10 Crazy Wrestling Partnerships That Shouldn't Have Worked (But Did)

Dustin Rhodes' incredible versatility is one of the easiest things to point to when making the case that he's one of his generation's finest wrestlers (and he is). Whether breaking out as 'The Natural' in WCW, working the outlandish Goldust gimmick, rediscovering himself as a fired-up family-first babyfaces in the 2010s, or playing AEW's most sympathetic old veteran, the man has knocked it out of the park in too many roles to list, and his run alongside Booker T in 2002 and 2003 was one of his most enjoyable.

The story unfolded in a fashion not too dissimilar to American Alpha years later. Lost on the midcard, Booker found an unwanted friend in Goldust, whose wackiness initially put the five-time WCW Champion off - particularly when he started inadvertently costing him matches. Booker warmed to Goldust, though. He became accepting of the former Intercontinental Champion's behaviour and accepted him as a friend, with their success peaking at Armageddon 2002, where the World Tag Team Titles became theirs in a four-way elimination match.

Bookdust's segments were a weekly highlight. They were welcome comedic relief at a time when WWE was crumbling creatively, and their chemistry was such that they could probably stand in front of a camera reading shopping lists and make it enjoyable.