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Dudley Boyz

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For the rest of the stable see Dudley family.
Team 3D
Brother Devon and Brother Ray
Stable
MembersBuh-Buh Ray Dudley/Bubba Ray Dudley/Brother Ray,
D-Von Dudley/Brother Devon,
Name(s)
The Dudley Boys
The Dudley Boyz
The Dudleys
The Dudleyz
Team 3D
Billed heights6 ft 3 in (190 cm) - Ray,
6 ft 1 in (185 cm) - Devon,
5 ft 7 in (170 cm) - Runt,
Combined
billed weight		585 lb (265 kg) - Ray/Devon,
445 lb (202 kg) - Bubba Ray/Spike,
Billed fromDudleyville
New York City
Former
member(s)		Spike Dudley/Brother Runt
Debut1997

Team 3D is a professional wrestling tag team of Brother Ray (Mark Lamonica), Brother Devon (Devon Hughes), and formally Brother Runt (Matt Hyson). The team is now working in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). They also work for the Japan based HUSTLE promotion, where they are the current HUSTLE Super Tag Team Champions.

The team was previously known as the Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh/Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von, and Spike Dudley) and are best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Ray and Devon are best known for working together in the group as a tag team and are considered to be the most decorated and one of the most successful tag teams in wrestling history. They have captured a total of 21 Tag Team titles overall, including the World Tag Team Championship, WWE Tag Team Championship, ECW Tag Team Championship, WCW World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, the very first TNA World Tag Team Championship, and the HUSTLE Super Tag Team Championship.

As of May 21, 2007, Brother Ray and Devon have opened the Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling and Sports Entertainment at the X-Cel Fitness Gym in Kissimmee, Florida. Matt Bentley of TNA is also a trainer at the school.

Dudley Boyz

Extreme Championship Wrestling

Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von (2 of the many "sons" of Willy Loman "Big Daddy" Dudley) achieved a degree of infamy for their profane, explicit, and vitriolic interviews, which antagonized audiences to a point of near riot. Despite their questionable character, they would become a record 8-time ECW Tag Team Champions. Meanwhile, another of their "brothers," Little Spike Dudley, was the only face of the Dudley family and ended up feuding with Buh Buh Ray and D-Von, exchanging the Tag Team Titles with them several times while teaming alongside Balls Mahoney.

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

In 1999, Buh Buh Ray and D-Von joined the World Wrestling Federation, where Buh Buh Ray was eventually renamed "Bubba Ray Dudley." According to an interview on the "The Rise and Fall of ECW" DVD, the boys requested a $1 raise to stay in ECW; their request was denied because ECW owner Paul Heyman was working a deal with Vince McMahon to supply talent to the WWF.

Upon entering the WWF, Bubba sported thick black glasses with white tape around them, and stuttered promos, with Devon, wearing thick white glasses with black tape, slapping him in the back of the head to get his words out. This was supposed to have been a throwback to the speaking style Buh Buh Ray Dudley had in the original ECW when Buh Buh was played off as a mentally handicapped southerner. After several weeks, the gimmick was dropped but Bubba's glasses were not.

While part of the WWF, the Dudley Boyz's claim to fame was bringing the use of tables as weapons into the wrestling mainstream, often using their signature double-team move, the 3D, to put their opponents through one of these tables.

Throughout 2000 and 2001, the Dudley Boyz engaged in a three way feud for the WWF World Tag Team Championship with The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. The feud incorporated two critically acclaimed Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) matches, the first at SummerSlam 2000 and the second at WrestleMania X-Seven.

They were initially heels, albeit quite popular heels, and were known for Bubba Ray's penchant for driving women (including Terri Runnels and Mae Young) through tables. The Dudley Boyz turned face in late 2000. In early 2001, they were joined in the WWF by Spike Dudley. Spike would instantly make an impact, aiding his brothers win the WWF Tag Team Titles in his debut, and being the Dudleyz' backup at the WrestleMania X-Seven TLC match.

In mid-2001, the Dudley Boyz made their second heel run by joining The Alliance, a massive stable mostly consisting of former ECW and WCW wrestlers led by Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, who attempted to take over the WWF. Stacy Keibler would go on to become the Dudleyz' manager during this time, dubbed the "Duchess of Dudleyville" by ECW manager Paul Heyman. Late in the year, the Dudleyz would win the WCW World Tag Team Championship, becoming the first (and only) team ever to win the ECW, WWF, and WCW Tag Team Titles.

The Dudleyz would beat the Hardy Boyz in a cage match at Survivor Series 2001 to unify the WWF and WCW Tag Team Championships. As 2002 began, Spike would feud with his big brothers again, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles away from them with partner (and fellow ECW alum) Tazz.

