Dudley Boyz

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For the rest of the stable see Dudley family.
For the competitive video game team formerly known as Team 3D see 3D.NY.
Dudley Boyz
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Brother Devon and Brother Ray
Stable
Members Brother Ray
Brother Devon
Name(s) The Dudley Boys
The Dudley Boyz
The Dudleys
The Dudleyz
Team 3D
Deadly Boyz
Heights 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) - Ray,
6 ft 2 in (188 cm) - Devon,
5 ft 7 in (170 cm) - Spike / Runt,
Combined weight 585 lb (265 kg) - Ray and Devon,
445 lb (202 kg) - Bubba Ray and Spike,
Billed from Dudleyville
New York City
Former member(s) Spike Dudley / Brother Runt
Stacy Keibler (valet)
Johnny Devine (in TNA, without the Dudley character background)
Debut 1997
Promotions ECW
WWF/E
TNA
AJPW
HUSTLE

Team 3D is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brother Ray (Mark LoMonaco), Brother Devon (Devon Hughes), and formerly Brother Runt (Matt Hyson). The team is now working in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). They also work for the Japan based HUSTLE promotion,

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). Mark and Devon are best known for working together in the group as a tag team. They have captured a total of 20 Tag Team titles overall, including the WWE World Tag Team Championship, WWE Tag Team Championship, ECW Tag Team Championship, WCW Tag Team Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, the very first TNA World Tag Team Championship, and the HUSTLE Super Tag Team Championship.

In WWF/E, they were 1 time Cruiserweight Champion (Spike Dudley), 1 time (and final) WCW Tag Team Champions (Bubba Ray & D-Von), 8 time World Tag Team Champions (Bubba Ray & D-Von) and 1 time Tag Team Champions (Bubba Ray & D-Von). In HUSTLE, they are 1 time Super Tag Team Champions (Brother Ray & Brother Devon). In ECW, they were 8 time Tag Team Champions (Buh Buh Ray & D-Von). In TNA, they were 1 time X Division Champion (Johnny Devine), 1 time NWA Tag Team Champions (Brother Ray & Brother Devon) and 1 time TNA Tag Team Champions (Brother Ray & Brother Devon).

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.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Dudley Boyz

[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996-1999)

Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von (two 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. The Dudley family was a large family and were almost in every ECW match as the family had become so popular. All the members chased for the ECW Tag Team Championship at that time. The family was hated by fans. Buh Buh Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley were the most successful members of Dudley family as they dominated the tag team division of ECW. They received their first success, winning the ECW Tag Team Championship from The Eliminators (John Kronus and Perry Saturn) at Hostile City Showdown 1997. They started feuding with Eliminators. They dropped the titles back to Eliminators at Barely Legal. On June 20, the Dudleys won their second ECW Tag Team Championship from Kronus in a handicap match due to Saturn being injured.

The Dudley Boyz then had a feud with Gangstaz after losing the titles to New Jack and Mustafa, then winning them back shortly after. After Mustafa and Saturn parted ways with ECW New Jack and Kronus teamed up to form the Gangstanators and beat the Dudley Boyz for the ECW world tag team titles. Following a number of feuds with Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney the Dudley Boyz were known for scoring victories over unbeatable opponents like The Sandman and Masato Tanaka. After losing the world tag team titles to Rob Van Dam and Sabu in Japan the Dudleys continued a rampage through ECW destroying a number of opponents and continuing to incite nears riots amongst the rabid ECW fans. They also had on going feuds with New Jack, Tommy Dreamer, Balls Mahoney, The Sandman, and Little Spike Dudley (LSD).

With the departure of The Sandman and continued contract problems with Axl Rotten, the Dudleys continued feuds with New Jack, Spike Dudley and Balls Mahoney. With their eyes still set on the titles, the Dudley Boyz took advantage of Sabu's ban from competing in the US and D-Von defeated Rob Van Dam in singles competition for their sixth ECW World Tag Team Title. With a brewing feud between the Dudleyz and the Impact Players, (Justin Credible and Lance Storm) Buh Buh Ray and D-Von still had their hands full with the new team of Spike Dudley and Balls Mahoney. It was at Heatwave 99 that LSD and Ballz finally beat the Dudleyz for the gold. However, the Dudleyz had the last laugh as they powerbombed both men through flaming tables - the first time such a thing had been seen on PPV. With the possibility of a Dudley Boyz jump to WWF, in late 99 the Dudleyz won their seventh ECW Tag Team Championhip at a house show from LSD and Balls, only to lose them the next night at another house show. It was on the second airing of ECW on TNN that the Dudley Boyz won their record eighth ECW world Tag Team Titles from LSD and Balls. After a threat to take the titles with them to WWF, Tommy Dreamer took on both Dudley Boyz on his own, only to be beaten senseless. As the tag champs set Dreamer up for their Dudley Death Drop, Dreamer reversed the move into his signature DDT and was saved by his arch nemesis Raven to win the belts from the Dudley Boyz and send them to the WWF title-less.

[edit] World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1999-2005)

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 with a speech impediment. After several weeks, the gimmick was dropped but Bubba's glasses were not. They would also drop their classic tie-dye attire and begin wearing camouflage-like ring attire.

