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WWE experimented with several controversial gimmicks over the years, including Goldust, who is now known as Dustin Rhodes in All Elite Wrestling. The wrestling veteran has named a top AEW star that reminds him of his former character.
Toni Storm's "Timeless" character was introduced to the Jacksonville-based promotion's storylines with much praise from fans and others in the industry. The current AEW Women's World Champion is in the middle of a mega-push, and her new gimmick fits right into the program.
The legendary Dustin Rhodes currently works for AEW as a wrestler and coach. The 54-year-old is best known for his 'Goldust' character from WWE's Attitude Era. He has praised Storm before, but during a recent interview with the Sports Guys Talking Wrestling podcast, the former WWE Tag Team Champion said that the 28-year-old star blows him away with her work.
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"Whether people think it or not, we (AEW) are entertainment. But we are pro wrestling. We wrestle a lot on these shows and to do both of those at the same time, like Toni Storm is doing with her character, it just blows me out of the water," Dustin Rhodes said. [H/T WrestleZone]
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The Natural also shared about how he works backstage with Storm. Rhodes talked about how "Timeless" Toni Storm reminded him of Goldust at times, and he had major praise for the AEW production team.
"I talk to her all the time and tell her she reminds me of my old days of Goldust and just the things that she does and mannerisms and the film and the black and white and stuff like that and it’s so cool and it’s something that nobody’s doing, but we are and I think our production team is top notch when it came to putting together all those things for her and her video walls and her black and white stuff," Dustin Rhodes said.
Storm is scheduled to defend her Women's World Championship against Deonna Purrazzo at the AEW Revolution Pay-Per-View. This week's episode of Dynamite will see Storm face Red Velvet in a non-title Eliminator Match with Purrazzo on commentary.
Wrestling veteran shared why Goldust was never pushed as a world champion in WWE
Dustin Rhodes, formerly known as Goldust, is a veteran pro wrestler with close to 40 years in the business. According to others, The Natural is seen as a well-liked and well-respected person backstage and a workhorse in the ring.
Rhodes has had his crowning moments but was never pushed as a world champion by any promotion. Former WWE head writer Vince Russo helped book Rhodes and has some exclusive insight into his career.
Russo said that there was heat from partners over the Goldust gimmick, so WWE pulled the plug on everything, including a main-event push for Dustin. While speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing with Russo podcast, the 63-year-old admitted to being a big fan of Goldust as he saw the main event potential.
Russo believes Rhodes would have been a world champion if the Stamford-based company had fully backed him.
"(In) the WWE, really, it was sponsors and advertisers, bro. Because they didn't get it, and they didn't like it, and at that time, it was costing WWE money. WWE really pulled the plug on it," Vince Russo said.
Russo went on about how Rhodes was easy to work with and how they both knew they would never be able to top the work they were doing.
What is your favorite memory from Goldust's WWE run? Sound off in the comments section below!