Following WrestleMania X8 in March 2002, the WWF was renamed "World Wrestling Entertainment" (WWE) and the roster was divided into two brands, RAW and SmackDown!. The Dudley Boyz were separated for a short time when Bubba Ray was drafted to RAW and D-Von to SmackDown!. Bubba turned face again by reuniting with Spike Dudley while D-Von, who was still a heel, went on to become the "Reverend D-Von" and gained a protege with Deacon Batista, formerly Leviathan from Ohio Valley Wrestling. Batista carried his "collection box" and would often interfere with matches using the box as a weapon.

At Judgment Day 2002, Bubba Ray was in the corner of RAW's Trish Stratus, who was defending the WWE Women's Championship against Keibler; D-Von was in Stacy's corner as asked by Mr. McMahon. After Stratus successfully retained her title, Bubba Ray and D-Von stood in the ring and shook hands before an altercation broke out between Bubba against D-Von and Deacon Batista, who would end up driving Bubba through a table in a Dudley trademark moment. As 2002 went along, SmackDown! would see D-Von and Batista going their separate ways and D-Von briefly teaming with Ron Simmons in an attempt to win the then newly established WWE Tag Team Championship. Meanwhile, on RAW, Bubba Ray would win the WWE Hardcore Championship 10 times, often teaming with Spike to form a new version of the Dudley Boyz.

Bubba and D-Von would reunite following the 2002 Survivor Series, when D-Von made a run-in to help Bubba Ray, Spike, and Jeff Hardy win a six-man tag team match. From then on, he was back on RAW (as he was part of a package deal that would send Big Show to SmackDown!).

After the Dudley Boyz were back together they became a staple in the RAW tag team division over the next sixteen months, feuding with teams such as Three Minute Warning, La Résistance, Chief Morley and Lance Storm, Ric Flair and Batista (as members of Evolution) and various combinations of The Un-Americans. They briefly made their third heel runs by attacking Rob Van Dam and Kane. During this heel run they sided with then RAW General Manager, Eric Bischoff due to the fact that Bischoff had threatened their jobs. During a Pay Per View event they quickly turned face once more by putting Chief Morley through a table.

Shortly after all 3 Dudleyz were drafted/traded over to SmackDown! in March 2004, Bubba Ray and D-Von turned heel once again, aligning with Paul Heyman and feuding with Rob Van Dam, The Undertaker, and Rey Mysterio. Along the way, the Dudleyz would win the WWE Tag Team Championship, making them the first tag team to win both sets of Tag Team Championships in WWE history. When Spike turned on Mysterio he became the "boss" of the Dudley Boyz after they had helped Spike take the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Rey (Spike claimed leadership due to the fact that he was the only Dudley with a championship at the time).

After a lengthy hiatus, Bubba, D-von, and Spike would make what would be their final appearance at a WWE sanctioned event, when they were a part of the original ECW One Night Stand in June 2005.

On July 6, 2005, WWE announced that it had opted not to continue contract renewal negotiations with the Dudley Boyz. In addition, sixteen other wrestlers (including Spike) were released by WWE, which was decreasing its spending as a result of a fall in projected revenue. In August 2005, all three former Dudleys were issued with legal notices instructing them not to use the (WWE trademarked) name "Dudley". This led to a degree of acrimony between the former Dudleys and their erstwhile employers, as they had used the names since 1996, several years before all ECW intellectual property was acquired by WWE as a result of bankruptcy proceedings. Soon after, Lamonica and Hughes announced that they intended to pursue legal action against WWE.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

On September 21, 2005, it was announced that Bubba and D-Von (Now under the names "Brother Ray", and "Brother Devon") had signed multi-year contracts with TNA Wrestling, as Team 3D. Team 3D made their first appearance on the October 1 episode of TNA iMPACT!, helping save 3Live Kru from Planet Jarrett and Team Canada. Brother Ray and Brother Devon were further assisted by Kevin Nash.

Their first match on TNA was on the October 8 episode of iMPACT! against America's Most Wanted (AMW). Gail Kim and Jeff Jarrett both interfered, and Planet Jarrett left Team 3D both bloodied on the mat. On October 15, Planet Jarrett sent a tape to iMPACT! showing the "funeral" for the careers of Team 3D. Father James Mitchell presided, and AMW gave the mocking "eulogy". Jarrett, Kim, Team Canada and Abyss were also in attendance, and the guest book was signed with names that would suggest officials of WWE (such as Paul, Stephanie, Linda, and Vince). The funeral was staged at a funeral parlor local to the iMPACT! Zone in Orlando, Florida.

