One of WWE’s most infamous Attitude Era moments almost never happened, at least according to D-Von Dudley.
Speaking on Going Ringside with Scott Johnson, the former Dudley Boyz star reflected on the legendary segment involving Mae Young being powerbombed through a table and revealed that Vince McMahon originally pitched the angle as a way to turn The Dudley Boyz into villains. According to D-Von Dudley, both he and Bubba Ray Dudley immediately warned McMahon that the idea would backfire. The pair had already experienced a similar reaction after putting Terri Runnels through a table, which ended up making the team more popular instead of hated.
When McMahon later suggested doing the same thing to Mae Young, D-Von said they again warned him that fans would cheer the segment regardless of Young’s age. Despite their concerns, the segment went ahead and quickly became one of the most memorable moments of the Attitude Era. However, D-Von revealed the biggest surprise actually came backstage afterward. According to D-Von, Young confronted the duo after the segment and slapped Bubba Ray because she believed they had been too careful with her during the spot.
“She said, next time you’re in the ring with me, just make sure one thing, you hit me like you hit one of the boys,” D-Von recalled.
D-Von also admitted he was relieved Bubba Ray handled the actual powerbomb due to his own fear of heights and concerns about potentially dropping Young during the spot from the ropes.
D-Von Dudley Said WWE Commentators Were Not Told About Mae Young Being Put Through A Table Ahead Of Time
Elsewhere in the interview, D-Von Dudley explained that WWE commentators, including Jerry Lawler, were intentionally kept unaware of the angle in advance so their reactions would feel authentic on television.
The Dudleys eventually repeated the table spot on both Raw and SmackDown, with D-Von saying Young later even suggested escalating things further by having the team throw her off the top of a steel cage through a table.
Looking back, D-Von admitted the stunt was incredibly risky but said he remains grateful fans still remember and talk about it decades later.