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 Tag Team Championship with The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. The feud incorporated two 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; during their first heel run, this was viewed as a fetish/obsession, but was later dropped after they turned face. Ironically, it was Bubba Ray's fetish, in this case, putting Stephanie through a table is what made the turn for the tag team. The Dudley Boyz turned face in late 2000. In early 2001, they were joined in the WWF by Spike Dudley. Spike instantly made 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. During this time, the Dudleys would act as enforcers of the Alliance, interfering on the behalf of Alliance midcarders and main eventers. 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 won 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 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 feuded 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 often interfered with matches using the box (a metal 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 ended up driving Bubba through a table in a Dudley trademark moment. As 2002 went along, SmackDown! saw D-Von and Bautista 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 won the WWE Hardcore Championship 10 times, often teaming with Spike to form a new version of the Dudley Boyz.

Bubba and D-Von reunited 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 The Big Show to SmackDown!). After the Dudley Boyz were back together they became a stable 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 because 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 three 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 won 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 because he was the only Dudley with a championship at the time. He later revealed in a WWE Magazine interview that even though he was the smallest Dudley, he was also the oldest.

After a lengthy hiatus, Bubba, D-Von, and Spike made what would be their final appearance at a WWE sanctioned event, when they were a part of the original 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, LoMonaco and Hughes announced that they intended to pursue legal action against WWE.

[edit] Team 3D

[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005-Present)

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 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), 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 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. Spike, referred to as "Brother Runt", continued to team with Team 3D during feuds with Team Canada and The James Gang. They defeated Team Canada in a Six Sides of Steel Anthem match at Lockdown.[1] Ray and Devon then started a feud with The James Gang with the two teams meeting at Slammiversary in a Bingo Hall Brawl with Ray and Devon eventually picking up the win.[2] As 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 became 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 the Latin American Exchange's (LAX's) NWA World Tag Team Championships and faced them at Final Resolution. However, during the match a kayfabe drunk Brother Runt, wearing a Santa Claus outfit, interfered and caused Team 3D to get disqualified.[3]

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 continued the feud after LAX kayfabe attacked Johnny Rodz who trained Brother Devon. Brother Ray then confronted Alex Shelley on why he filmed the attack, before LAX (with help from Shelley) attacked him. They faced LAX at Destination X in a ghetto brawl where they lost the match after Shelley hit a Frog splash on D-Von.[4] On the last TNA episode before Lockdown, LAX attacked brother Runt and hit him with a tazer shot dropping him immediately. At Lockdown, Team 3D defeated LAX in an Electrified Steel Cage match to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship.[5] They became the first team in history to have won the WWE (both RAW and SmackDown!), WCW (Post-WWE buyout), ECW, and NWA World Tag Team Titles.[citation needed]

On May 13, 2007 the Executive Director 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 and Scott Steiner, and LAX.[6] After the match, Scott Steiner's brother Rick came out and attacked them leading to a match at Slammiversary with the Steiners.[7] 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.[8] 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 receiving 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. At Hard Justice and Bound For Glory, Team 3D lost to the Steiner Brothers, the latter defeat coming in a two out of three tables match after Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, the Motor City Machine Guns, interfered on the Steiners' behalf. On the October 18 iMPACT!, Team 3D assaulted the Machine Guns in the middle of their match, whipping them with studded belts and simultaneously powerbombimg then through two tables while Bubba Ray derided the supposedly terrible quality of the Guns' match.

Team 3D continued on this path of attack and verbal putdown, directing it towards the Guns' fellow TNA X Division wrestlers. This led to a match against the Guns at Genesis, which Shelley and Sabin won. They later stole "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal's belt and kidnapped X-Division wrestler Johnny Devine, who subsequently turned on his fellow X-Division wrestlers. While stilled referred to by most as Johnny, Ray and Devon call Devine "Brother Devine" and treat him as a member of Team 3D, though he does not share the half brother storyline backstory. At Against All Odds, Team 3D and Johnny Devine fought The Motor City Machine Guns and Jay Lethal in a Street Fight but lost. Per the match stipulation, Ray and Devon could not compete unless they weighed in at 275 lbs. or lower. Shortly afterwards, Devine returned to competing for the X-division title, and Team 3D has neither hindered or helped him since.

After Against All Odds, 3D were matched with Shark Boy and Curry Man on numerous occasions in tag matches, with either one or both of the brothers being unable to compete due to the weight restriction. The week before Destination X, a stipulation was added to the match between 3D and Shark Boy and Curry Man: if Ray and Devon didn't each weigh in at under 275 pounds, they would be fired from TNA. Both Ray and Devon made weight, and as such do not have to weigh in under 275 ever again.

[edit] 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.

[edit] In wrestling

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

[edit] Championship and accomplishments

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ TNA "Lockdown" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  2. ^ TNA "Slammiversary" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  3. ^ TNA "Final Resolution" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  4. ^ TNA "Destination X" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  5. ^ TNA "Lockdown" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  6. ^ TNA "Sacrifice" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  7. ^ New Matches Added To Slammiversary - Updated Lineup. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  8. ^ TNA "Slammiversary" Pay-Per-View Results. TNAwrestling.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  9. ^ a b Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners - Match of the Year. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  10. ^ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners - Tag Team of the Year. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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