Diamond Dallas Page Talks WWE Hall of Fame, Goldberg, Dusty Rhodes

After an unlikely rise to the top of the wrestling industry, Diamond Dallas Page will be rewarded for his hard work by being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Page had the odds stacked against him off the bat by jumping into an in-ring career at 35 years old, but hard work and unparalleled passion for the business helped him become one of the best all-around performers in wrestling history.

In an interview promoting his fitness program, DDP Yoga, Page spoke to Ring Rust Radio about the honor of being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, his thoughts on Goldberg and his recent run with the company and how Dusty Rhodes had a huge impact on his career.

As first reported by Rolling Stone in February, Page will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during the WrestleMania 33 weekend. The three-time world champion found out he would be enshrined while he was filming a DVD in October 2016.

"It’s a huge honor," Page said. "Once I got done with my career, I knew in my soul that I don't have any negative thoughts about myself. I just don't because I know whether you say you can and you say can't, you are right. I try to keep my mind full of really positive stuff.

"In my mind, I always felt like I was worthy. I really felt like with my career and just the way I did it, it was Hall of Fame-worthy. It doesn’t make me feel any less humble. I'm super honored to be a part of this crew, and the first one to call me was Booker T when he heard. Booker T and I have been up and down the road together, and it was really awesome to hear it from him and he said 'welcome to the club, brother.'"

Page is one of the most unlikely Superstars the wrestling business has ever seen, but his career was made possible because of his unwavering commitment and his willingness to work harder than anyone.

After years of being a manager and being around the industry, jumping into an in-ring career at 35 years old is unheard of. Even more unheard of is a wrestler like Page not only becoming a popular star but also winning three world championships.

One star who rose to prominence while Page was in WCW was Goldberg. As modern-day wrestling fans are seeing in WWE, Goldberg is the Universal champion and still one of the biggest draws in the industry.

When asked about Goldberg and his recent success, Page spoke candidly about his former coworker.

"Goldberg worked for eons on the football gridiron," he said. "This son of a gun, he worked his ass off. And then he worked his ass off to be as good as he could be in the ring, and he had that something special. Now everyone's given the chance to see it again at 50, and they are not exposing him in any way. He's going to have to deliver at WrestleMania, and I believe he will. I believe he will go out there at 50 years old and be out there with The Beast."

Page continued: "I wouldn’t want to be out there with him. Brock thinks this is real, you know? I wouldn’t want to be out there with The Beast, but if anybody can go with him and just the way Brock does business, I'm so proud of him.

"He gets it because it's a business. It is entertainment. He is going out there to deliver those promos, and it's nice for the WCW fan, this is a little bit of payback. Like, push one of our guys right now, really push him. Goldberg came in, and as far as I’m concerned, he got what he deserved: [a] hell of a push."

As someone who fought against and alongside Goldberg, Page knows exactly what the Universal champion brings to the table. As one of the most popular Superstars in history, Goldberg deserves the push he is receiving.

Just as Goldberg needed help from officials at WCW to become a top star, Page couldn't have risen through the ranks without the help of men like Dusty Rhodes. DDP was adamant that his success in the business wouldn't have been possible without many people but credited Rhodes more than anyone else.

When asked about Rhodes and his influence on his career, Page spoke honestly.

"Without Dusty Rhodes, there is no Diamond Dallas Page," he said. "And the same thing with Triple H. Triple H said that's who gave him his big break as Terra Ryzing in WCW. He had an unbelievable relationship with Dusty as well. So when I said I wish Dusty were here, he knew exactly what I meant. Dusty would've inducted me, and I probably never would've been able to follow him. It would've been amazing."

One of the qualities that made Page so likable was his willingness to give credit where it's due in terms of the people who helped him achieve his dreams. It takes many people to help a man like DDP reach the pinnacle of the business, and he is thankful to all of those who motivated him and pushed him to be better.

After retiring from full-time work in the wrestling business, Page started a fitness program that has changed the life of many people. Instead of resting on his laurels, DDP is giving back by providing wrestlers with a low-impact workouts that can help keep their bodies in peak condition.

With WWE Superstars like Chris Jericho, Goldust and Zack Ryder using DDP Yoga, Page is helping wrestlers stay healthy, while also helping everyday people get in the best shape of their lives.

When Page is inducted into the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame the Friday before WrestleMania 33, he will rightfully take his spot among the legends of the sport.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).