WWE's D-Von Dudley Discusses Racism In Wrestling, Issue With 'Prominent Figure'
Ahead of his in-ring return for "Impact 1000," WWE and Impact Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley spoke to "Good Karma Wrestling" about his experiences with racism in wrestling.
"It's grown a lot, believe it or not," D-Von said. "I remember when I first broke into the business in '91, you have to understand that racism was still alive and well, just as I feel like racism is still alive and well today. I like to say what Malcom X used to say, 'A lot of the Klansman turned in their white sheet for a suit.' Walking around and doing what they're doing. It's still relevant in the wrestling business, it is, but we have come a long way since then."
He continued, "It's going to be hard to stop us from doing what we love to do. We watched this sport, we loved it, we want to be a part of it and we're coming in there and we're doing exactly not what we want to do in a disrespectful way but doing what we want to do to pay homage to those that have come before us that we have watched and idolized for so long. I'm just very proud."
D-Von Turned To Veterans For Advice
Dudley revealed that he talked to veterans such as Koko B. Ware and Bad News Brown about how to "survive" as an African American in the business. He stayed out of trouble so that higher-ups never had a reason to "mess with" him in any way and also had backup plans in case things didn't work out.
"Whenever I disagreed with something within the business, I always had a plan B just in case I didn't like plan A," Dudley said. "I couldn't just go to them and say 'Listen, I don't want to do that, I'm not going to do that.' I always said, 'I don't feel comfortable but here's what I think we can do.' Sometimes it worked and sometimes we didn't. I went in there with a smile on my face and did it even if they told me that I couldn't do what I wanted to do and that was fine."
Issues With A Prominent WWE Figure
Dudley went on to reveal that one unnamed WWE corporate higher-up made it clear that he didn't like D-Von because of the color of his skin.
"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."
Dudley concluded, "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."
The Dudley Boyz are still on good terms with WWE as they reportedly signed a Legends contract. It remains to be seen if they will return to WWE television anytime soon.