WWE Superstar of the Week for June 20

This column is designed to give credit to the Superstar or Diva who delivered the best performance over the most recent week in WWE and give a few acknowledgements to some other deserving talents, but we are going to do something a little different this time around.

Instead of highlighting a current wrestler, we are going to pay tribute to a fallen warrior whose love and dedication to professional wrestling helped change its landscape forever.

We recently lost an icon named Virgil Runnels, better known to the world as the American Dream Dusty Rhodes.

To say his passing is sad would be a huge understatement, but his legacy and the influence he had on others will live on. Before we take a look at how he impacted the business, let's take a stroll down memory lane and review his career.

Working His Way to the Top

Dusty Rhodes began wrestling in the '60s for the American Wrestling Association as a villain with Dick Murdoch, forming the tag team the Texas Outlaws.

By 1974, he had made his way to the National Wrestling Alliance. He toured the country wrestling for the various promotions under the NWA banner. He accumulated dozens of accolades in various territories, many of which are titles that have since been forgotten by time, such as the Brass Knuckles Championship.

In the mid-1980s, Rhodes began working for Jim Crockett Promotions as both a wrestler and a booker. He had legendary feuds with the likes of Harley Race and Ric Flair, both of whom Rhodes defeated for the NWA World Championship in memorable matches.

In 1989 he signed with the World Wrestling Federation. He didn't win any titles working for Vince McMahon, but his incredible charisma made him a popular act with fans both young and old.

He made his way to WCW in 1991, where he would once again find himself pulling triple duty as a wrestler, announcer and booker.

He worked a short stint in ECW with Steve Corino before returning to WCW, which is where he would remain until the company closed its doors in 2001.

Rhodes soon opened his own promotion called Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling. It didn't last long, but it gave him more valuable experience as a businessman and trainer.

Rhodes continued to work both behind the scenes and in front of the camera when he signed with TNA in 2003, but he would end up leaving the company just a few years later.

He also worked for various indy promotions in the early 2000s, but he never found a permanent home until he returned to WWE in 2005.

For the next decade, Rhodes would mostly work backstage. He helped talents improve their promo skills, and he worked with the creative team as a consultant.

The American Dream occasionally worked matches, including against Superstars such as Randy Orton and the Spirit Squad, proving that a man in his 60s could still go the distance.

When WWE revamped its developmental system into the new NXT, Rhodes became instrumental in helping to book the shows while he imparted his decades of experience on the younger talents trying to make it to the main roster.

Rhodes is part of a small group of wrestlers to have worked for WWE, NWA, WCW, TNA, ECW and AWA during his storied career. He has been inducted into several Hall of Fames and accumulated over 60 titles. Very few can say the same.

His Legacy

Vince McMahon is often credited with having the biggest impact on the wrestling business, but if there was anyone who could hold a candle to the villainous CEO, it was Dusty Rhodes.

Whether it was wrestling Ric Flair to 90-minute draws, dancing in polka dots or talking straight into the camera, you always wanted to watch him.

Being able to captivate an audience with a few sentences is something that doesn't come naturally to many, but he made it look easy. He wasn't just delivering promos—he was creating poetry.

His "Hard Times" speech is legendary, but he was always able to pull you in with his charisma. He was magnetic in ways most Superstars can only dream of being.

When the news broke of his passing, an outpouring of gratitude and love came from every corner of the wrestling world. Nobody had a single bad thing to say about the American Dream because he was just that great.

When WWE played the tribute video package for Rhodes at Money in the Bank, Renee Young was so heartbroken she couldn't speak without sobbing. This past week saw Triple H struggle to keep his emotions in check while the NXT crew paid their respects.

He wasn't just a teacher and mentor to these people. They were his family. Every wrestler has heat with someone else in the business, but Rhodes was universally loved.

However, even with all his titles and accolades in the world of pro wrestling, you could always tell that his greatest accomplishment in his eyes was his family.

His WWE Hall of Fame induction was a great example of how proud he was of his sons, Dustin Runnels and Cody Rhodes—and how proud they were of their father. He had tears running down his face when he embraced them on the stage in what has become one of the most memorable moments in the history of the ceremony.

Both Cody and Dustin shared the eulogies they gave for their father on Twitter. Both of their speeches were heartfelt and conveyed just what a truly special man Dusty Rhodes was.

He has helped dozens, possibly hundreds of Superstars find their identity over the years, and he has touched even more lives through his incredible performances.

Dusty's legacy won't be defined by the number of titles he held or how many times he main evented pay-per-views. He will be remembered for being a truly inspirational human being, a great father and a loving husband, and that is the best legacy any of us can hope for in our short time on this planet.

Rest in peace, Dusty.

Please take a moment to share your favorite memory of Dusty Rhodes in the comments section. Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.