At the Turning Point PPV, Team 3D successfully defeated AMW in a non-title Tables match.

At TNA Final Resolution on January 15, Team 3D wrestled for the NWA Tag Team Championship against America's Most Wanted. They won the match, but in a confusing ending involving blinding powder and a post-match run-in by Team Canada, the referee awarded the match to AMW.

On the April 13 edition of iMPACT!, Spike Dudley debuted in TNA, helping Team 3D beat Team Canada AMW in a post-match brawl. Spike would be referred to as "Brother Runt" and would continue to team with Team 3D during feuds with The James Gang. While Ray and Devon left to tour Japan, Runt feuded with Abyss.

After their brief absence, Brother Ray and Devon made a return to TNA in October 2006 and went back on the tag title hunt. They first feuded with The Naturals, who would become the first team in TNA to defeat Team 3D in their signature tables match.

At the beginning of 2007, Team 3D were announced as the #1 contenders to Latin American Exchange's (LAX's) NWA World Tag Team Championships and would face them at Final Resolution. However, during the match Brother Runt, dressed in a Santa Claus outfit while drinking, interfered and caused Team 3D to get disqualified.

Team 3D competed in a belting pot match against LAX with their kayfabe cousin Steve Schirripa and won after 3D double teamed Hernandez from LAX.

They would continue the feud after LAX (kayfabe) attacked Johnny Rodz who trained Brother Devon. Brother Ray would then confront Alex Shelley on why he filmed the attack, before LAX (with help from Shelley) attacked him. They would face LAX at Destination X in a ghetto brawl. They lost after Shelley put Brother D-Von through a table.

On the last TNA episode before Lockdown, LAX attacked brother Runt and hit him with a tazer shot dropping him immediately. At Lockdown 2007, Team 3D defeated LAX in an Electrified Steel Cage match to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. They became the first team in history to have won the WWE (both RAW & SmackDown!), WCW (Post WWE Takeover), ECW, and NWA World Tag Team Titles.

On May 13, 2007 the executive Vice President of the National Wrestling Alliance announced Team 3D have been stripped of the NWA World Tag Team Titles due to the permanent discontinuation of the relationship between the NWA and TNA Wrestling.

TNA continued to recognize Team 3D as their Tag Team Champions and were then designated as the very first TNA World Tag Team Champions, and the new TNA World Tag Team Championship belts were unveiled on their "TNA Today" webcast on May 16, 2007. On the broadcast they were awarded the new TNA belts by Jim Cornette.

Team 3D defended their titles successfully at the following Sacrifice pay per view in a 3 way dance also including Tomko, Scott Steiner, and LAX. After the match, Scott Steiner's brother Rick came out and attacked them leading to a match at Slammiversary with the Steiners. However Scott Steiner could not compete due to an injury. Road Warrior Animal took Scott's place, but Team 3D came up with the victory after performing their signature 3D move on Rick. On the next iMPACT!, Jim Cornette announced a Champions vs Champions match for Victory Road, where the Tag Team Champions would face the World Champion and the X Division Champion. After the following iMPACT!, it was announced that Team 3D would defend the titles against LAX and A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels in a 3 way tag match. They successfully defended the titles, thus qualifying for the "Champions vs Champions" match.

After interference from the Steiner Brothers, Samoa Joe pinned Brother Ray at Victory Road, ending their title reign. On the following iMPACT!, they blamed the Steiner Brothers and the fans (who had actually been taking intervals to chant "3D sucks" for weeks at the time) for their loss, which gained heel heat from the fans. Team 3D then belittled Scott's trachea injury from Puerto Rico and attacked the announcers on iMPACT!. At the same time, the Steiners have been recieving cheers from the fans, all of which culminated in a double turn, with the Steiners turning face and Team 3D turning heel for the first time in TNA.

Japan and independents

Aside from TNA, Team 3D has also been participating in many All Japan Pro Wrestling, and HUSTLE's shows since their WWE release.

Team 3D continue to hold an unbeaten streak in All Japan where they have won All Japan's Real World Tag League in 2005. Team 3D has also won HUSTLE's tag titles in 2006, which they still hold. Team 3D also appeared in the Pro Wrestling Alliance June show, defeating Booker T and Dawg in the main event.

Wrestling facts

D-Von (left) and Bubba Ray (right) hitting the Dudley Death Drop or 3-D on Lance Storm.

Championship and accomplishments

Entrance Songs:

References

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to Dudley Boyz.
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