Growing-up in East Austin, Texaa, Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. always had an outsized vision of the possibilities for himself; his iconic rivalry and promos with Ric Flair set the path for an entire industry.
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Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker/writer, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, NWA Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), and WWE. Rhodes is considered one of the greatest wrestlers and talkers in the history of professional wrestling. Rhodes was a three-time NWA World's Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, later known as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he was a NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA World Television, NWA Tag Team and NWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling, performing for WWE and AEW. Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker/writer and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, television producer, professional wrestling booker, on-screen personality and occasional wrestler. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later President ofWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the General Manager of World Wrestling Entertainment's Raw brand. Bischoff is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) where he serves as Executive Producer of Impact Wrestling. With an amateur background in taekwondo, Bischoff also sporadically performed as an in-ring competitor, and is a former WCW Hardcore Champion.[2] He wrote an autobiography, titled Controversy Creates Cash, that was released in 2006 under WWE Books.
Richard Morgan Fliehr, known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career that has spanned almost 50 years. He is noted for his tenures with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Much of his career was spent in JCP and WCW, where he won numerous titles. Since the mid-1970s, he has used the monikers "The Nature Boy" and "Slick Ric". Flair is also a founding member of the original Four Horsemen stable alongside Tully Blanchard and The Andersons, managed by JJ Dillon. A major pay-per-view attraction throughout his career, Flair headlined the premier annual NWA/WCW event, Starrcade, on ten occasions, while also co-headlining its WWE counterpart, WrestleMania VIII (8), in 1992, after winning that year's Royal Rumble. PWI awarded him their Wrestler of the Year award a record six times, while Wrestling Observer Newsletter named him the Wrestler of the Year (an award named after him and Lou Thesz) a record eight times. The first 2-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee, first inducted with the class of 2008 for his individual career and again with the class of 2012 as a member of The Four Horsemen, he is also a member of the NWA Hall of Fame, and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Flair is officially recognized by WWE as a 16-time world champion (8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, 6-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and 2-time WWE Champion), although the number of his world championship reigns varies by source, ranging from 16 to 25. He has claimed to be a 21-time champion. He was the first holder of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (which he also held last). As the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, he became the first person to complete WCW's Triple Crown, having already held the NWA\WCW United States Heavyweight and NWA\WCW World Tag Team Championships. He then completed WWE's version of the Triple Crown when he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship, after already holding the WWE Championship and the WWE World Tag Team Championship on previous occasions.
Terry Gene Bollea, known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician best known for his time working for WWE. Hogan enjoyed mainstream popularity in the 1980s and 90s as the all-American character Hulk Hogan in WWE, and as Hollywood Hogan, the villainous leader of the New World Order, in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) from 2010 until 2013, where he was the on-screen General Manager. He is a 12-time world champion being a six-time WWE Champion, six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and a former WWE World Tag Team Champion with Edge. His six combined reigns make him the second longest-reigning WWE Champion of all time (after Bruno Sammartino) and the longest-reigning of the 1980s, having held the title for 1,474 days from 1984-1988. His six combined reigns in WCW make him the longest-reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion of all time as well, with a 469-day reign from 1994-1995. Hogan won the Royal Rumble in 1990 and 1991, making him the first man to win two consecutive Royal Rumbles.
Booker Tio Huffman, Jr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and commentator currently signed with WWE. He is better known by his ring names Booker T and King Booker. Booker is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), WWE, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), holding 35 championships between those organizations. Regarded as one of the greatest stars in WCW's history, he is also the most decorated wrestler in that company's history, having held 21 titles including a record six WCW World Television Championships, and a record ten WCW World Tag Team Championships as one half of Harlem Heat with his brother, Lash "Stevie Ray" Huffman and an eleventh reign in the WWF with Test. Booker headlined many pay-per-view events in WCW, the WWF/E and TNA from the early 1990s to the late 2000s and is a six-time world champion, having won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship five times (four in WCW and once in the WWF) and a World Heavyweight Championship in WWE. He has also gained notable success as a tag team wrestler, being a fifteen-time World Tag Team Champion between WCW (eleven times), WWE (three times), and TNA (once). Additionally, he was the winner of the WWE King of the Ring tournament in 2006, the sixteenth WWE Triple Crown Champion and the tenth WWE Grand Slam Champion. As the ninth (and final) WCW Triple Crown Champion, Booker is the most recent of four men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships. Booker was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6, 2013, by his brother, Lash Huffman, better known by his ring name Stevie Ray.
