How Dusty Rhodes’ Butcher Job Helped Shape His WWF Persona

Dusty Rhodes, often portrayed as wrestling’s everyman, had a surprising side gig highlighted in a recent WWE feature: he worked as a butcher.

A clip released by WWE ahead of the upcoming Great Moments episode on A&E showcases Rhodes’ stint as a butcher—one of several blue‑collar jobs he embraced to reinforce his everyman image, alongside gigs delivering pizza, hauling trash, and doing plumbing work.

That butcher vignette became a recurring theme for Rhodes, who continued to portray the common man in numerous promos throughout his career. The A&E episode also features interviews with WWE personnel and Rhodes reflecting on the character.

Before joining WWF, Rhodes was already a established star; his common‑man persona—complete with yellow polka‑dot attire—was built on those early experiences. He later filmed additional vignettes showing him in various blue‑collar jobs, often prompting strangers to ask, “Hey, aren’t you…?”

While some fans speculated that the gimmick was meant to embarrass Rhodes because of his history with WCW’s predecessor promotions, he turned it into an opportunity, delivering memorable promos that resonated with audiences.