3 months ago
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AEW/Ricky Havlik
Dustin Rhodes has carved out a remarkable career spanning four decades. From his iconic portrayal of Goldust in WWE to his current run in AEW, he has consistently reinvented himself, proving that longevity truly runs in his family. As his brother Cody Rhodes dominates headlines in WWE, Dustin's role in AEW remains a topic of intrigue among wrestling pundits, and speaking about him on "Busted Open Radio," Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray delved into the question of how AEW should utilize Rhodes going forward.
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"The straps just went on him the other night. As far as him being on television, he's used sporadically. Personally if I owned a wrestling company, if I had the pencil, Dustin Rhodes — would he be my world heavyweight champion? Absolutely not. Would he be in major feuds? In blood feuds? In angles that would help younger talent get over long-term, not just for this night? Absolutely," Ray said. "The number one name in professional wrestling right now is Cody Rhodes."
Dreamer, offering a more nuanced take, considered both Dustin's recent injury and the broader landscape of veteran wrestlers in major promotions.
"I also think Dustin was injured a little bit ... I wouldn't put anyone who's older on television all the time, 'cause then there's backlash. I do feel AEW has used veterans very, very well," Dreamer said. "There is ageism in WWE. I think if Dustin was in WWE, I don't know if he'd even be on television at all, just because of his age."
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Rhodes' AEW contract is set to expire this year, but the veteran hopes to remain with the company as he believes that he's been having great matches. Rhodes also reconsidered his retirement plans a few months back, noting that he still has some gas left in the tank.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.

