D-Von Dudley Makes Major Promise About Final Match Vs. The Hardys
D-Von Dudley is making a surprising comeback.
At Slammiversary, The Hardys rolled back the years one more time to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship in a wild Ladder Match. However, the nostalgia wasn’t done there.
After the match, the pair were confronted by Bully Ray, better known as Bubba Ray Dudley. He began by congratulating the new champions before challenging them to one more match at Bound For Glory.
The announcement was especially surprising as, in recent years, D-Von Dudley has suffered a stroke and undergone major spinal surgery, after which he was told he’d never wrestle again.
In a new video on his YouTube channel, D-Von tried to ease fans’ concerns about his health, talking up the impact DDP Yoga has had on his recovery. He noted that while he and Bubba were never high-flyers, they took risks, something he’s keen to avoid this time around.
Bubba and I were never really high flyers to begin with, but some of the things we did were dangerous. Some of the things that we did took a toll on our bodies. I’m not saying that D-Von getting back with The Hardys is going to be anything less than what you’re used to, but the way I go into things now will be a lot smarter.
I just wish I would have taken this DDPY when I first started my career. Because chances are, I probably wouldn’t have needed back surgery, just for the simple fact that I took for granted being young. I didn’t care about my body in terms of bumping and doing all the crazy stuff that we did. If I had the knowledge that I have now, I probably would have lasted ten times longer.”
Despite initially urging caution, D-Von said he’s going to give everything he’s got in the ring, adding that it’s going to be “Dudleys and Hardys of old.” However, he did make it clear that the match will be his last, and serve as a farewell to the industry he’s loved for decades.
“I will say this business is business. I’m sure you have your fans out there that think that you’re the greatest. Hell, it’s like LeBron and Jordan. Jordan retired a little earlier than LeBron. LeBron still going. So those younger fans think that LeBron is the goat, and Jordan is second. That’s fine, not taking anything away from what you have done and what you’ve accomplished in this business.
But there’s no denying that 24 World Tag Team Titles is a very, very hard thing to beat. You’re nowhere near close to having 24 World Tag Team titles. So that still makes us the greatest. That still makes us the GOAT of tag team wrestling. We might be 24-time World Tag Team Champions now, but come Bound For Glory, we might be looking at 25.
I have to say that now I feel it’s the right time to say goodbye to a sport that had been so good to me, to a sport that helped provide for me, helped feed my family, put food on the table, clothes on our backs, a roof over our heads. What better way than to say goodbye at TNA Bound for Glory, and that’s what we’re gonna do.
It’s gonna be The Dudleys and The Hardys of old. I’m gonna give everything I can to make sure that D-Von is right on track with everything that he does in that ring. So I’m excited, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be able to get back in the ring one last time. I plan on having this one last match and then putting it behind me and saying I had a great 33-year career in pro wrestling.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Doesn’t Want To See D-Von Dudley Comeback
Following Slammiversary, Booker T made it clear that he didn’t think D-Von Dudley should be wrestling again. He added that some veterans seem unable to “let it go,” urging them to move on.
Booker raised concerns about D-Von’s health, questioning whether it was safe to wrestle after suffering a stroke and undergoing such a major surgery.
During the same episode, Booker T confirmed that he’s now retired and has no desire to get back in the ring. He explained that at 60 years of age, he’s well aware that he can’t physically do what he did even into his 40s.
H/t to Fightful