Over the decades, there have been countless couples in professional wrestling. Who could forget the "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth? Before there was Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, there was Triple H and Chyna. These days we have Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, Jimmy Uso and Naomi, and Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley, just to name a few. In the late 90s, as the Attitude Era took hold of WWE, Dustin Rhodes' edgy character of Goldust represented everything Vince McMahon was trying to accomplish. Goldust was accompanied to the ring by Marlena, real name Terri Runnels, and the real life wife of Dustin. Although they made magic on Raw, behind the scenes their marriage was unraveling.

Terri Runnels Was The Manager Of Goldust In WWE

Dustin Rhodes Went Back To WCW In 1999

• Terri Runnels met Dustin Rhodes in WCW.
• For the first few years of her WWE career, Terri Runnels was called Marlena.
• Dustin Rhodes briefly became Seven in WCW.

Many fans might remember Terri Runnels most from her days in WWE, but she actually got her start with WCW in 1990. It was there that she met Dustin Rhodes, marrying him in 1993. In 1995, Rhodes was out of WCW and in WWE in one of the weirdest gimmick changes ever. He now went by Goldust, an androgynous character who dressed all in gold, wore a wig, and made awkward sexual advances to his opponents in the ring. If Dustin Rhodes was trying to set himself apart from his legendary father, Dusty Rhodes, it certainly worked. Wearing polka dots had nothing on this.

Terri Runnels joined her husband in WWE at the 1996 Royal Rumble, going by the name of Marlena. She escorted Goldust to the ring, dressed all in gold herself. Fans hated the gimmick at first, as the Attitude Era hadn't quite yet arrived, but Goldust was successful, having a Hollywood Backlot Brawl with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 12 and later becoming Intercontinental Champion. Marlena often got involved in her husband's matches and storylines, but by 1998, their characters went their separate ways, with Terri Runnels becoming linked up with Val Venis. In 1999, Dustin Rhodes left WWE to return to WCW, where he underwent another strange gimmick change, this time becoming the baffling Seven. Dustin returned to WWE in 2001 and Terri Runnels was let go by the company in 2004.

Dustin Rhodes Accused Terri Runnels Of Cheating On Him

Terri Runnels Denied The Infidelity Accusations

• Dustin Rhodes thought Terri Runnels was having an affair with Jake Roberts.
• Terri Runnels gave birth to Dustin Rhodes' daughter, Dakota, in 1994.
• Dustin Rhodes and Terri Runnels divorced in 1999.

In an interview with Tommy Dreamer for Title Match Network, Terri Runnels told the ECW veteran about the troubles in her marriage with Dustin Rhodes. She said:

"He came home from a TV that I was not at... And he goes, 'Why didn't you tell me you were with Jake 'The Snake' Roberts.' And I literally, I looked at him and said, 'Dustin, I've never even met Jake the Snake. I've never looked upon his flesh. I've never shook his hand, said hello, kiss my foot, nothing. So, you have a choice to make. You know exactly what I've told you, where I've been, what I've done. You can either choose to be with me or go. But I cannot keep playing these silly high school games. So, I just said, 'Make a choice. I'm cool either way. You go, you stay, whatever, just I can't do this anymore.'"

Terri Runnels cried as she spoke about Dustin Rhodes' jealousy of her being around other wrestlers, of the fact that she had dated other wrestlers before him, and how cold Dusty Rhodes himself was to her. Dustin and Terri had a daughter, Dakota, in 1994, but by 1999 their marriage was over after just six years.

Dustin Rhodes And Terri Runnels Got Remarried To Other People

Terri Runnels Went On To Date New Jack

• Dakota Runnels saw her dad arrested for misdemeanor battery when she was a child.
• Terri Runnels won't talk badly about Dustin Rhodes to her daughter.
• Dakota had a child in 2023, making Dustin Rhodes and Terri Runnels grandparents.

In 2008, Terri Runnels spoke to The Post and Courier about her relationship with Dustin Rhodes, telling them that no matter what Dustin and Dusty did to her, when it came to her daughter, Dakota, that was her father and grandfather, so it didn't matter how she felt. There was a sad incident in 2004, however, when a ten-year-old Dakota saw her dad arrested for misdemeanor battery after an incident with his girlfriend. Terri then had to have a hard conversation with her young daughter, saying her child asked:

"‘Mommy, does my dad do drugs?’ I told her, ‘Dakota, have you ever heard me say a negative word about your dad?’ She said, ‘No ma’am.’ I told her, ‘Dad has set a new precedent. Therefore, unless you tell me you don’t want to hear the truth, I will be honest with you and tell you what I know.’”

Terri Runnels said that she and Dustin were cordial with each other but that he wasn't paying child support. Terri was briefly married to her life coach, and from 2009-2011 she dated hardcore legend New Jack, while Dustin has been married to his third wife, Ta-rel Marie Roche, for twelve years. The story of Dustin Rhodes and Terri Runnels does have a bit of a happier ending. In 2023, they became grandparents when Dakota had a child of her own.