Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley weren’t even the original members of the Dudley family who first appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) on July 1, 1995, but the truth is that not only did they become not only the most known in pro wrestling as they achieved the status of one of the best tag teams ever as The Dudley Boyz (and later as Team 3D).
Bubba Ray (then Buh Buh Ray Dudley) joined the group in October 1995, playing the role of a stuttering peasant dancer. And it wasn’t until April 1996 that D-Von Dudley debuted. However, it took until February 1997 for Buh Buh Ray and D-Von to become a tag team. However, in the two and a half years that followed, The Dudleys won the ECW World Tag Team Championship eight times.
In August 1999, the duo moved to what was then called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and the following year began a series of matches against The Hardy Boyz and Edge & Christian ladder involving, tables and/or chairs. In the company of Vince McMahon, they won the World Tag Team Championship on eight occasions as well as the WWE Tag Team Championship and WCW Tag Team Championship once each.
In 2005, The Dudley Boyz ended their contract with WWE and signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as Brother Ray and Brother Devon, and collectively as Team 3D. The promoter founded by Jeff Jarrett won the NWA World Tag Team Championship once and the TNA World Tag Team Championship twice.
The Dudleys rejoined the WWE in 2015 and 2016, but without the success they once had. However, in 2018 they were inducted into the Hall of Fame by former rivals Edge and Christian. It is therefore worth recalling the ten best matches of The Dudley Boyz in WWE, in chronological order.
Royal Rumble 2000
Table Match: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
After Jeff Hardy ‘s victory over Bubba Ray Dudley on January 17, 2000 Raw is War, the Dudley Boyz attacked the Hardy Boyz and had Jeff Hardy lying on a table, Bubba Ray taking advantage of the opportunity to Powerbomb Matt Hardy over him. Jeff and the table, which was undone.
This incident led to the first table match in history, involving both teams.
Three days later on SmackDown , Matt Hardy defeated D-Von by disqualification after the Dudleys member whipped him.
WrestleMania 2000
Ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz
At the Royal Rumble 2000, The Hardy Boyz beat the Dudley Boyz, having sealed the victory after an incredible Swanton Bomb from the top of a counter onto Bubba Ray , who was lying on a table.
Initially, the Dudley Boyz showed respect and sympathy for the Hardy Boyz , eventually attacking them during Matt and Jeff ‘s match against the New Age Outlaws for the WWF Tag Team Championship on Raw following the Royal Rumble on January 24.
Three days later, on SmackDown! , Edge and Christian supported the Hardy Boyz and fought the Dudleys, but Bubba Ray and D-Von planted the Canadians on a table.
In the ensuing Raw is War, the Hardy Boyz planted the Dudley Boyz on tables, but D-Von and Bubba Ray returned the favor that same night, planting them on three overlapping tables.
On the February 14 episode of Raw is War , D-Von Dudley beat Edge and Jeff Hardy to earn a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship from the New Age Outlaws at the No Way Out pay-per-view. And during that triple threat match, the Hardy Boyz had a confrontation with Edge and Christian, which led to a match between the two teams also at No Way Out, with the winning team becoming the main contender for the belts.
At No Way Out, the Dudley Boyz beat the New Age Outlaws to win the WWF Tag Team Championship , while Edge and Christian beat The Hardy Boyz , thanks to Terri Runnels betraying Matt and Jeff , to become the main contenders.
On the March 16 episode of SmackDown! , the Dudleys retained the title after beating Edge and Christian, which led to a tournament being held on March 20 on Raw is War to determine the leading contenders for the belts at WrestleMania 2000. In the final of that tournament, a Battle Royal between the Hardy Boyz , Edge and Christian, Too Cool and Al Snow & Steve Blackman, both Too Cool and Al Snow & Steve Blackman were eliminated before the Dudley Boyz interfered and attacked the teams still in contention, the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian.
Three days later, on SmackDown! , Vince McMahon announced that the Dudley Boyz would defend the WWF Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 2000 against the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Triangle Ladder match
SummerSlam 2000
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
Edge & Christian (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
The same teams that belonged in the Triangle ladder match Wrestlemania 2000, at the time with the victory smiling to Edge and Christian, who won the titles thated to the Dudley Boyz.
The three teams remained very involved, but the rivalry intensified over the summer when the Hardy Boyz attacked champions Edge and Christian as they defended their title against the Dudleys on the episode of SmackDown! of August 10th. The Hardy Boyz attacked Edge with a ladder and the Dudley Boyz planted Christian on a table, but they didn’t go unanswered.
On the following edition of Raw is War , Edge and Christian attacked Matt Hardy with a chair, prompting commissioner Mick Foley to announce a table, ladder , and chair match for SummerSlam . And if initially the Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz seemed to be joining forces against the title holders, they soon also came into conflict, attacking each other in the weeks leading up to the fight.
WrestleMania X-Seven
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz
In the year following the Triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000, all three teams dominated the tag team division. In addition to the reign they started at WrestleMania , Edge and Christian had five more. In the same period, The Hardy Boyz were champions three times and The Dudleys twice, appearing at WrestleMania X-Seven in that capacity. In between, Too Cool (Grand Master Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty), Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather) and The Rock and The Undertaker had the titles in their possession.
In early 2001, the belts changed hands several times. At the Royal Rumble , the Dudley Boyz won the title from Edge and Christian, having retained it at No Way Out in a tables match that involved the Canadian team and also The Brothers of Destruction ( The Undertaker and Kane).
