Virgil Runnels III

Virgil Runnels III (born April 11, 1966 in Austin, Texas; often called Dustin Runnels) is a professional wrestler who has competed in the WWE and WCW. He is best-known for his WWE character of Goldust, a sexually ambiguous movie star. He also wrestled in WCW as Dustin Rhodes. His father Virgil Runnels, Jr., who wrestled as Dusty Rhodes, was one of the best-known wrestlers of the 1970s and 1980s.

Contents

1 Early career 2 World Championship Wrestling 3 World Wrestling Federation 4 Back to WCW 5 World Wrestling Entertainment 6 Post WWE 7 Profile 7.1 Finishing/Signature Moves 8 Championships/Accomplishments

Early career

Runnels started wrestling as Dustin Rhodes in 1988 in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). He debuted in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in late 1988. He formed a tag team with Kendall Windham called the "Texas Broncos." They feuded briefly with Al Perez and Larry Zbysko.

In March 1989, Dustin was back in FCW. He teamed with Mike Graham and feuded with Black Bart. He also feuded with Kendall Windham over the FCW Title.

In July 1989, he went to the CWA, where he continued to feud with Bart. He left for the WWF in January 1990. He continued to feud with Bart on the undercard and eventually teamed with his father, Dusty Rhodes, to feud with Ted DiBiase and Virgil.

World Championship Wrestling

In February 1991, he went to WCW, where he feuded with Larry Zbysko at mid-card level. In April, Alexandra York offered him to join her York Foundation heel stable, but he turned her down. This started a feud with Foundation member Terrence Taylor that lasted several months. York was in reality his first wife, Terri.

In late 1991, he feuded with Television Champ "Stunning" Steve Austin over the title before forming a tag team with real life best friend Barry Windham. Windham was injured by Arn Anderson and Larry Zbysko, "The Enforcers", so Dustin got a new partner, Ricky Steamboat, and they won the tag team titles from them. For the next seven months (through June 1992), he feuded with Paul E. Dangerously's Dangerous Alliance of Anderson, Zbysko, Austin, Rick Rude and Bobby Eaton. He was in the "War Games" against the Dangerous Alliance with Steamboat, Windham, Sting and Nikita Koloff as his partners.

October 1992 saw him reform his team with Windham to win the Tag Team Titles. In November, Windham turned on him and started a brief feud.

In January 1993, he won the United States Title and also began a feud with Rick Rude that would run through August. In October, he started feuding with Paul Orndorff and Steve Austin over the title, losing it to Austin in December.

In March 1994, he became involved in a feud with Bunkhouse Buck and Col. Rob Parker. Parker eventually brought in Terry Funk and Arn Anderson to feud with Dustin. Dustin brought in his father, Dusty, to help him. This feud lasted until December when Parker brought in Blacktop Bully to feud with Dustin. Dustin and the Bully both were fired in March 1995 when they both "bladed" (cut themselves to look busted open) at the Uncensored PPV after they were told not to.

World Wrestling Federation

In July 1995, Runnels debuted in the WWF as Goldust. He played mind games with opponents to make them think he was a homosexual. He started a feud with Razor Ramon and won the Intercontinental Title when he surprised everybody by bringing his real life wife, Terri, in as Marlena.

His time as champion included feuds with Roddy Piper, Savio Vega, The Ultimate Warrior and Ahmed Johnson, who finally won the title from Runnels.

In August 1996, he briefly had mind control over Mankind and feuded with The Undertaker. His attention soon turned to Marc Mero and his wife Sable. Goldust and Marlena attempted to get Sable to join their team but Mero won the feud and kept her by his side.

In December 1996, Goldust and Marlena turned face and feuded with HHH and Chyna.

In May 1997, Goldust revealed his identity as Dustin Runnels, son of Dusty Rhodes. He started painting his face half as Goldust, and left the other side as Dustin. He began a feud with Brian Pillman in August 1997 which saw Pillman steal Marlena from him. When Pillman died in October, Marlena came back to Dustin. In November, Dustin dumped Marlena and got a new valet, Luna Vachon. He started dressing up as different people, being Shaftdust etc. He feuded with Mero and Sable again with Luna.

