D-Von Dudley Denies Claim WWE Was Infiltrated by the KKK

D-Von Dudley finally had enough of people twisting his words online, as the WWE Hall of Famer has now denied ever saying that KKK members infiltrated WWE in the past.

In a recent interview with Video Gamer, D-Von Dudley claimed that members of the Ku Klux Klan made their way into WWE back in the 90s.

“The racism back then was hidden really. Iâ€ve said this before and Iâ€ll say it again. The Klan wore sheets on their heads. The Ku Klux Klan wore sheets over their heads. And I felt that a lot of those Klan members made their way into wrestling, traded in their sheets for suits. It was definitely a behind the scenes thing.â€

However, while speaking on Duke Loves Rasslin, D-Von Dudley addressed the controversy over the misleading claim that he said WWE was “infiltrated by the KKK.†He made it clear that he never said that.

What he actually talked about was how racism still exists today in more subtle ways. He explained that some people who once wore Klan sheets now wear business suits and work in professional settings, using power and influence instead of violence to discriminate.

“Well, to say that, you know, D-Von Dudley, you know, um, in a picture of me, and then to have the words underneath, ‘WWE has been infiltrated by the Klan,†or the KKK as they said — number one, I never said that.

I used the term, which Iâ€ve used on this show many times, about racism and the Ku Klux Klan, skinheads, or what have you — about how a lot of them traded in their sheets for suits and got into the workplace. They may not be able to do their jobs as Klansmen like they used to do in the 1950s and 1960s, riding horses and terrorizing African Americans or other races, but theyâ€ve found ways to do it underhandedly by, again, trading in their sheets for suits.

Thatâ€s what was said. Never once did I say that WWE is being infiltrated by the Klan. And when I read that, I was like, that is not true. I did not say that.â€

Dudley said the idea that he accused WWE of being connected to the Klan was completely untrue. The misunderstanding came after he talked openly about people in WWE who treated him unfairly during the Attitude Era.

“That all stemmed from me finally feeling comfortable letting the cat out of the bag in terms of who acted that way toward me in WWE back in the Attitude Era.â€

D-Von stated that WWE has been good to him, giving him a career, financial stability, and opportunities. He said he has no reason to attack the company, and heâ€s proud to speak positively about them.

Dudley also warned against people twisting his words or spreading false claims, pointing out that anyone could read or listen to his full podcast to hear what he really said.

“And listen, Iâ€m going to say this — WWE has been great to me. They fed me, they put a roof over my head, you name it, theyâ€ve done it. So, youâ€re going to have those people that say, ‘Oh, well, D-Vonâ€s on that WWE bandwagon.†Youâ€re damn right I am. You donâ€t bite the hand that feeds you. Thatâ€s one. Number two, why would I? Because you donâ€t like them or you have an issue with them?

So, Iâ€m supposed to bury them or not say good things about them? Iâ€m going to, because Iâ€m going to say good things about them. Thatâ€s one. Number two, donâ€t put words in my mouth that I didnâ€t say. And that whole podcast that I did — the transcripts of what I said and the interview itself — were right there in the link. How they took that and switched it around is beyond me.â€

D-Von Dudleyâ€s message shows that talking openly about race and respect in wrestling is still important, but it should always be done honestly and definitely not by twisting words. Regardless, fans are just glad D-Von pointed out what he actually meant before things got out of hand.

What are your thoughts on D-Von Dudleyâ€s clarification? Do you think fans and media outlets should be held more accountable for misrepresenting interviews? Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.

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