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WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley has stepped up to defend rising WWE Evolve star Aria Bennett, who recently exposed the racist hate sheâ€s been receiving on social media. Bennettâ€s post brought attention to the ugly side of online fandom—and D-Von is making sure people donâ€t look the other way.

On the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, D-Von reacted to Bennettâ€s post, praising her for speaking up and calling out fans who continue to spread hate toward wrestlers, particularly women and people of color. He said the issue goes far beyond one person—itâ€s something that affects the entire wrestling community.

“These fans gotta get a grip. If that were your mother, if it was your sister, you know, a very close cousin, a family member that you loved to death was being treated like this, you wouldnâ€t like it. So why do it to other people? You just wouldnâ€t like it.â€

Bennettâ€s story struck a nerve with D-Von, who recalled the tragic story of Hana Kimura, the Japanese wrestling star who took her life in 2020 after being cyberbullied following her appearance on Terrace House.

“There was a young lady about a couple of years ago, Japanese superstar, that committed suicide because something happened. I canâ€t remember what it was, but the fans got involved and they started terrorizing this young lady and making her feel a certain way where the lady took her life.â€

He condemned the lack of accountability for people who send abusive messages online, saying the damage caused by cyberbullying can last a lifetime.

“There is no repercussions from that. There is no policing that will help people out that are being bullied or what have you. And for the fans to just go and do that, I think itâ€s disgusting.â€

D-Von also reminded listeners that wrestlers are human beings who make mistakes, and that the pedestal fans place them on often leads to unfair judgment and ridicule.

“You may not want to hear what your superstar that you love and honor does, but again, like I said, weâ€re all human. We all make mistakes.â€

D-Von sent a message of encouragement, urging her to stay strong through the hate and never lose faith in herself.

“If sheâ€s doing that, then God bless her, man. Stay strong. Because theyâ€re only going to try to tear you down. And if they do, keep God first on everything and you wonâ€t lose. You wonâ€t be alone. I promise you.â€

D-Vonâ€s words were more than just support—they were a call for change. The wrestling veteran made it clear that fans need to show empathy instead of cruelty, and that the industry has to protect its performers from hate that goes beyond the ring.

D-Von Dudleyâ€â€s defense of Aria Bennett shines a light on a problem too many wrestlers face in silence.

Do you agree with D-Von that fans need to take responsibility for their words online? How should wrestling promotions handle racism and harassment directed at their talent? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation.

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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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It was the end of an era at TNA Bound For Glory 2025 as The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz (known by TNA fans as Team 3D) faced off one more time in a tag team tables match that effectively turned into a TLC match by the time it was over. The match was significant for D-Von Dudley in particular as it was his first match in over a year, and his first televised match since 2023. Video Gamer caught up with the WWE Hall of Famer to see if he was still feeling the effects of the match. “I feel great,” D-Von said. “I’m sore, yes. But that’s expected when you haven’t been in the ring in three years. And then prior to the 1000th episode of Impact Wrestling, it was seven years.”

D-Von went on to reveal that he had been taking boxing lessons in preparation for the match, not because he was going to get in a fist fight with Matt and Jeff Hardy, but because he was looking to improve his footwork and cardio. This proved to be a stroke of genius for the WWE Hall of Famer as he now feels the best he has felt in years.

“It was great cardio. I was salivating at the mouth, drool coming out of my mouth, snot coming out of my nose, but doing rounds of boxing was one of the ways I’ve been keeping my cardio up. Flipping tires, doing the ropes, things like that. So it was a grueling six months when I put my body through just to do what we did. But it was all worth it. I hadn’t done it in years and I was happy to have started doing that. I felt like the old D-Von and I’m just glad it’s over.”

One Final Table Had Been In The Works For A While

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The idea of having two of the most famous tag teams of all time going at it one final time has been a topic of discussion for many years. Talks naturally ramped up when Adam “Edge” Copeland joined AEW in 2023 as his former partner Christian Cage and The Hardy Boyz were all in the company at the time. However, both Matt and Jeff left AEW in 2024, which in turn opened the door for The Dudley Boyz to try and put something together with their greatest rivals, and according to D-Von, TNA had the match in mind throughout all of 2025.

