Former WWE Superstar Tyrus (fka Brodus Clay) recently shared the advice he got from Dusty Rhodes while wrestling for the company.
In 2012, despite his intimidating size and presence, WWE decided for Tyrus to be presented as The Funkasaurus, a tracksuit-wearing and dancing fan favorite. While the gimmick seemed odd, Clay's enthusiasm for the role resonated with fans.
Speaking on the Two Man Power Trip podcast, the former WWE star stated that much of the credit for the persona goes to the late-great Dusty Rhodes.
"He [Dusty] was like, ‘You just got your mind, so you got to do it. Like, I would do it when they put the polka dots on me. Did I complain? I had a family to feed, so I did it.’ He’s like, ‘So they’re putting you in a red tracksuit. So what are you going to do with it? Are you that good? Are you so good no matter what they throw at you, you make it work? Or are you one-dimensional and all you can do is be a heel?’"
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He added:
"Dusty, rest his soul, if he was here, would take full credit for everything he did, he would literally say, ‘You owe me a check, Brodus. You should be sending me a check every week because I gave you gold, I gave you jewels, and you’re doing something with it.’'" (H/T EWrestling News)
In his final years as a WWE coach, Rhodes was key to unlocking the creative potential of many stars who still work for the company today.
What did Dusty Rhodes say to his son before he started wrestling?
The Hall of Famer's son Cody Rhodes is one of the biggest stars in wrestling today, with The American Nightmare being one of the key attractions in WWE.
Speaking on the WWE series Grit and Glory, Cody recapped the advice his dad gave him before the former started his wrestling career.
"I'll never forget he said 'Well if you're going to do it, you're only gonna do it to be the best'. Then the part that really made me feel good as a son, he started listing a road map for me. He mentioned OVW, he mentioned Missouri, and he mentioned potentially going to Japan. So he was not only supportive but he wanted to be on the team." (H/T Sportskeeda)
It seems as though Dusty Rhodes may have had a keen eye toward the future since Cody went on to compete in all three territories his father recommended.