In May 1998, he split with Luna and burned his Goldust suit on TV and feuded with Val Venis. In October, he brought Goldust back and feuded with Jeff Jarrett over the attentions of Debra. Early 1999 saw him feud with Al Snow briefly after stealing Head, feud with Bluedust and then join him to feud with Ken Shamrock, acquire Ryan Shamrock as a valet to bicker with Bluedust, win the Intercontinental Title again and lose it two weeks later. By May, he was on the shelf with a back injury and the WWF let him go and his marriage to Terri ended.

Back to WCW

Runnels took some time off and patched up his differences with his dad and rejoined WCW in several vignettes (in August 1999) as a strange, white face painted dream villain, Seven. When he actually debuted in the ring, he took the Seven suit off and cut a promo on stupid gimmicks. He became Dustin Rhodes again and feuded with Jeff Jarrett.

He feuded with Terry Funk in early 2000 after turning on him and was given time off due to differences with Vince Russo. He came back in February 2001 to help his dad feud with Ric Flair and Jeff Jarrett. When Vince McMahon bought WCW a month later, he did not acquire Dustin's contract.

In July 2001, he went to work for his dad's new promotion, Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling.

World Wrestling Entertainment

In January 2002, he returned to the WWF as Goldust and won the Hardcore Title several times. He formed a team with Booker T and did comic backstage vignettes. He tried to join the nWo in July after Booker joined them but they didn't want him. He rejoined Booker when Booker was kicked out of the nWo. He had several feuds with other wrestlers while Booker was his partner after this. Among them were Lance Storm & Christian, Christian & Chris Jericho and Lance Storm & William Regal. In January 2003, he split with Booker and was largely taken off TV. He made occasional appearances before leaving in January 2004.

Post WWE

Runnels went to Japan to work for Zero One as Dusty Rhodes Jr. (he had been billed as such in All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1990), and then debuted in Total Nonstop Action, under the name Dustin Rhodes, along with his father, Dusty Rhodes, who was TNA's Director of Authority. He has feuded with Raven and Kid Kash.

On April 24, 2005, Runnels was arested and detained by Orange County, Florida authorities following a domestic dispute with his girfriend at a hotel. He was later bonded and subsequently released.

Profile

• Height: 6'6" (198.1 cm)
• Weight: 260lbs (117.9 kg)
• Birthday: April 11, 1966
• Hometown: Austin, Texas
• Trained By: Dusty Rhodes, Skandor Akbar
• Professional Debut: September 13, 1988
• Previous Identities: "The Natural" Dustin Rhodes, "Lonestar" Dustin Rhodes, Dusty Rhodes Jr., Seven, Goldust, The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust
• Previous Manager(s): Terri Runnels, Luna Vachon, Ryan Shamrock, Blue Meanie, Johnny Glitter, Dusty Rhodes

Finishing/Signature Moves

• Shattered Dreams/The Golden Globes/Dust Buster (Cornered Running Kick To Groin)
• Shock Treatment / Director's Cut (Powerslam Pin)
• The Oscar
• Curtain Call (1)
• Curtain Call (2)
• Curtain Call (3)
• Bulldog
• Inverted Atomic Drop
• Butt Butt
• Bronco Buster

Championships/Accomplishments

World Wrestling Entertainment

• 2-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
• 1-time WWE World Tag-Team Champion (with Booker T)
• 9-time WWF Hardcore Champion

World Championship Wrestling

• 2-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion
• 2-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (once with Barry Windham, once with Ricky Steamboat)
• 1-time WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Big Josh and Tom Zenk)

National Wrestling Alliance

• 1-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Barry Windham)

Florida Championship Wrestling

• 1-time FCW Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time FCW Tag Team Champion (with Mike Graham)

Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling

• 1-time TCW Heavyweight Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 126 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also ranked # 87 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Barry Windham.
• Runnels won the 1991 PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Award as Dustin Rhodes.

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