Colby Daniel Lopez is an American professional wrestler, signed to WWE under the ring name Seth Rollins. He was one-third of the stable The Shield, former WWE Tag Team Champions with Shield member Roman Reigns, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and was the inaugural NXT Champion. Lopez previously performed under the ring name Tyler Black. Lopez also was a former FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, FCW 15 Champion and FCW Florida Tag Team Champion with Richie Steamboat and is the first FCW Grand Slam Champion, the most decorated FCW star in its history. He first gained notoriety in Ring of Honor, where he is a former ROH World Champion. He has competed in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (where he is a former World Tag Team Champion), Scott County Wrestling, AAW: Professional Wrestling Redefined, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, the National Wrestling Alliance, and Wrestling Society X. In several promotions, Black was the tag team partner of Jimmy Jacobs, with the team known as Doin' It For Her. He was once a member of The Age of the Fall along with Jacobs, and several other wrestlers.
Stephanie McMahon Levesque is an American businesswoman and retired professional wrestler. She is the chief brand officer (CBO)of WWE and appears as an authority figure on the Raw, NXT and SmackDown brands. On May 19, 2022, She announced that she was taking "a leave of absence" from WWE. She is a fourth-generation wrestling promoter as a member of the McMahon family, she has worked for WWE since she was a young girl (modeling T-shirts and other merchandise for various WWE catalogs) working her way up to receptionist, then in various front office jobs up to and including her current CBO position. She is the great-granddaughter of Roderick "Jess" McMahon, granddaughter of Vincent J. McMahon, daughter of WWE Chairman and CEO Vincent K. McMahon and retired WWE CEO and former Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon, the younger sister of WWE part-owner/wrestler Shane McMahon, and wife of WWE executive/wrestler Paul "Triple H" Levesque. McMahon began appearing regularly on-air for WWE (then WWF as the World Wrestling Federation) in 1999 as a part of a storyline with The Undertaker. After a brief on-screen relationship with Test, she was engaged to Triple H — whom she married both on-screen and later in real life — which resulted in The McMahon-Helmsley Faction storyline. She has held the WWF Women's Championship once. In 2001, she was the on-screen owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling during The Invasion. The following year, she was the SmackDown General Manager, but stopped appearing regularly on television after an "I Quit" match with her father Vince McMahon. After making only sporadic appearances for several years, McMahon began appearing regularly on Raw in 2008 as the Raw brand general manager before disappearing once again. By mid-2013, McMahon returned to regular on-air appearances in the WWE, this time under the gimmick of an unctuous, judgmental, bullying owner along with on-screen chief operating officer, her husband, Triple H. From 2013 to 2016, they acted as a power couple known as The Authority, making what were often shady decrees while claiming only to be concerned for "what's best for business," all the while romanticizing each other in the process with public displays of affection. The Authority later expanded into a stable, co-led by Triple H and herself.
Bruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for WWE, where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker. After leaving WWE Prichard was the Senior Vice President of Programming and Talent Relations for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling until July 2013.
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is also known for his time in All Elite Wrestling , where he was the inaugural and record three-time AEW TNT Champion and also served as an executive vice president. Rhodes rose to prominence during his first tenure with WWE from 2006 to 2016, where he performed under his real name, as well as under the gimmick and ring name Stardust, an overly deep, dramatic, and sparkling spin-off gimmick of his brother's Goldust character. Rhodes has also wrestled for various other notable promotions, including TNA, Ring of Honor, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Outside of wrestling, he serves as a judge on the competition series Go-Big Show, and stars with his wife Brandi Rhodes on the reality show 'Rhodes to the Top'. Rhodes is the son of wrestler Dusty Rhodes and the half-brother of fellow wrestler Dustin Rhodes. Joined WWE in 2006, initially being assigned to the company's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After becoming a Triple Crown Champion in OVW, he was promoted to WWE's main roster in 2007 and remained there for nine years, performing under his real name and later under the gimmick of Stardust. During his time with WWE, Rhodes became a two-time Intercontinental Champion and was a prolific tag team wrestler, winning six world tag team championships with four separate tag team partners. Rhodes left WWE after requesting his release in May 2016. Following his departure from WWE, Rhodes began wrestling on the independent circuit, also making several appearances in TNA; he wrestled under the shortened name Cody, due to WWE owning the Cody Rhodes name, until 2020 when WWE surrendered their trademark. In the time frame spanning from early 2016 to early 2017, he competed at WWE's WrestleMania, ROH's Final Battle, and NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom events, as well as appearing for Impact Wrestling at Bound for Glory. In September 2017, Rhodes wrestled in ROH, where he became a one-time ROH World Champion. He would later become a one-time IWGP US Heavyweight Champion and a one-time ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with The Young Bucks). In September 2018, he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (due to ROH's partnership with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)), with he and Dusty becoming the first father and son to win the title. All totaled between WWE, AEW, NWA, ROH, and NJPW, Rhodes has held 15 championships, including two world titles, and in late summer 2018 held the NWA World, IWGP U.S., and ROH Six-Man titles simultaneously. In January 2019, Rhodes was unveiled as an executive vice president of the newly formed AEW, where he would also serve as a wrestler. During his run in AEW, he became the inaugural holder of the AEW TNT Championship in May 2020, and would win the championship a record three times. After failing to negotiate a new contract, Rhodes relinquished his position as an EVP and he and his wife departed AEW in February 2022. He returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 that April.
