Like Father, Like Son: The NWA Championship Now Runs in the Rhodes Family

On September 1, 2018, at All In, Cody Rhodes saw a lifelong dream come true when he fell to his knees, the National Wrestling Alliance Championship clutched close to his chest. A few moments earlier an emotional Cody, who had given everything he had in a match that meant everything to him, heard the words he had been waiting his entire career for, “And new, NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Cody Rhodes!”

As anyone who has followed Cody knows, be it for his entire career or more so recently through both his appearances on 10 Pounds of Gold and All Incoming, this was more than just a title win. It was more than just a wrestling match. It was about a legacy, one that Cody has been journeying toward since his career began in 2006.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1036050153046724608

The NWA Championship has been held by some of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots, but to Cody Rhodes, only one name on the championship ledger mattered.

He was a three-time champion. A true legend, inspiration, and mentor to so many. An icon in the business. But to a boy who dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps, he held the most important title of all: dad.

Like Father…

On August 21, 1979, a 34-year-old Dusty Rhodes, not much older than Cody was when he won, hoisted the “10 Pounds of Gold” for the first time. It was the culmination of a nearly two year feud with Harley Race, who held the title for 926 days from 1977-79.

Rhodes had faced Race for the championship 25 times before he finally claimed the gold for himself. On a night at the Fort Horner Hesterly Armory in Tampa Florida, at a Championship Wrestling from Florida, the two battled in a nearly 20-minute match. After falling just shy so many times in the past, that night things changed. When the bell rung, it was Rhodes’ hand that was raised.

In his first reign, Rhodes only held the title for five days, immediately dropping it back to Race at a CWF event in Orlando.

After failing to regain the title in rematch with Race, Rhodes’ next run with the gold came two years later. The match dynamics were the same, as Race was the champion and Rhodes was the challenger. On June 21, 1981, at Georgia Championship Wrestling, Rhodes won back the belt and began an 88-day reign as champion. During his reign, Rhodes fought off a bevy of challengers including Dory Funk Jr., Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Ole Anderson, Terry Funk, Ivan Koloff, John Studd, Greg Valentine, and Ric Flair. It was Flair however, that ultimately took the title off Rhodes in a 24-minute showcase that took place at Central States Wrestling in Kansas City.

It was Flair’s first reign with the title, one that would last over 600 days. From 1981-83, Rhodes and Flair fought hard for the belt, wrestling 20 title matches in the two-year span. In that same span, Flair and Race engaged in heated battles that saw each win the title several times. Flair and Rhodes continued to feud as well, with the next big chapter coming shortly after Flair regained the NWA title in May 1984.

Rhodes had his first shot at ending Flair’s third reign in June of the same year. He was unsuccessful. Much as he was in each of his next 33 times over the next two years. This was in large part because of the Four Horsemen, who had Flair’s back at every turn. Rhodes began to feud with them in his quest to dethrone Flair, which led to one of wrestling’s most iconic moments, the Hard Times promo.

The son of a plumber, Dusty Rhodes was a simple man who came from simple means. He wasn’t the “Rolex wearing, diamond ring wearing, kiss stealing, wheeling dealing, limousine riding, jet flying, son of a gun.” He was just “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, he was the every man, and in 1985 he promised to win back the NWA title. And while it wasn’t 1985, just a year later, on The Great American Bash Tour in Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina, Rhodes made good on his promise. His third NWA title reign was short-lived as just three matches later, at a Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling event, Flair won the title back.

Rhodes’ legacy wasn’t as NWA Champion, though he will forever be in the record books alongside his son for that honor. But rather, the impact of Dusty Rhodes came in everything else he did for NWA and later WCW, and finally WWE. He’s best known for not just being a wrestler, but a promoter and booker as well. He created Starrcade, which was the event that served as inspiration for All In. Perhaps his biggest contribution to the industry however, are his two sons, Dustin Rhodes (WWE’s Goldust) and Cody, the new NWA champion.

Like Son…

So happy bout this night for @CodyRhodes !! Dream achieved! #KeepSteppin #NWAChamp #DustyRhodes3xChamp #CodyRhodes1xChamp ! Damnit man this is the coolest thing ever. The world is yours!!! pic.twitter.com/oi7QUcMamf

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) September 2, 2018

Wearing a weight belt that read, “Do the Work,” with the word “do” designed in Dusty Rhodes’ iconic black and yellow polka dots and the word “work” designed with an American flag pattern to symbolize the American Dream and Cody’s own nickname of the “American Nightmare”, a son did his father proud on Saturday night. And he made history in the process. Never before has a father-son duo won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

Cody may drop the title back to Nick Aldis or another challenger due to commitments in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling, or perhaps he will run the circuit for a bit, defending the title throughout the wrestling scene. Either way, nothing and no one will ever take away from him, the moment he had on Saturday and the legacy he achieved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-1NIrp8V_4

Dusty and Cody Rhodes. NWA Champions.

Cody Rhodes followed in the family business long before All In, but on Saturday night, he did something even greater. Something no one can ever take away from him. And because of it, the NWA world title is not just his father’s legacy but his own.

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