On the March 5 episode of Raw is War, Edge and Christian helped the Hardy Boyz defeat the Dudley Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship . Two weeks later, the Canadians won the title to become champions for the sixth time, but that same night, they lost their belts to the Dudley Boyz.
SmackDown! (May 24, 2001)
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
At a time when Steve Austin and Triple H were the champions, a tag team turmoil match was scheduled for Judgment Day to determine the main contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship , with the team of former rivals Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit taking the best. , eliminating Edge and Christian in last place.
Jericho and Benoit ended up receiving the opportunity to fight for the title on Raw the following night and took advantage of an involuntary sledgehammer from Triple H to Austin to win the belts. Three days later, on SmackDown! , Vince McMahon announced that same night the newly crowned champions would defend their titles in a match that would involve tables, ladders and tables against the Hardy Boyz , the Dudley Boyz and Edge & Christian.
Unforgiven 2001
Four-way elimination match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Big Show and Spike Dudley vs. The Hurricane and Lance Storm
On the September 17, 2001 episode of Raw Is War , the Dudley Boyz beat the Brothers of Destruction ( The Undertaker and Kane) to win the WWF Tag Team Championship .
At the same time, two new teams were formed: Big Show and Spike Dudley and Lance Storm and The Hurricane. On the other hand, the Hardy Boyz were on the lookout for a title shot.
On the September 20 edition of SmackDown! , The Hurricane and Lance Storm defeated Spike Dudley and Big Show. After the match, the Dudley Boyz attacked Spike and Big Show, having double suplexed Big Show that sent him crashing through a table. Also that night, the Hardy Boyz beat the Dudleys in a no-title match, after interference from Spike Dudley. In retaliation, the Dudley Boyz 3D Matt Hardy who broke the table.
That said, a Four Corners Elimination match was scheduled between the four teams for the WWF Tag Team Championship at Unforgiven.
No Mercy 2001
WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Big Show and Tajiri
On the October 11 episode of SmackDown! , the Dudley Boyz beat Big Show and Spike Dudley to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship . After the match, the Dudley Boyz attacked Big Show with their belts and Suplexed Spike at a table outside the ring.
Four days later on Raw , the Dudley Boyz defeated Big Show in a handicap match . Following the feud, Tajiri saved Big Show and together they attacked the Dudley Boyz.
In the edition of SmackDown! That followed, commissioner Mick Foley announced that the Dudley Boyz would defend the WWF Tag Team Championship against Big Show and Tajiri at the No Mercy pay-per-view.
Survivor Series 2001
Steel Cage Unification Match | WCW & WWF Tag Team Championship:
The Dudley Boyz (WCW Champions) vs. The Hardy Boyz (WWF Champions)
In the weeks leading up to Survivor Series, the WWF and WCW tag team titles changed hands quite frequently, even being unified for the first time at SummerSlam 2001, when WCW belt holders, the Brothers of Destruction ( Kane and Undertaker ), beat Chris Kanyon and Diamond Dallas Page, until then the WWF tag team champions.
However, this unification did not last a month, as the Brothers of Destruction lost the WWF title to The Dudley Boyz on the September 17 episode of Raw and the WCW title to Booker T and Test on the 25th episode. September’s SmackDown!.
However, the WWF Tag Team Championship passed to Chris Jericho and The Rock ( October 22 Raw ), Booker T and Test (November 1 SmackDown!) and The Hardy Boyz ( November 12 Raw ), while WCW The Tag Team Championship was also won by The Hardy Boyz ( October 8 Raw ) and The Dudley Boyz ( October 23 SmackDown!) until Survivor Series, a pay-per-view for which the title unification match was scheduled.
Judgment Day 2004
The Dudley Boyz vs. Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam
On the April 22, 2004 episode of SmackDown! , Rob Van Dam was facing Booker T and preparing to deliver a Five Star Frog Splash when he was distracted by pyrotechnics in the stage area. Booker T took advantage of the distraction and achieved victory via a roll-up .
After the match, Paul Heyman appeared on the scene, playing the role of General Manager that night due to Kurt Angle ‘s absence, and verbally attacked RVD, accusing him of dishonoring ECW’s legacy. Meanwhile, the Dudley Boyz emerged, apparently to support Rob Van Dam, but then brutally attacked him.
A week later RVD called the Dudleys to the ring, but was caught off guard again by Bubba Ray and D-Von, who came out of the crowd to attack him while Paul Heyman distracted him from the stage area. However, Eddie Guerrero appeared to save Rob Van Dam, who returned the favor during a match between Eddie and Bubba Ray.
For the next episode of SmackDown! a match between the Dudley Boyz and the team of Eddie Guerrero and Rob Van Dam was scheduled, but the fact that JBL had given Eddie’s mother a heart attack led to the Latino Heat being replaced in the match by Rey Mysterio. Still, RVD and Mystery prevailed.
Already on the May 13 edition of SmackDown! , D-Von Dudley beat Rob Van Dam thanks to interference from Bubba Ray . After the match the Dudleys continued to attack RVD until Mysterio appeared and made the save , which led to a new match between the two factions being scheduled for the Judgment Day pay-per-view.
ECW One Night Stand 2005
The Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman
A symbolic match to end in beauty the reunion event of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), a promoter that closed its doors in 2001 due to financial reasons and whose assets were acquired by WWE in 2003. In light of the success of the documentary The Rise and Fall of ECW in 2004, WWE announced that it would organize a reunion event for the former company, called ECW One Night Stand, to take place at the mythical Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York .