Dustin Rhodes wrestling career has spanned across five decades, beginning in the late 80’s and currently still going strong in All Elite Wrestling.
Dustin Rhodes began his wrestling career in 1988. He had a brief sting with WCW later that year, before eventually making his way to the WWF in late 1990 when he became involved in his father Dusty Rhodes’ feud with Ted DiBiase and Virgil. Dustin would leave the WWF in 1991 and return to WCW where he would see the first real success in his career, capturing multiple championships with the company. He would leave WCW in 1995, once again headed for the WWF where he would become the character that would define his career in Goldust.
On a recent episode of 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff, the topic of Dustin Rhodes return to WCW in 1999 was discussed. Bischoff talked about signing Rhodes to his WCW contract back in 1999, and revealed the amount of money that WCW spent on Dustin despite creative having nothing for him. Bischoff stated that Rhodes was given a $50,000 signing bonus, and earned $500,000 his first year, $600,000 his second year, and $700,000 in his third and final year of his WCW contract.
“That contract, if it was August of ‘99, that may have been one of the last big money contracts I executed. I was there for 30 days after that. I got let go on September 10th of 1999, so that contract would have happened under my watch. That would have been my decision. You’re welcome Dustin. But the fact that WCW had nothing going on for him, the fact they weren’t using them, I have no explanation for it. I wasn’t there at that time. Yes, I executed the agreement. It was my choice and my decision. I thought a lot of Dustin and I still do. I thought a lot of him as a performer.
Forget about how I felt about him as a person because I’ve always been very friendly with Dustin and we were pretty close at one time. He was a great talent. Why they weren’t using him at this point in 2000, I have no idea. I’m not going to be as critical of this show as I would be if it were something under my watch, but there was absolutely no direction here. Zero direction. This show is a combination of unconnected moments. There was no continuity in this show whatsoever. It was just there. It was a hot shot show. It was slapped together. I wasn’t there. I don’t know. That was probably consistent throughout WCW in terms of strategy and creative and direction at that point.”
(Thanks to Wrestling News for the transcription.)
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