AEW wrestler Dustin Rhodes has been a cornerstone of the company since its inception over four years ago. In the early days of AEW, his feud with his brother Cody was touted as one of the best storylines in wrestling at the time. Rhodes has been candid that he’s winding down his 35-year professional wrestling career, even hinting at an imminent retirement in the past. Reports have since stated that Rhodes’ AEW contract had been extended to September 2024. Before he officially laces up his boots for the last time, Rhodes is looking to add another piece of gold to his display case.
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Rhodes most recently competed against the TNT Champion Christian Cage on AEW Dynamite, applauding Cage for his work in AEW but noted that he isn’t someone that backs down from a fight, much like his father, Dusty. “Christian is a hell of a talent. Opportunity knocks. He stepped up in my face, and I’m going to answer,” Rhodes stated in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. “Win, lose, or draw, I’m going to give it 100 percent. He’s one of the best at getting under somebody’s skin. I’m a wise man now, so I was pissed afterward, thinking to myself, ‘He got me.’ Christian sparked a nerve. But we’ll see how big and bad he is, and we’ll see if Dusty’s son wipes the floor with him.”
“If you look at my career, 35 years is such a long time. I have wrestled everybody,” Rhodes said in an interview with Denise Salcedo. “At this point, I just want to have fun. I would like to win the TNT Title, but you have to realize I’m almost 55 years old. Still, I want it, maybe a weeks worth run with it. It just depends on what the boss wants to do. I love what I’m doing and at this point, it’s about having fun and passing on my knowledge and the kids taking something that I teach them and then pulling it off and getting a reaction, that’s the payoff. That’s what the second part of my legacy is about.” (h/t: Fightful). Rhodes hasn’t held gold around his waist since 2014 when he was still actively competing in WWE as Goldust. He became a two-time WWE Tag Team Champion with Cody as Stardust.
