Image courtesy of Goldust Official WWE Universe Facebook page
Goldust will never have a long run on top as a world champion, but he still is one of the best wrestlers of all time.
He was probably one big break away from making it big, the difference between a career like his at that of Mick Foley is that Goldust never fell off the top of a steel cage, buddied up with Triple H, or had a great, long feud with Hulk Hogan. He also made poor choices in his personal life and self-destructed at key times in his career.
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Still, the 6-foot-6 Goldust was able to play a cowboy as Dustin Rhodes in WCW and then the bizarre Goldust in the WWE. That’s not easy.
The son of the legend Dusty Rhodes, Goldust was one of the better workers for a big man. Other guys were more famous and made more money in the sport. Lex Luger, the Ultimate Warrior and Psycho Sid were are great big guys with a ton of muscles who all had big runs at the top. They weren’t, however, half the worker Goldust was. He could do a dropkick. He could fly off the top rope. He could execute a running slide than hit his opponent with an uppercut from his back.
Goldust, as Dustin Rhodes, was also a great tag-team wrestler, teaming with another great big man, Barry Windham.
As Goldust, he could also play a character well. The dark, sexually ambiguous, at times creepy Goldust did something few stars have been able to do. Like the Undertaker, Sting and Mankind, Goldust created a believable character that only he could play. He looked the lovechild of Ric Flair with his over-the-top robes and his father Rhodes — smashed into one incredible character.
It was unique and one of a kind. Goldust created a character that was original, ripped out of his crazy mind; and it has withstood the test of time. His catchphrase was “You will never forget the name, Goldust.”
He was right, and the WWE should honor him with a world title run.
