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WWE Hall of Famer Devon Dudley sits down with VladTV to reflect on his life, wrestling career, and the rise of one of the most iconic tag teams in professional wrestling history — The Dudley Boyz.

Devon opens up about growing up in Brooklyn, where his father was involved in drug dealing while his grandmother played a major role in keeping him grounded. His family later moved him to Long Island for safety, where he first discovered professional wrestling and began pursuing the sport seriously.

Devon explains how he joined ECW in 1996, where he teamed up with Bubba Ray Dudley to form the Dudley Boyz. The duo quickly became one of the most controversial and popular acts in wrestling, known for their outrageous promos and dangerous innovations — including the legendary flaming table powerbomb that helped redefine hardcore wrestling.

The conversation covers Devon’s transition to WWE in 2000, where the Dudley Boyz became one of the most decorated tag teams in wrestling history, winning multiple tag team championships across different promotions. Devon also discusses why he ultimately retired in 2016 following contract disagreements with WWE.

Devon reflects on several difficult and important topics, including the impact of steroids in wrestling, experiences with racism in the industry, and his evolving friendship with Hulk Hogan following Hogan’s public controversies. He also speaks candidly about the emotional and physical toll of wrestling, including suffering a stroke in 2019 after stress related to personal issues and divorce.

He credits Diamond Dallas Page’s yoga program with helping him recover and regain his health. Devon also talks about being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018, the pride he felt representing ECW’s legacy, and the often-misunderstood sensitivity wrestlers have when their profession is called “fake.”

Today, Devon focuses on mentoring the next generation through his wrestling school and sharing his experiences on his YouTube channel while continuing to honor the legacy of hardcore wrestling.