinces as well.  

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!