“I think talks started in January. I got the phone call from Bubba sometime in February and he asked me if I could still go. And that was the thing. He said, ‘can you still go?’ Of course I can still go. When he said he wanted one last match with the Hardys, I said ‘oh, here we go.’ Just for the fact that when you wrestle with the Hardys, you’ve got to come prepared, you’ve got to be ready. And I wanted to make sure that that was going to be the case if I took this on, which is why I started training as soon as I found out. I knew how long it would take me to get back into shape and to do what I had to do, but it worked and I’m happy about it.”

Unfortunately for The Dudley Boyz, it was Matt and Jeff who ran out victorious, retaining both the TNA and WWE NXT Tag Team Championships in the process, and now that D-Von has confirmed that he is fully retired, The Hardy Boyz will have the bragging rights for the rest of their careers.

Please credit the original source when using quotes from this article, and thanks to Video Gamer for the transcription.

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When D-Von Dudley departed his WWE behind-the-scenes role in 2023, he had some discussions with Tony Khan about potentially joining AEW.

In a new interview, Dudley told Video Gamer that his agent contacted AEW about a potential job after Dudley’s WWE exit. That job did not come to fruition, though, because Dudley was only interested in being an agent/producer. Dudley says Khan wanted him to compete in the ring or be a manager:

• I was looking to become a producer. I wasnâ€t looking to become a wrestler. And the only reason why my agent even contacted them was because of the fact that I left WWE and I wanted to still do the agent role. But my sons were there at the time and I was gonna try to do anything I could to help my sons out. I expressed to Tony that I didnâ€t wanna wrestle. He kept trying to push it. He would have loved me to go out there and do a couple of things, maybe be a manager and maybe even do a six-man tag match. And I told him, I said, ‘If I do a six-man, let me know right now. Iâ€ll be on [the] apron and the boys are gonna do all the work.â€
• I told him I donâ€t wanna wrestle anymore. And he wasnâ€t taking no for an answer. He couldnâ€t get that through his head. He was like stringing me along and even though I kept telling him I donâ€t wanna wrestle. I was literally when we had those meetings really fresh off a back surgery. I really couldnâ€t do it like that back then. It takes time for your body to heal and to be able to do what you got to do after back surgery.
• So I basically kept emphasizing that I wanted to be a producer. I did not wanna wrestle. I wanted to work behind the scenes and he kept asking me if I wanted to wrestle and get back in the ring. And Iâ€m like, ‘Dude, youâ€re not getting what Iâ€m saying. I donâ€t want to wrestle. I just wanna be a producer. I wanna help my sons out. I wanna help get them where they are.†Like what Billy Gun was doing for his sons, you know? Iâ€ve done everything in my career. I donâ€t need that. He just wasnâ€t taking no for an answer. Iâ€ve had three meetings with him and all three were a bust!

Dudley’s sons — Terrell & Terrence Hughes — are an indie tag team named TNT. They worked dates on AEW Dark from 2020-2022.

After his 2022 spinal surgery, Dudley worked very few matches. He wrapped up his in-ring career this month when The Dudleys lost to their legendary rivals Matt & Jeff Hardy at TNA Bound for Glory.

Dudley told Video Gamer that — while he does not have anything against AEW as a company or Khan personally — he is not a fan of how the promotion is run and would not have wanted to have his final match there:

• I just wanted to end my career the right way and it had no bearing on where I did it, just as long as it was the right way. I would not have done it for AEW just because I donâ€t think AEW was ever a fit for the Dudleys. For other people probably, yes, but to me, not the Dudleys. I donâ€t know if I wouldâ€ve felt comfortable. Thereâ€s just certain things about the organization. I love the talent. I think the talent is great. Thereâ€s no question about that, but thereâ€s a feeling that certain people in the organization that call the shots, Iâ€m not a big fan of them.Â
• And Tony Khan lets that happen. So I donâ€t ever think that it wouldâ€ve ever been able to take place in AEW. Iâ€ve got nothing against AEW as a company. Iâ€ve got nothing against Tony Khan. I just donâ€t like the way the organization is run. And thatâ€s about it. Again, Iâ€ve got friends in AEW. Iâ€ve met new people at autograph signings, like Will Ospreay who is a great guy and a lot of the talent in AEW have the same frustration that I see. They just wish that certain people wouldnâ€t be calling the shots and that Tony would take more control, but yet give it to somebody that knows what theyâ€re doing.

