WWE Superstar and one-half of the Dudley Boyz, D-Von Dudley, spoke to PhillyVoice.com recently about him and Bubba Ray returning to WWE earlier this year, Monday’s upcoming Raw from the Wells Fargo Center, the legacy of ECW that still lives on today, Philly fans and more.

You can buy your tickets for Raw here.

PhillyVoice.com: You guys went on your annual trip for the Tribute to the Troops recently. What does an event like that mean to you personally?

D-Von Dudley:“It always means everything. When we were here the first time, we used to do that. We used to go overseas when they used to do it on TV. So, to me, I’m not just saying this because this is an interview or anything, but without these guys going over there and fighting and doing what they’re doing over there to make this country free, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. So they’re the real heroes, not us. They’re the real superstars. They are the ones that make the show happen. Without them and their guidance to be able to keep our security level the way it is, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. So, people don’t look at us as being the heroes or the superstar, it’s those guys.”

"For me it’s like Rocky walking through the streets of Philadelphia, you know, jogging, everybody going, ‘Rocco!.’ It’s the same thing with us, man. We get the same response. We just won’t run up those steps.”

PV: This Monday night, you guys are coming back to your old stompin’ grounds in Philly. What are some of your favorite spots to hit when you come back into the city?

DD: “My favorite spots are the arenas, because of the fact that’s where the fans are. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, you know there’s always been a rivalry between New York and Philadelphia. The fans [in Philly] know we’re from New York, they know we were born and raised there, but they put that aside because we might have been born and raised there, but Philly is where extreme was born.

“And I say extreme, and we all know that means ECW. And how many times we spilled blood in that ECW Arena, and how many times we’ve gone in there and done the things we’ve done. We’ve created history. Not only that, but winning one Tag Team Title after the other. You know, making a name for ourselves, putting ourselves on the map. Not only that, but just helping ECW to change the face of this business and get the companies at the time to be extreme. We helped make history. We helped put extreme on the map. The fans never forgot that – everywhere we go in Philadelphia, it’s ECW. They let us know that. So, it’s one of those things where we’re very proud of that legacy. We’re happy that we were able to do that. And, most importantly, for WWE to embrace it and realize it and know it and to let us be able to do that. That’s a feat in itself.

“You know WWE. They don’t acknowledge anything or anyone. That’s WWE. That shows you right there just the impact that ECW really, really had. And so many stars came from ECW. You know, ourselves, Tommy Dreamer, Rhyno, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, Mick Foley, Terry Funk. A lot of us who were in those ECW doors – Eddie Guerrero – made a name for ourselves there and moved on to the bigger stage. So, ECW is very, very close to our hearts and the Philadelphia fans are extremely close to us.”

PV: Do more people recognize you around Philly more from ECW or WWE?

DD: “Well, it’s both now. You know, Vince [McMahon] makes you a superstar. You get on that WWE TV, and everyone knows who you are. But the home and the heart in Philadelphia, for me, and I guess I could speak the same for Bubba Ray, too, but for me it’s like Rocky walking through the streets of Philadelphia, you know, jogging, everybody going, ‘Rocco!.’ It’s the same thing with us, man. We get the same response. We just won’t run up those steps.”

PV: It wouldn’t surprise me if you guys could run up those steps, you look like you’re in the best shape of your life.

DD: “Well, we are in great shape. I’m not saying that we can’t run, we just choose not to run when we don’t have to. Yeah, we’re in the best shape now than when we were here 10 years ago. We’re in better shape now than we were 20 years ago. We’re a lot smarter. We know the game. And I think that’s why the success we’ve been having since we’ve been back shows why we have been – because we’re a lot smarter and because we know what we’re doing. We’re just going out there and having fun now. Like Bubba and I always like to say: We’re like the rock group KISS. We’ll put the makeup on one more time and sing the greatest hits. Noone cares about the new hits. They want the old hits. “Rock n’ Roll All Nite” and “Detroit Rock City.” Well, we’re gonna give you that. We’re gonna give you the, ‘What’s up!?’ We’re gonna give you the 3D. We’re gonna give you the, ‘D-Von, get the tables!’ and we’re gonna put somebody’s ass through a table. So you get the whole kit and caboodle.”

"The fans will know that when everything is said and done, when the smoke clears, at Monday Night Raw, somebody’s behind is gonna go through a table.”

PV: Back in July, an article that featured you and Bubba Ray on SI.com quoted you guys as saying you weren’t sure why you weren’t back in WWE yet. Was that the kickstarter to negotiations? How did you guys coming back to WWE happen?

DD: (Laughs) All I can tell you is that it happened. Things happen for a reason and forever how long that was taking place, I can just tell you that we made history when we came back to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and shocked the world. And we’re gonna do that again in Philadelphia on Monday Night Raw this time around. It’s one of those things like you said, being back on a Monday Night Raw in Philadelphia, live TV, you put the Dudleyz on live TV, something’s gonna happen, you better believe that. You better get your tickets now. There are still tickets available. Because the day of the show, on Monday, there probably won’t be any tickets, because the [fans] are gonna see whose behind gets put through a table, I can guarantee you that.”

PV: Since you guys returned to WWE, a lot of people thought you and Bubba Ray would win the Tag Team titles quickly. The New Day was kind of skating on a plateau before you guys came in, and then really upped their game. What do you think about The New Day in today’s tag team wrestling?

