Athletes - Virgil Runnels, Jr.

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	Athletes - Virgil Runnels, Jr.

Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. (born October 12, 1945 in Austin, Texas) is an American professional wrestler working under the stage name Dusty Rhodes.

Career

Rhodes started his career as a rule-breaking heel, tagging with fellow Texan Dick Murdoch to form the tag team The Texas Outlaws. In the mid-1970s, Rhodes broke out as a solo babyface superstar, primarily in Florida, referring to himself as the "White Soul King" and the "American Dream", a working class hero. Rhodes ascended to the top of several National Wrestling Alliance promotions in Florida, Georgia, and eventually with Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic - the forerunner of World Championship Wrestling. Here, he formed teams with Manny Fernandez, Magnum T.A. as "America's Team" and Nikita Koloff as The Super Powers.

Rhodes had legendary feuds with stars such as Abdullah The Butcher, Kevin Sullivan, Blackjack Mulligan, Nikita Koloff, Harley Race, "Superstar" Billy Graham and most notably, The Four Horsemen (especially Ric Flair). Rhodes, Flair, and Race each fought each other many times over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rhodes won the NWA World Title three times.

Rhodes also was a booker for WCW while they were competing with the World Wrestling Federation (now known as World Wrestling Entertainment) in the mid-80's. He is credited with inventing many of the WCW pay-per-view names and gimmicks, such as War Games, BattleBowl, and Lethal Lottery. After being let go in that capacity after a taboo on-screen bloodletting, Rhodes briefly performed with the WWF as the yellow polka-dotted "Common Man" Dusty Rhodes. He was managed by Sweet Sapphire who left him during SummerSlam 1990 for The Million-Dollar Man's money.

Rhodes later returned to WCW, where he briefly joined the nWo; he then left or was fired from WCW and went to ECW where he put over former ECW Champion, "King of Old School" Steve Corino. Rhodes returned once more to WCW, re-igniting his feud with Ric Flair. He is now semi-retired. He appeared on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling shows, becoming the Director of Authority at their November 7 pay-per-view, TNA Turning Point 2004. At the same time, Rhodes became a true powerhouse behind the scenes of TNA, acting as head booker and writer. In May 2005, TNA President Dixie Carter asked Rhodes to move onto a creative team, which would have included several other names, including Jeremy Borash, Bill Banks, and Scott D'Amore. Rhodes balked and resigned as booker, waiting out the rest of his contract with TNA, which expired soon after.

For several years, Rhodes operated Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, a small Georgia-based promotion. Rhodes' son, Virgil Runnels III, known in wrestling as Dustin Rhodes, followed his father into the business, most notably as the eccentric WWE character Goldust.

In late 2005, Rhodes signed a WWE Legends deal and he was brought onto the Creative Team as a creative consultant. Rhodes officially started his creative consultant job on September 8, 2005. Rhodes made an appearance on WWE Homecoming in which he, along with other legends beat up the young and cocky Rob Conway, to whom Rhodes delivered a Bionic Elbow. He most recently appeared on the December 12 edition of WWE RAW, where he hinted at a possible future as General Manager of that brand. Rhodes is also to be the subject of an "American Dream" DVD set to be released in June 2006.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

Bionic Elbow
Elbow Drop
Sleeper Hold
Figure-Four Leg Lock

Championships and accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

:*3-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion :*1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion :*1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (San Francisco version) :*2-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Dick Slater and Manny Fernandez) :*1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Detroit version) (with Dick Murdoch) :*3-Time NWA World Television Champion :*1-Time NWA National Heavyweight Champion :*2-Time NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Road Warriors) :*1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Buff Bagwell) :*1-Time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (Hawaii version) :*Winner of 1987 NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (with Nikita Koloff) :*Winner of 1985 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede :*Winner of 1986 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede :*Winner of 1987 NWA Bunkhouse Stampede

Florida Championship Wrestling

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