D-Von Dudley Discusses How He Dealt With Racism During His First WWE Run
WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley recently said that a "prominent figure" in the WWE office disliked him during his first run with the promotion between 1999 and 2005 because of his skin color. During an interview with Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Dudley, who teamed up with his longtime tag partner Bully Ray (known as Bubba Ray Dudley in WWE) for the first time since 2016 at "Impact Wrestling 1000" earlier this month, discussed the matter further.
"I want people to stop guessing who it was because I'm not gonna say who it was," Dudley said. "You want me to say it because now you want to run this person through the mud. And yes, does that person deserve it? Yes. But I've always said God has his way of getting back at these people that do things like that ... Again, there were witnesses that were there. Bubba [Ray Dudley] was there for the first one. He was the one that actually grabbed me and stopped me from knocking the hell out of this person.
"The second time, Bubba was there again, along with Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, Spike Dudley. We were in Indianapolis, Indiana, sitting down in catering when that happened the second time."
Dudley claimed that some fans had suggested that either John "Bradshaw" Layfield or Michael "P.S." Hayes were responsible for the racism he had experienced. However, the multi-time tag team champion shot down those theories, with Dudley saying he had a great working relationship with both.
'I would be very condescending to this person'
Dudley, who recently signed a legends deal with WWE along with Ray, explained how he dealt with the unnamed individual at the time.
"Well, I was being very condescending to this individual afterwards," Dudley said. "Because this person came to me and said, 'Hey, D-Von, how're you doing? How is everything?' I was like, 'Why are you saying hi to me? You don't like me.' But I would say this in front of the people. 'What do you mean I don't like you? Of course I like you.' I go, 'No, you don't. Stop lying. Come on, you know you don't like me. You've admitted it.' 'I don't know what you're talking about. Of course I do. Why would you think that? No, I'm there for you all the way.'
"I would be very condescending with this person. I tried to embarrass him as much as I could in front of people, but without being disrespectful. And so then I realized [I] got underneath this person's skin, and that person basically stopped talking to me after a while."
Dudley went on to say that the individual's decision to stop talking with him was "more [of] a smack in the face" because the person had no idea if he was going to report him or not. Additionally, the former WWE backstage producer denied that Vince McMahon, the current Executive Chairman of TKO Group Holdings and the former Chairman of WWE, was the "prominent figure" involved.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit PWInsider with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.