Sports

Dusty Rhodes - The American Dream

Dusty Rhodes was an American professional wrestler and entertainer who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation (which was later known as WWE) He was the American Everyman character living the American Dream.

He debuted as a Wrestler in 1967 and retired officially in 2010 though he stopped actively wrestling years earlier. His career highlight included winning the WWWF Championship in 1983 by defeating Superstar Billy Graham in September. In 1985 he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Harley Race twice and by defeating Ric Flair Once.

His "Hard Times" interview given after a WWF battle with Ric Flair who betrayed him in a Tag Team event cemented his All American image with working class fans

Dusty went on to promote and wrestle in WCW, ECW, Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and several Indie Circuits before returning to WWE for the last 10 years of his life. His final wrestling event in 2010 was a Tag Team match where he joined his sons Cody Rhodes and Golddust (Dustin) Rhodes to defeat Caylen Croft, Curt Hawkins and Trent Barreta. He was involved with Promotion and organizing wrestling events until he died in June 2015 from the affects of kidney failure

I shared a printed copy of this drawing with Cody Rhodes at a WWE Meet and Greet in Marietta, Georgia on September 7, 2026

11" x14" print on heavy 110lb archive quality, acid free paper Drawing and Calligraphy by me in September 2026