WWE HOFers The Dudleys Reflect On Giving The Hardys Their Boots
The history between the Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz is deep, running through both WWE and TNA, with the veterans squaring off one last time during this year's TNA Bound For Glory. After the match, the Dudleys shockingly handed their boots to The Hardys, signifying their retirement from the pro wrestling industry.
"The way I looked at it, [The Hardys] conquered it. They finally got it; they're the best, [and] it's like we're finally passing the torch to them," D-Von Dudley said while looking back at the segment on "Talk Is Jericho." He further explained that while they didn't need to "pass the torch," it was more akin to awarding their rivals their sword and acknowledging that they were defeated. "We gave our boots, and for me, it signified that taking the boots off? That's it. It's over." D-Von said that they were once considered the greatest tag team, and by putting The Hardys over one last time, they are now the greatest tag team in pro wrestling.
The Hardy Boyz had no idea that The Dudley Boyz were planning to 'pass the torch' to them.
Pro wrestlers usually leave their boots in the middle of the ring to signify their retirement, which was something seen with The Undertaker, Triple H, and Billy Gunn. However, what The Dudleys did was never done before, and D-Von admitted that the traditional leaving of the boots was the original plan.
"I had asked Bubba earlier on, I go: 'Are we still taking our boots off in the middle of the ring?' and, you know, to say that we're done?" he recalled. "And he goes: 'No, we're not doing that anymore.' We scratch that, and I was like, 'Alright!' So some time goes by, and he comes like, 'Oh, D-Von! We're going to do this, this, and this – and by the way – we're gonna take our boots off and give it to Matt and Jeff!'" D-Von then added that Matt and Jeff Hardy were unaware of the change in plans, which means their emotional reactions at the end of the match were genuine.
Bully Ray then asked Chris Jericho whether he's seen something like what the Dudley's did before in Japan, which the veteran claimed wasn't something that happened even there. "I've seen guys take off their boots symbolically and leave them in the ring, and I know Dynamite Kid gave [Chris] Benoit his boots at some point, but not in the ring either," Jericho recalled. "I'm sure that it might have happened at some point, but if it has, I can't remember it and definitely not at this level."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Talk Is Jericho" and provide a h/t to Wresting Inc. for the transcription.