D-Von Dudley, the WWE Hall of Famer with a storied career in professional wrestling, has recently shed light on a troubling aspect of his time in the industry. While D-Von gained prominence primarily in WWE, his experiences in the wrestling world have not been without their challenges.
After his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016, D-Von transitioned to a backstage producer role within WWE, a common path for retired wrestling legends. However, his tenure in this role eventually came to an end. During a conversation with Good Karma Wrestling, D-Von Dudley revealed that he had encountered racism within the wrestling industry, and specifically mentioned a notable WWE figure who openly displayed racist behavior towards him.
Dudley recalled entering certain wrestling locker rooms where individuals did not hide their discriminatory treatment towards him. He disclosed that a prominent figure within WWE, who held an office position, had explicitly stated that he did not like D-Von because of his race. Shockingly, this figure reportedly made this statement on two separate occasions, with witnesses such as Bubba (his former tag team partner), Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, and Spike present. Despite these unsettling encounters, D-Von chose not to publicly identify the individual but expressed his lack of respect and personal aversion towards them.
In the face of such adversity, D-Von Dudley adopted a resilient attitude. He acknowledged the progress that has been made in addressing racism within the wrestling industry and opted to focus on the positive aspects of his career. D-Von emphasized that he has no regrets and continues to move forward, highlighting the remarkable success he and his tag team partner, Bubba Ray Dudley, achieved during their wrestling careers.
“I remember coming into certain locker rooms and there were certain people that didn’t care if it got out how they were treating you,” Dudley admitted. “There was a prominent figure in WWE, I should say that he was office, that basically told me that he didn’t like me because I was black. Two occasions he told me. Bubba was there on one of them and Bubba was there on the second one along with Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, and Spike. To this day, I have no respect nor do I like this individual. I’m not going to go and put him on blast right now but I don’t care for him, so I just stay away from him.”
I just know that we have come a long way. I’m not going to sit here and cry over something that might have happened 10 years ago. I just move on and make the best of it. Look at my career, I have nothing to be sad about. I have nothing to have any remorse about it. Bubba and I have become the greatest tag team of our era.”
D-Von’s revelation sheds light on the challenges and complexities of diversity and inclusion in professional wrestling. While he has chosen not to dwell on past experiences of racism, his story serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing such issues within the industry.
In an upcoming event, D-Von is set to reunite with his former tag team partner, Bully Ray (Bubba Ray Dudley), on the 1000th episode of Impact Wrestling, scheduled for September 9. Wrestling fans eagerly anticipate what the duo has in store for this special occasion.
