A WWE Hall of Famer has opened up on how their in-ring career came to an abrupt end in WWE, revealing they were not ready to retire when the decision was made.
Speaking with DJ Vlad, D-Von Dudley said WWE had interest in keeping The Dudley Boyz together following their 2015 return, but Bubba Ray Dudley chose not to re-sign with the company. That decision ultimately left D-Von without a contract, despite him already signing his own deal.
“Bubba didn’t want to re-sign… we were kind of upset with each other because he wanted to leave and I wanted to stay,” D-Von said.
D-Von explained that WWE informed him his contract would be void unless Bubba also agreed to a new deal. He said he tried to convince his longtime partner to stay for one more year, but was unsuccessful.
He later received a call from Vince McMahon during SummerSlam weekend informing him he would not be re-signed. D-Von said he pushed for a singles run but was told WWE only wanted to use the Dudleys as a team.
“If I can’t have one, then I can’t do the other,” McMahon reportedly told him.
D-Von Dudley & Vince McMahon Got Into A Heated Exchange Over His WWE Contract Being Terminated
D-Von Dudley admitted the situation led to a rare, heated exchange with McMahon, as he expressed frustration that his career was being affected by a decision out of his control. He also revealed that he rejected a scripted farewell promo on Raw, instead choosing to speak from the heart.
Afterwards, Triple H approached him about transitioning into a producer role. While D-Von initially resisted, believing he still had more to offer in the ring, he ultimately accepted because of the financial stability it provided for his family.
D-Von added that Stephanie McMahon reassured him the door was not fully closed, telling him it was “see you later” rather than goodbye. Despite the circumstances, D-Von made it clear there was no lasting animosity between himself and Bubba, noting their disagreement never became physical.
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