Becky Lynch has credited The American Dream Dusty Rhodes as the person who helped her keep in job in WWE, as well as inspiring her to become the main event star that she is. The Irish grappler grew into the most popular wrestlers in the world during her run as “The Man”, with her immense popularity earning her the main event spot of Wrestlemania 35, alongside Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair.
She also helped to pioneer the “Women’s Revolution” in WWE, as part of the legendary class of women in NXT. Alongside Bayley, Sasha Banks and Charlotte, they were christened “The Four Horsewomen”, a reference to the legendary stable in the NWA and WCW lead by Ric Flair (the father of Charlotte Flair).
Her matches with Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair, as well as an incredible fatal 4 way match between all four women, but NXT on the map as the home of premier women’s wrestling. Triple H helped changed the culture of women’s wrestling in WWE and put them on the forefront of WWE program (the first women’s pay per view main event in WWE history was Sasha Banks vs Bayley at NXT Takeover Respect).
However, Becky Lynch’s NXT career almost ended before it took off. At first, she was given an “Irish Dancer” gimmick, performing an Irish jig as she danced to the ring. It did not go down well and she soon pivoted to the “Steampunk Becky” gimmick that made her so popular in the begininng.
She also struggled with her confidence a lot early on and threatened to quit on multiple occasions. She was forced to retire due to injury early on in her career, but came back to sign for the WWE in 2013 in probably the best decision she has ever made in her life.
Becky Lynch cites Dusty Rhodes, the legendary former World Heavyweight Champion father of Cody Rhodes and Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes, as the man who believed in her and encouraged her to carry on, at a time when it looked like she could have been cut from the WWE and sent back into retirement.
Speaking to ESPN’s YouTube channel, Becky Lynch said
“I really downplayed myself to a fault. I acted like I didn’t know anything, whereas I did and then it was a complete mind game. I had messed with my own head so much that I could barely do a lockup anymore. I would just overcomplicate everything, overthink everything. It was just me vs. me, really. I know I was on the chopping block a lot. I know if it wasn’t for Dusty Rhodes really believing in me and encouraging me and my wild promos that I would do on Wednesday nights, I don’t know that I’d still be here.”
She also credited Dusty Rhodes with helping her get better at a time where nobody else saw a “spark in her. During Becky Lynch’s WWE 24 Episode, the former Women’s Champion said;
Dusty loved his broken toys. He didn’t want the finished products, he liked the ones that were a little bit rough around the edges. That was me. He just liked that I wasn’t conventional and that i was a little all over the place and a little quirky. There was a spark to me and he saw that when no one else did. And eventually, I got better. its funny how when you work hard at something, you get better.
You can watch the full clip below.
Dusty Rhodes inspired a number of WWE stars to reach their potential while he was a trainer in NXT. Sadly, he passed away in 2015 at age 70, leaving a lasting legacy that few can match – both in the ring and outside of it,