At the moment, the 53-year-old Dudley is focused on expanding his presence on YouTube. His channel currently has almost 200,000 subscribers.

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Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated’s wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.

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Booker T is weighing in on the recent accusations made by D-Von Dudley about alleged racism from a top WWE official—and heâ€s not shying away from addressing the elephant in the room.

On his Hall of Fame podcast,Booker T responded to D-Vonâ€s claim that a WWE official once told him they didnâ€t like him because of the color of his skin. Although D-Von never said a name, he referred to the person as being known for wearing a “ten-gallon hatâ€â€”a clear reference many fans took as being about Jim Ross.

Booker confirmed that when he joined WWE in 2001, the man in charge of talent relations was indeed JR—the same person who held that position when the Dudley Boyz came to WWE in 1998.

“Now, coming to WWE — and that brings me to what happened with D-Von Dudley. D-Von said that someone didnâ€t like him because of the color of his skin, and that one person, I think, was being implied to be JR. They said ‘10-gallon hat,†yeah, thatâ€s exactly who they were talking about. So, I came in around 2001, and the person I had to deal with was JR. Now, I donâ€t know if JR had talent relations at that time — yeah, he was head of talent relations. He was also head of talent relations back in â€98 when D-Von and Bubba had to deal with him.â€

Despite the timeline overlap, Booker made it clear that his experience with Jim Ross was entirely different.

“JR was actually the one guy who convinced me to tell my story — about what I went through — because he told me, and I quote, ‘You can help so many people with your story. You can help so many people.†Thatâ€s what I remember about JR.â€

Booker T acknowledged that different people can have different experiences—even with the same person—and didnâ€t try to discredit D-Vonâ€s account.

“So, a lot of people have different stories about the same person, you know what I mean? I donâ€t discount anything D-Von said — I believe him, I believe him 100%. Iâ€m not going to sit here and deny it. But in my situation — have I dealt with racism in this business? Of course I have. Have I experienced racism? Yes.â€

This comes just days after D-Von Dudley appeared on a podcast and made the following statement about his time in WWE:

“No, I didnâ€t experience it when we were together because when we got together, we were in ECW, and in ECW, I did not experience it. I experienced it in WWE. I experienced it with certain top officials, though I donâ€t really want to say any names. I didnâ€t wear a ten gallon hat or anything, but when a person comes up to you and tells you they donâ€t like you because of the color of your skin, you sit there thinking, ‘Wow, really? Itâ€s 1999 or 2000, and youâ€re still saying stuff like this?â€â€

While Booker defended JR based on his personal dealings with him, he didnâ€t try to silence or disprove D-Vonâ€s perspective—bringing more depth to an ongoing conversation about racism in professional wrestling.

This story continues to unfold, and the ball is now in Jim Ross†court if he chooses to address the allegations directly.

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Do you think Jim Ross should publicly respond to the allegations? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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D-Von Dudley mightâ€ve walked away from the ring after his final match at Bound for Glory 2025, but heâ€s not shutting the door completely. In fact, thereâ€s one thing that could make him lace up the boots again—and thatâ€s money.

While speaking on Dukes Loves Rasslin, D-Von was asked whether heâ€d ever consider stepping back into the ring, particularly if WWE came calling with an offer. Dudley didnâ€t beat around the bush—if the number is right, heâ€s listening.

“Look, six figures—or even close to seven figures—can make a man do anything. It can make him go back on his word real quick. But I just donâ€t see it. I donâ€t see WWE doing that. So, Iâ€m going to leave it at that.â€

Although he admits the final match was the perfect send-off, D-Von isnâ€t completely ruling out a return. The former WWE Tag Team Champion is aware that wrestling retirements are rarely permanent, and the right dollar amount could change everything.

“I also feel that we did so well in this match that doing it again, or keeping on doing it, would just be redundant. I donâ€t think we should. I think we should leave on this high note and thatâ€s it.â€

But then came the key line that left fans hopeful:

“But again, if they want to pay that kind of money to make it happen, absolutely—okay, letâ€s do it.â€

For now, D-Von remains content with how his in-ring career ended, but heâ€s also realistic—big money talks. Whether WWE or another promotion comes knocking with the kind of deal that makes him reconsider remains to be seen.

