NWA star and current Television champion Tyrus recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho to hype up this weekend’s 74th Anniversary pay-per-view in St. Louis, where he will be taking on Trevor Murdoch for the world’s heavyweight title. During the interview, the undefeated Tyrus spoke about his Funkasaurus gimmick in WWE, and how he went to the great Dusty Rhodes for advice when he felt like nothing was working. Highlights can be found below.
Recalls talking to Dusty Rhodes about his Funkasaurus gimmick:
“I went to Dusty [Rhodes] and I was damn near crying, my dream had blown up in my face. Dusty just looked me in the face and goes. ‘Are you better than me? … They put me in polka dots!’” During Dusty’s time in WWE, instead of winning World Championships like he did in the NWA and WCW, Rhodes had a similar gimmick to that of the Funkasaurus — he would come out and dance for the WWE crowd, often spotting yellow polka dots.
How Dusty would help him with the gimmick:
“He [Dusty Rhodes] kicked everyone out of the building, had the sound guy put on ‘Moves Like Jagger’ … and he comes out of the office shirtless, and says ‘Dance with me.’ Before I knew it, I was dancing, having fun, laughing.” Though dancing with Tyrus wasn’t the only way that Rhodes helped out with the gimmick. I said I still need help. He [Rhodes] said ‘Well ask Naomi. She should’ve been on the road.” Naomi made her WWE debut alongside Tyrus. She was known as one half of the Funkadactyls along with Cameron. “My heart’s not in dancing. So if I had two really good dancers around me, I could cover it up.”
(H/T and transcribed by Wrestling Inc.)