Dustin Rhodes is still competing at a high level in the ring, recently taking on Sammy Guevara for the Interim TNT Championship.
When he's not performing Canadian Destroyers off the apron on television, Rhodes is lending a hand in coaching and training the women in AEW.
Speaking to Renee Paquette and Angela Hill on Throwing Down, Rhodes explained why he loves working with the women in AEW and his hopes for the division.
"It is a big part, they have been denied, and they are getting these opportunities now," he said when discussing why he enjoys coaching the women in AEW. "That's important. I want to get them to where they have two matches on Dynamite or Rampage. It's not fair, but we're getting there and making leaps and bounds. The female talent coming in are very athletic and in some cases they are just as good, if not better, than some of the guys, and that's awesome. I love that. That's the challenge for me that I really like to take on. Not just for the ladies, but I specifically like working with the ladies because they are coachable and understanding and want and are passionate about what we're doing here and who we are growing to be. It's really cool to see them light up and succeed in a way that the guys already do."
Rhodes mentioned that he has loved his time in AEW as he's treated like an attraction and has the trust of Tony Khan to perform and bring ratings.
Discussing his role in training the women, Dustin explained how he loves giving back and what the payoff is for him as a trainer.
"The last two or three years is when it clicked in my head...I've always loved women's wrestling. I loved women's wrestling almost as much, if not more, than men's wrestling. I want them to get to the level that all the guys are at. They deserve that. Sometimes, it's not fair that they don't get those chances and now they are starting to get those chances. Whether it be them growing in the ring and learning to do the best they can, I love that, it's a challenge to me. I work with them every single week. I love to watch them grow and where they have come over the last two years during the pandemic, they've come such a long ways. That's not just me, it's a whole team of people, but I work with them very closely and there is an understanding, they respect me, they listen, they are very coachable and they are learning a lot. They are learning how to truly sell, how to tell stories, how to work the camera, how to do the necessary things to get them over as young superstars. They are only going to get better. I love to give back. The payoff for me is not the stardom, the money, any of those things, they are great and necessary, but when I teach them something and they see it and they want to learn it and they are passionate. Jade is a great example of this. I take them under my wing and they want to learn. They are not there yet, but they're getting there, and they want it now. When I teach them how to do something and they do it and you see this smile on their face, that's the payoff for me," he said while also mentioning that he works with some of the guys like Powerhouse Hobbs and Lee Johnson.
Cargill became the first-ever AEW TBS Champion when she defeated Ruby Soho in the finals of the tournament.
While Rhodes and Guevara opened AEW Battle of the Belts, Britt Baker and Riho closed the show with Baker successfully defending the AEW Women's Championship.
If you missed anything from AEW Battle of the Belt, check out Fightful's full report on the show by clicking here.
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