Every Wrestling Rookie Of The Year: Where Are They Now?

34. 1989: Dustin Rhodes

Essa Rios Lita
AEW

A ridiculously dynamic worker, given that he was such a huge specimen, the 'Natural' persona was no gimmick: he really did have it, and the WON voter base agreed.

Literally painted into a corner with the Goldust gimmick in the WWF, for a time, his story was a sad one. He battled substance abuse issues for years and years, and his work was ultra-gimmicked no matter which gimmick - TAKFA Goldust, Black Reign - that he played.

His early 2010s renaissance really was as good as JBL insisted it was every week, but it was in AEW where he finally restored his legacy: the timeless sympathetic babyface brilliance resonated all the more when playing a character more down to earth, who'd lived one hell of a life.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!