Dudley Boyz Reflect On Experiences With Racism, Recall Incident In WWE

The Dudley Boyz recently reflected on their experiences with racism, recalling one particular incident in WWE. Maven interviewed Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley for D-Von’s YouTube channel in a video posted after the team’s last match. The two faced The Hardys in a Ladder Match at TNA Bound For Glory for the NXT and TNA Tag Team Titles.

Early in the interview, D-Von spoke about the racism he encountered early on in wrestling. He then recounted how he experienced it in WWE, but not in ECW. Bubba then recalled being there for the moment. You can see the highlights below:

D-Von On Being Scared Of Racism At the Time

“Being African-American in this in this business still — especially in the very beginning of 1991. And even though we got started in 96, I was still petrified of racism. Somebody not saying, ‘Okay, we can’t allow him to say this, because watching a black man say this in this type of business or vice versa?” Because I found that to be very, very — a point of view in so many people when I was coming up in the business, that their philosophy was still stuck in the ’50s and ’60s. A black man should never say anything because of the fact that he’s black and you’re in a white man’s business.”

D-Von On Not Experiencing It During ECW:

“No, I didn’t experience it when we were together. Because of the fact that 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 who — I don’t really want to go and say any names… But my point was, when a person comes up to you and tells you that they don’t like you because of the color of your skin. And you’re sitting up there going, ‘Wow, really?’ When [it’s] 1999, 2000 and you’re still coming to me and saying crap like this. There were certain people in that organization and that time that felt that I should not have said anything, who had power to basically bury me if need be just because I might have stood up for what I felt was right.”

Bubba On Whether He Ever Felt Like He Had To Protect D-Von From Racism

“Yes, once. Only once. And that’s why I asked them like, ‘Have you ever experienced since we since we were together?’ And now that he brings up this incident that I know he’s talking about, yes, I did experience [it] firsthand. And I think if I wasn’t there to actually physically grab him by his wrist and hold him back, that something could have happened. So yes, I did experience it with him once.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit D-Von Dudley with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.