"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes Quiz

Answer: A Plumber

Outspoken right from his debut in professional wrestling Rhodes was never ashamed to tell the fans of his very humble beginnings. In many interviews Dusty would proudly proclaim that he was "The Son of a Plumber". This was to show the fans that he was on the same level as them and with hard work and determination anything can be accomplished.

Answer: The Texas Outlaws

The tag team of Dusty Rhodes and the late Hoyt Richard Murdoch aka Dick Murdoch was known as "The Texas Outlaws" and reigned down terror for several years. The two spent almost five years together before splitting in 1974 and achieved success in both Florida and the AWA.

Their bloody and lengthy feud against Dick "The Bruiser" and "Crusher" Lisowski for the AWA Tag Team Titles is extremely memorable. The duo briefly reunited in the NWA during the summer of 1988 when Murdoch came to aide Rhodes who had been betrayed by longtime friend Ron Garvin. Together Murdoch and Rhodes drove Garvin out of the promotion within several weeks.

Answer: Pak Song

After severing his ties with Dick Murdoch, Rhodes returned to "The Sunshine State" and the late Eddie Graham's Florida promotion. He immediately hired the notorious Gary Hart as his manager but the union was not to last for long. During a tag team match in which Hart paired Rhodes with the brutal Korean Pak Song a falling out occurred which would have lasting results. Rhodes and Pak got into a scuffle during the match with Hart taking the side of his longtime protege Song.

This lone act of betrayal not only galvanized Dusty in the hearts of fans it also made him a lifelong enemy of the late Gary Hart.

Answer: Superstar Billy Graham

In the fall of 1977 Florida promoter Eddie Graham, a very close friend of the late, Vincent McMahon Sr sent his prized star Dusty Rhodes to New York to bring the house down. That is exactly what happened as Rhodes immediately challenged then WWF Champion Superstar Billy Graham for title in a thrilling series of matches. Even after Graham was dethroned as champion by Bob Backlund the feud not only continued but intensified.

In August 1978 Rhodes and Graham battled in Madison Square Garden in a bloody "Bullrope Match" with Dusty emerging the victor.

Answer: Harley Race

On August 21, 1979, Dusty Rhodes defeated his longtime nemesis "Handsome" Harley Race to win the NWA Heavyweight Title for the very first time. Unfortunately for Dusty his first run would last just five days as the tenacious Race immediately regained the belt. Rhodes would win the title twice more in 1981 and again in 1986, his longest reign lasted just under three months.

Answer: Baby Doll

In early 1985 Dusty Rhodes set his sights on the NWA Television Title which was then held by the talented but arrogant Tully Blanchard who was managed by his "Perfect 10" Baby Doll. The two traded the belt back and forth with Rhodes winning an epic Steel Cage Match at the first "Great American Bash" to not only regain the title but the services of Baby Doll for 30 days.

In December 1985 when Blanchard blamed Baby Doll for his loss of The United States Title and began to get physical with her, Rhodes came to her rescue.

In the summer of 1986 Baby Doll displayed her true colors when she betrayed Rhodes in favor of NWA Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair.

Answer: Sting

In the fall of 1988 longtime NWA fan favorites The Road Warriors betrayed the popular Sting in a six man tag team match thus signaling a heel turn. In October 1988 Hawk and Animal destroyed The Midnight Express to win The NWA Tag Team Titles. Then they brutally attacked Rhodes in a televised incident in which they shoved a metal spike in his eye.

At "Starrcade'88" Rhodes and Sting managed to defeat The Road Warriors by disqualification in one of the nights featured contests. The attack with the spike did not go over well with new boss Ted Turner and in January 1989 Rhodes was fired and by the spring The Road Warriors were hearing cheers again.

Answer: The Honky Tonk Man

In May 1989, weekly vignettes began to appear hyping the eventual debut of "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes. These vignettes showed Rhodes doing everyday blue collar jobs such as a plumber, a pizza delivery man, a gas attendant and even a butcher. Shortly after his debut he began wearing wrestling tights which were emblazoned with yellow polka dots. On August 28, 1989 at "Summerslam '89" Rhodes wrestled his first high profile match defeating The Honky Tonk Man.

Answer: Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Rhodes's first big feud was against The Big Boss Man who became irate when Rhodes attacked him on television and stole his nightstick and handcuffs. At the "Survivor Series" Rhodes chose Brutus Beefcake, Tito Santana and The Red Rooster as his partners to face The Boss Man, Honky Tonk Man, Rick Martel and Bad News Brown who was a last minute sub for Akeem.

The match saw Beefcake and Rhodes triumph however The Boss Man brutally attacked both with his recovered nightstick.

Answer: The Stud Stable

On September 18, 1994 at "Fall Brawl'94" Dusty reunited with his estranged son Dustin and joined forces with The Nasty Boys to compete in a "War Games/Match Beyond" contest. Their opposition on the card were Colonel Robert Parker, Bunkhouse Buck, Arn Anderson and the incomparable Terry Funk aka "The Stud Stable".

The matched ended when Parker submitted to a figure four leg lock by Rhodes as this type of match can only end via submission. Ironically it was Rhodes along with Arn Anderson that developed the concept for this type of match more than seven years prior.