DD: “Love The New Day. Although I wanna put their behinds through a table, love them. They’re exciting, they’re new, they’re doing things Bubba and I would do without the dancing and the twerking. They love to get under people’s skin. Listen, this is no different than what Bubba and I used to do when we were trying to make a name for ourselves. These guys are going out there and doing it. Do they piss us off and get us angry? Absolutely. Do we realize that? Absolutely, because that was us at one point in time.

“New Day is an up and coming tag team. They’re doing extremely well. It’s only a matter of time before we take those titles away from them, so we’re going to let them have their day in the sun, do what they gotta do. Again, they’re an extraordinary tag team. We’re very, very happy to be in the ring with them, and for us to kick their butts, for them to kick ours, and we’re gonna make history. Just like we did with Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boys, we’re gonna be doing that with not only The New Day, but we’re gonna be doing that with the Usos, we’re gonna do it with every one of those tag teams in the WWE right now. We’re gonna make sure we go out there and just tear it down. We’re gonna continue where we left off.”

PV: WrestleMania in Dallas is coming up. If you guys aren’t Tag Team Champions at the time, and have a Tag Team Title match lined up on the biggest show on the year and win the titles, would that be the biggest win of your career?

DD: “We’ve had so many [title wins]. But, to be back on top of the mountain again, especially at WrestleMania, if the opportunity arises, absolutely. It would be a big, huge, huge win for us. What better place to do it than WrestleMania? What better place to do it than in Philadelphia? You never know. It could happen anywhere. So, it may not be in April. It may be at Monday Night Raw on December 14th. So, like I said, if you don’t have tickets, you better get them because history could be made.”

“This Monday Night Raw is going to be extraordinary. You’re gonna have us, you’re gonna have all the great WWE talent. You have Dolph Ziggler, probably the Big Show is gonna be there, you know with him and I and Bubba have history together, you got Kane, you got Roman Reigns, you got Dean Ambrose, you got all those guys who are gonna be there. You got the Divas, who are very, very fine, though, by the way. I don’t think there’s not one Diva in WWE that I don’t look at and don’t go ‘Damn!’ (laughs) like Ron Simmons’ ‘Damn!’”

PV: You’re currently feuding with the Wyatt Family on television, and now you and Bubba have brought in Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno to even the odds. Do you think the Wyatt Family has a bright future as a group despite not exactly being a feared group?

DD: “Let me put it to you this way. The Wyatt Family are a creepy bunch of guys who are making history every time they get in that ring. Here’s the deal. Do I think they have a bright future? Absolutely. I mean, you got these guys, and they’re big and they’re huge, and they’re making an impact. So, you look at the Wyatt Family, you know, they’re giving the Dudleys a run for their money. How many people out there since we’ve been in this business that you know have been able to give the Dudley Boys a run for their money? No one has ever treated the Dudley Boyz the way the Wyatt Family has. That should tell you right there. That should speak volumes right there. So, therefore, we know we have our hands filled with them. We know that going into this pay-per-view at TLC that we’re gonna have to come out and bring everything. We’re gonna have to really take it to the extreme, and we’re willing to do that.”

"Everybody thought we were done 10 years ago and we surprised the world. As far as I’m concerned, we’ll be 90 years old and still putting people through tables – whether it be at WrestleMania or an old age home." 

“So, the Wyatt Family? Believe me. They’re gonna be as big as anybody could even imagine. Because, again, they have the talent, they’re a family, but the Dudley Boyz are gonna take care of business at TLC. Then, if they happen to stick their nose, which they probably will, at Monday Night Raw December 14th, well, you can guarantee one thing. The fans will know that when everything is said and done, when the smoke clears, at Monday Night Raw, somebody’s behind is gonna go through a table.”

PV: Obviously, your partner Bubba Ray went on a singles run in TNA as the World Heavyweight Champion. Do you want to make a singles run to compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Champion?

DD: “Well, I did have a singles run. He did his singles run. I did mine. And, you know, we both were equally successful. We both held championships. And, other than that, that’s it. No need to do anything else. Like I said, we’re KISS. The band is back together. So, we’re gonna go out there and play the greatest hits, and that’s what the people want. You don’t want to see L.O.D. separated when they were together, you don’t want to see any great rock and roll group separated. You want them back. That’s what we are. We’re back together. We had our singles runs and now we’re just coming back and we’re gonna do it one more time.”

PV: Do you have any current thoughts on retirement?

DD: “Brother, everybody thought we were done 10 years ago and we surprised the world. As far as I’m concerned, we’ll be 90 years old and still putting people through tables – whether it be at WrestleMania or an old age home – we’ll still be going on and on. It doesn’t matter, brother. We’re gonna rock from now until the day they tell us we can’t do it no more. And when I say ‘they,’ I mean the Good Lord above.”

PV: What are your thoughts on NXT and would you and Bubba Ray consider mentoring the talent there?

DD: “Absolutely. I think NXT is great. I’ve watched the product. I’ve seen it and I think it’s a great thing that WWE has invented and came up with. You get to see a lot of the great young and up and coming talent of the WWE that are going to be future stars.”

“NXT has a lot of action. NXT has a lot of hard-hitting action. And that’s one of the things that we love about that product. So, for me to be able to watch that show and really be entertained is great. And if needed, me and Bubba would definitely go down there and help out that younger talent and help pass the torch because that’s what it’s all about. NXT, you better believe, when you’re watching that you’re watching the future.”

PV: Are you looking to win any Slammy Awards on December 21st?

DD: “At the Slammys, you never know. As a kid, I always wanted a Slammy, so if I don’t get a Slammy, somebody’s behind is gonna go through a table.”