"I had two options: fine him or fire him" - Jim Ross on the time he punished WWE legend after chaotic flight

Former WWE executive Jim Ross explained why he decided to fine Dustin Rhodes after “The Plane Ride from Hell” instead of firing him.

In May 2002, Rhodes (f.k.a. Goldust) was one of the many WWE Superstars who were in trouble during a drunken flight home after a European tour. The three-time Intercontinental Champion took control of the PA system to sing a song for his ex-wife, Terri Runnels, who was also on the plane.

The latest episode of VICE's Dark Side of the Ring unveiled various angles from the infamous plane ride. Ross, then-Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, kept Rhodes in WWE instead of firing him.

“I had two options: fine him – that’ll get his attention – or fire him, which I thought was extreme and did not need to happen. That was my call. He learned from his mistakes, he was immature, he had substance abuse issues, and sometimes he controlled them and sometimes he didn’t. But the bottom line is, is that we have to stop in our society letting others’ transgressions go without punishment,” Ross said.

Jim Ross said Rhodes was in a “tough place” during the flight after his divorce from Terri Runnels. He also clarified that the current AEW star is “one of [his] favorite people in the world.”

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Jim Ross took the PA microphone away from Dustin Rhodes

Terri Runnels also gave her side of the story during the episode. The former WWE valet was “mortified” when Dustin Rhodes began to sing, but she was advised not to do anything about it.

Jim Ross explained that he eventually took Rhodes away from the PA system and told him to get back in his seat.

“Sit your a** down. Go to sleep. Give us all a break,” Ross added, recalling what he said to Rhodes.

Rhodes, who kept his job with WWE until his contract expired in December 2003, passed out after Ross instructed him to sit down. The 52-year-old worked for WWE for a combined 18 years between 1990 and 2019.

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