Dustin Patrick Runnels is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Dustin Rhodes. He is best known for his multiple tenures with WWE from 1995 to 2019 under the gimmick and ring name Goldust. The son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and the half-brother of fellow wrestler Cody Rhodes (who later presented a deep and dramatic spin-off character of the Goldust gimmick, entitled Stardust), he is also known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling). Between WWE and WCW, Runnels has won 23 total championships. In WCW, he was a two-time United States Heavyweight Champion, a one-time Six-Man Tag Team Champion, and a two-time World Tag Team Champion. In WWE, he is a three-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, nine-time Hardcore Champion, one-time WWE World Tag Team Champion, and two-time WWE Tag Team Champion. Runnels has also appeared in the second most Royal Rumble matches, at 13. Rhodes headlined multiple pay-per-view events for the WWF and WCW during the 1990s. He is also a former Sammy Guevara's Vlog champion.
Terri Runnels, an American retired professional wrestler, manager, and television host, made her mark in the wrestling world under various personas. She started her career in WCW as Miss Alexandra York before transitioning to WWF/WWE where she was known as Marlena and later used her real name. During her time in WWE, Runnels became well-known for managing several high-profile wrestlers, including her then-husband Dustin Runnels (Goldust), the Hardy Boyz, and Edge & Christian. She also had memorable on-screen feuds, including a rivalry with The Kat. Beyond managing, she served as a host and interviewer, and even briefly held the Hardcore Championship. After retiring from professional wrestling, Runnels has dedicated her time to philanthropic endeavors.
Terry Wayne Allen is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Magnum T.A. Allen won the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship twice and was being groomed for a potential run with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship but a car wreck in October of 1986 forced him into retirement. After retiring, Magnum T.A. continued to appear in non-wrestling roles for multiple promotions.
David Finley Crockett is an American former professional wrestling announcer and executive. Crockett was usually paired in announcing duties with Tony Schiavone, with Crockett providing color commentary and Schiavone providing play-by-play announcing. From 1985 to 1988, Crockett and Schiavone were the announcing team for NWA World Championship Wrestling. David Crockett is remembered for being clotheslined by Nikita Koloff on World Wide Wrestling in 1985 in Asheville, North Carolina. This led to Ric Flair coming to Crockett's aid and gave birth to the second Flair/Koloff feud (they had a short-lived feud a year earlier in 1984 as the Mid-Atlantic and Georgia territories were merging under new booker, Dusty Rhodes) and their money-making bout at The Great American Bash 1985, held at the American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. When Jim Ross joined the show in 1988, Crockett stayed on but later left to become an executive producer for World Championship Wrestling television programming. Crockett also worked with Bob Caudle on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Since 2021, Crockett has been involved in some All Elite Wrestling events in the Crockett territory, which occurred during AEW Holiday Bash in Greensboro, AEW Battle of the Belts in Charlotte, with the events held in Crockett-era venues. He also made an appearance on the January 12, 2022 episode of AEW Dynamite in Raleigh, which was held in the PNC Arena. On March 3, 2024, Crockett was interviewed during the pre show prior to the Revolution pay-per-view due to the event being held at the Greensboro Coliseum. Crockett had a very brief career as a professional wrestler under the ring name Dave Finley. Crockett is the son of Jim Crockett and brother to Jim Crockett, Jr. Crockett was on board a private airplane that crashed on October 4, 1975 that also had Johnny Valentine, Bob Bruggers, Tim Woods and Ric Flair on board. Crockett was the least injured of the men on board the plane, followed by Woods. Awards and accomplishments
Eldridge Wayne Coleman (June 7, 1943 – May 17, 2023) was an American fine artist and professional wrestler. An iconic figure in professional wrestling, he worked under the ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham and gained renown for his tenure as the WWE in 1977–78. As an award-winning bodybuilder he was also a training partner of future California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (who is godfather to Graham's daughter). Graham is best remembered for revolutionizing the interview and physique aspects of the pro wrestling business as well as for his highly charismatic performance style. Some of his proteges have included wrestling megastar Hulk Hogan, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura and "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment executive and performer. He is currently signed to WWE, appearing on the SmackDown brand as Special Counsel for Roman Reigns. Heyman owned and was the creative force behind the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion from 1993 until its closure in 2001. Before running and owning ECW, he was a manager under the ring name Paul E. Dangerously in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and other promotions. He is the co-owner of the Looking4Larry Agency in New York City, and was personally named one of Advertising Age's Top 100 Global Marketers. In WWE, Heyman has managed or has served as manager for a record six world champions: WWE Champions, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Critics have praised his abilities at managing and on the microphone. Heyman has also competed sporadically in matches, including the WWE Championship main event of the 2002 Rebellion pay-per-view.
