William Regal details odd first encounter with "completely naked" WWE Hall of Famer
Former WWE Superstar William Regal recently recapped his first-ever interaction with Dusty Rhodes in the mid-1990s.
The Englishman signed for WCW in 1993, where Dusty Rhodes worked as a part-time in-ring performer and ringside manager. Given his legendary status in the wrestling business, The American Dream was heavily revered backstage by many of his peers.
Speaking on the Gentleman Villain podcast, Regal discussed the first time he met Dusty Rhodes when the wrestling legend was wearing nothing but cowboy boots.
"So I’ve got to meet Dusty Rhodes. Doug Dillinger doesn’t know me yet, so he just looked at me [and says] ‘this way.’ So I followed Doug Dillinger down this, you have to go down this little ramp and then centre stage backstage is all these little rooms, like a little hallway and then little rooms off it. And I get led to the very end of this and there’s nobody there."
He further elaborated on his initial interaction with the legend:
"There’s nobody there. And Doug Dillinger points into this one room and I opened the door and I walk in. And in this little 12 by 12 room in the middle of it is sat in a chair with nothing else there, Dusty Rhodes completely naked except for a pair of cowboy boots on. And he’s just sat there." (H/T Inside The Ropes)
This week's episode: Mr. @RealKingRegal offers his unique and extraordinary storytelling and wrestling advice centered loosely around his arrival in WCW in the early 90s.
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The legendary star's sons Cody and Dustin Rhodes have also enjoyed significant success in the wrestling business.
William Regal and Dusty Rhodes became very close friends
Later in their wrestling careers, both men worked as coaches for WWE's developmental brand, NXT.
During that time, the two veterans developed a strong bond that enabled them to mesh their creative minds together.
4 years ago today the world lost a one of a kind human being. From 25 Jan ‘93 until that time Dusty Rhodes was at times my boss, mentor,friend and person who I enjoyed the company of as much as anyone. He allowed me to create, enjoy and laugh. I miss him . https://t.co/RLQyrmX3UG
Like the rest of the wrestling world, William Regal was disheartened after Rhodes passed away in 2015. Dusty was one of the first people outside of the UK to give the Englishman a chance at wrestling in the United States.