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Would you want to see D-Von return for one last match? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

October 20, 2025 10:40 am

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By Ella Jay

Oct. 12, 2025 1:30 pm EST

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In the ring, D-Von Dudley utilizes moves such as the Saving Grace, a rope hung neckbreaker, and a 3D as his finishers. Meanwhile, former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho is best known for the Judas Effect, Walls of Jericho, and Codebreaker. In a recent video for his YouTube channel, D-Von detailed his experience taking Jericho’s Codebreaker during their previous stints in WWE.

According to D-Von, this move has delivered results on both ends of the pain spectrum. “I got to say, this particular move, the Codebreaker, can be a little on the scary side,” he said. “Some might beg to differ with me. ‘What’s so scary about it, D-Von? Hell, you’re watching him.’ Yes, I agree, you’re watching him, but think about it. Your face is coming down into his knees. If he goes a little bit before me or if I go a little early, possibly my face could be rearranged in a sense. But at the same token, it could be one of the most easiest ones that you could take.

“It’s also the way that the person who’s taking it, the way he reacts to it, how he sells it. It’s the ones that you think aren’t going to hurt you bad, those are the ones that get you because you’re not putting any effort into protecting yourself really.”Â

Jericho and D-Von have shared the ring on over three-dozen occasions, one of which saw Jericho and Chris Benoit successfully defend the WWE World Tag Team Championships in a four-way TLC match in May 2001. Jericho and D-Von last crossed paths in a 16-man elimination tag match on “WWE Raw” in 2016. Like Rey Mysterio, D-Von considers Jericho to be a true professional in the ring, especially when it comes to protecting their opponents.Â

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit D-Von Dudley with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Considering that he got his big break in ECW, WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley has taken a lot of very painful moves throughout his career. However, there is one move that he took that legitimately made him sick. During a recent video on his YouTube channel, D-Von was ranking some of the worst moves he’s ever taken in his career, and while a number of them ranked highly, none of them left him feeling worse than when he took The Big Swing from AEW star Claudio Castagnoli, known by WWE fans as Cesaro.

“When you’re blown sky high, in other words when you’re tired and filled with exhaustion and he starts swinging you around, let’s just say I was glad I didn’t eat before the match,” D-Von said. “I got so sick, it was like being on a bad ride at Coney Island. Cesaro told me at the end he goes ‘Everybody has that feeling when they take that,’ and I was like ‘I wish you would have told me that beforehand.’ The man did it 14 times swinging me, and I remember the first four and I went ‘Oh my god we’ve got more to go.’ By the time we got to ten I was like ‘He’s really going to go to 14,’ and he did. He swung me around 14 times. Cesaro was a freak of nature.”

D-Von admitted that he downplayed the move when Castagnoli originally asked him if he would like to take it, stating that he saw it on TV and thought it didn’t look too difficult. Castagnoli had even told D-Von to try and keep his head up and breathe to prevent him from feeling nauseous, to which D-Von said that he will be fine. After taking it, D-Von confirmed that it was one of the worst moves he had ever taken, and he was glad that he hadn’t eaten before taking it.

Please credit the original source when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.Â

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From the early days of ECW throughout his Hall of Fame career, D-Von Dudley has absorbed probably taken just about every finishing maneuver most wrestling fans can recite. In a recent post on his official YouTube channel, Dudley was grading a plethora of finishing maneuvers in terms of which hurt the most, encompassing everything from Randy Orton’s RKO and Shawn Michaels’ Sweet Chin Music to Rey Mysterio’s 619, Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter and more. Even in that elite company, Dudley singled out one move that maybe didn’t hurt nearly as much physically but clearly cracked him mentally, and for which, he still holds a grudge against a fellow WWE Hall of Famer, Rikishi.

“I have a 300-plus-pound Samoan, not only beating me up, dragging me in the corner and wanting to put his big ass in my face,” Dudley recalled. “Why?” Working as Reverend D-Von at the time, Dudley claimed innocence and insisted he never should have been on the receiving end of something so vile. “Rikishi took it upon himself to put his hands on me and on top of that, put his damn nasty big ass in my face.”

There aren’t many moves that can rival the Stinkface in terms of sheer repulsiveness and Dudley is quick to point out that the experience remains a low point in his career. “It felt disgusting and to this day,” he said, “I hold a grudge against Rikishi and every time I see him, I tell him that. Why the hell’d you put your ass in my face?”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit D-Von Dudley’s official YouTube channel and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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