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler, and is often referred to as the archetypal wrestling magnate. McMahon currently serves as the Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the professional wrestling promotion WWE and is the majority shareholder of the company, holding approximately 88% of the total voting power and 59% of the outstanding shares within WWE. Upon acquiring World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), McMahon's WWE became the sole remaining major American professional wrestling promotion until the national expansion of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Ring of Honor. As an on-camera character, he can appear on all WWE brands (though the majority of the time, he appears on Raw). McMahon plays a character known by the ring name Mr. McMahon, based on himself. In the world of WWE, he is a two-time world champion, having won the WWF Championship and ECW World Championship. He was also the winner of the 1999 Royal Rumble. Vince is the husband of Linda McMahon, with whom he ran WWE from its establishment in 1980 until she resigned as CEO in September 2009.
Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Murdoch started his wrestling career in 1965, and three years later, he began teaming with longtime partner Dusty Rhodes as the Texas Outlaws. After they split up, Murdoch wrestled for several territories including the National Wrestling Alliance, Florida Championship Wrestling, and Mid-South Wrestling, also touring overseas. He would join the World Wrestling Federation in 1984 and teamed with Adrian Adonis to form the North-South Connection, winning the WWE World Tag Team Championship. In 1981, Murdoch gained international exposure by joining New Japan Pro-Wrestling and stayed there until 1989. He later wrestled for Jim Crockett Promotions, engaging in feuds with the likes of Ric Flair, Nikita Koloff, and Dusty Rhodes. He also worked for World Championship Wrestling in 1991 in a tag team with Dick Slater until going into semi-retirement, while making appearances at the 1995 WWE Royal Rumble and WCW Slamboree '93: A Legends' Reunion.
Becky Lynch, born on January 30, 1987, is an Irish–American professional wrestler known by her ring name Becky Lynch. She currently performs on the Raw brand of WWE and holds the Women’s World Championship for the fifth time, with a total of seven world championships to her name. Lynch stands out as one of WWE’s most recognizable and highest-paid athletes. In 2019, Twitter ranked her sixth among the Top Female Athletes Worldwide. Her journey in professional wrestling began in 2002, and after overcoming a severe head injury, she signed with WWE in 2013. Lynch’s character transformation in 2018, dubbing herself “The Man,” propelled her popularity. She has held both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships, making her the first woman to achieve this feat simultaneously. Her accomplishments continue to grow, solidifying her status as WWE’s Sixth Women’s Grand Slam Champion.
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and is a current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 8 times, and is considered by many to be the greatest wrestler of all time. He worked for all of the major wrestling promotions, including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), WWE, and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was the first NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, which is now known as the WWE United States Championship. Race is one of six men inducted into each of the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Kevin Steen is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently working for the American professional wrestling promotion WWE under the ring name Kevin Owens. Prior to joining WWE in 2014, Steen wrestled on the independent circuit under his birth name for 14 years, appearing for promotions including Ring of Honor (where he held the ROH World Championship and ROH World Tag Team Championship), Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (where he held the PWG World Championship and PWG World Tag Team Championship), and Combat Zone Wrestling (where he held the CZW Iron Man Championship). Prior to debuting on the main WWE roster in May 2015, Owens wrestled in WWE's developmental territory NXT, where he held the NXT Championship.
Dave Zirin is an American political sportswriter. He is the sports editor for The Nation, a weekly progressive magazine dedicated to politics and culture, and writes a blog called Edge of Sports. As of January 2022, he has authored eleven books.
