View source for Dudley Brothers

{{short description|Professional wrestling stable}}
{{For|the team of [[Bubba Ray Dudley]] and [[D-Von Dudley]]|Dudley Boyz}}
{{Infobox wrestling team
|article_name = Dudley Brothers
|type         = S
|image        = {{Multiple image
|image1       = The Dudley Boyz 2016.jpg
|caption1     = [[Buh Buh Ray Dudley]] and [[D-Von Dudley]]
|width1       = 
|image2       = Divingdoublestomp.jpg
|caption2     = [[Little Spike Dudley]]
|width2       = 
|image3       = Sign Guy Dudley (Cropped).jpeg
|caption3     = [[Sign Guy Dudley]]
|width3       = 
|total_width  = 400
|footer       = 
|footer_align = center
|caption_align = center
| align=none
}}
|members        = [[#Members|See below]]
|names          = The Dudley Boyz<br />The Dudley Brothers<br />The Dudley Clan<br />The Dudley Family<br />The Dudleys
|billed         = "Dudleyville"<ref name="WWE1"/><br />"[[Charleston Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania|The hills of Charleston, Pennsylvania]]"
|former_members =
|debut          = [[Hardcore Heaven (1995)|July 1, 1995]]
|disbanded      = [[The Last Show at the Madhouse|August 26, 1999]]
|years_active   = 1995–1999
}}
The '''Dudley Brothers''' were a [[professional wrestling]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable|stable]] active in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] between 1995 and 1999.

The [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick|gimmick]] of the group was that, despite their obvious differences in physical appearance and race, the members were all said to be the sons of the fictional [[Willy Loman]]-esque "Big Daddy" Dudley, who had traveled America as a salesman throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Despite the differences in their races and sizes, the Dudleys shared a similar ring attire of taped glasses, unkempt hair, [[tie-dye]] shirts, [[high-top]]s and [[overall]]s. The [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick|gimmick]] was based on the [[Hanson Brothers]] from the 1977 movie ''[[Slap Shot (film)|Slap Shot]]''.<ref name="WWE1">{{cite web|url=http://espanol.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/sports-entertainment-20-most-bizarre-hometowns/page-16|title=Sports-entertainment's 20 most bizarre hometowns|date=September 27, 2013|publisher=[[WWE]]|work=[[WWE]].com|accessdate=January 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Williams2013">{{cite book|author=Scott E. Williams|title=Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of ECW|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4EQtAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT98|date=13 December 2013|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated|isbn=978-1-61321-582-1|pages=98–}}</ref>{{Professional wrestling sidebar}}

==History==
===Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995–1999)===
====Origins (1995–1996)====
{{see also|Raven's Nest}}
{{cquote|I told [[Bubba Ray Dudley|this boy]] that I'm the one that's supposed to do all the interviews now, beings that I'm the only [[Legitimacy (family law)|legitimate]] Dudley. Because, the reason why is, both my parents had the same last name...Dudley. Everybody knows why [[Big Dick Dudley|Big Dick]] got here...it seems Big Daddy Dudley had a little liaison with the [[Holland Tunnel]], and well, this speaks for itself. For that little thing he did, Daddy had to spend a little time in an [[insane asylum]], and well that kinda popped-out [[Sign Guy Dudley]]. Y'know, I had told y'all before about the Indian guy, [[D.W. Dudley]]. Daddy went over to [[Oklahoma]] to the [[Cheyenne]] reservation, and well, everybody knows this guy.|author=[[Dudley Dudley (wrestler)|Dudley Dudley]], October 1995<ref name="HardcoreTV1995"/>}}

[[File:Snot Dudley September 2005.png|thumb|[[Snot Dudley]], one of the original three Dudley Brothers|left]] 

The original three members of the Dudley family were [[Dudley Dudley (wrestler)|Dudley Dudley]] (the only one of the brothers with a Dudley for a mother), [[Big Dick Dudley]] (the menacing, animalistic [[glossary of professional wrestling terms#Enforcer|enforcer]] of the group) and [[Snot Dudley]] (the [[Underdog (term)|underdog]] of the group, who would [[Nose picking|pick his nose]] during matches).<ref name="Loverro2007"/><ref name="Glasgow">{{cite web|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1997-06-05/news/suplex-city/3/|title=Suplex City|last=Glasgow|first=Kathy|accessdate=January 6, 2015|date=June 5, 1997|work=[[Miami New Times]]|publisher=[[Voice Media Group]]}}</ref> They made their first appearance on July 1, 1995, at [[Hardcore Heaven#1995|Hardcore Heaven]], where the [[tag team]] of Dudley Dudley and Snot Dudley defeated [[the Pitbulls]].<ref name="WWE2"/> Shortly after their debut, the Dudley Brothers aligned themselves with [[Raven (wrestler)|Raven]], joining [[Raven's Nest]]. At [[Heatwave '95: Rage in the Cage!]] on July 15, 1995, Dudley Dudley and Snot Dudley teamed with Raven in a loss to [[Tommy Dreamer]] and the Pitbulls.

After Snot Dudley was injured in a legitimate [[jet ski]] accident, he was replaced on the September 17, 1995 episode of ''[[ECW Hardcore TV]]'' by [[Dances with Dudley]], who was said to be the child of Big Daddy Dudley and a [[Cheyenne people|Cheyenne]] woman.<ref name="Loverro2007">{{cite book|author=Thom Loverro|title=The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j0dlOLyCj6YC&pg=PA100|date=22 May 2007|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4165-6156-9|pages=100–}}</ref> Dudley Dudley and Dances with Dudley teamed with one another through the latter half of 1995, competing against teams such as [[the Gangstas]] and [[the Bad Crew]]. In September 1995, Dudley Dudley and Dances with Dudley unsuccessfully challenged the Pitbulls for the [[ECW World Tag Team Championship]].<ref name="Loverro2007"/>

The group was later expanded when the obese, slobbish [[Chubby Dudley]] and the mute, placard-wielding [[Sign Guy Dudley]] (the result of Big Daddy Dudley's brief incarceration in an [[Psychiatric hospital|asylum]]) began accompanying Dudley Dudley and Dances with Dudley to ringside.<ref name="Williams2013"/>

In October 1995, the Dudley family was joined by [[Buh Buh Ray Dudley]], a [[stuttering]], dancing, overweight [[hillbilly]].<ref name="WWE2"/><ref name="HardcoreTV1995">{{cite episode|series=[[ECW Hardcore TV]]|airdate=October 17, 1995}}</ref> After Dudley Dudley left ECW in late 1995, Buh Buh Ray Dudley began teaming with Dances with Dudley, facing tag teams such as [[The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)|the Public Enemy]] and [[the Eliminators]]. At [[Holiday Hell#1995|Holiday Hell]] on December 29, 1995, the Dudley Brothers left Raven's Nest, turning the group face as a result. In January 1996, Dances with Dudley and Buh Buh Ray Dudley unsuccessfully challenged [[Mick Foley|Cactus Jack]] and [[Mikey Whipwreck]] for the ECW World Tag Team Championship.

====World Tag Team Champions (1996-1999)====
{{see also|Dudley Boyz}}
{{cquote|"[[Thou shalt not steal]]!" "[[Thou shalt not kill]]!" And thou shalt not ''fuck'' with the Dudleys!|author=[[D-Von Dudley]], April 1996<ref name="Duffy"/><ref name="HeelsInc"/><ref name="Matthews"/>}}

[[File:Dudley Boys 1999 WWF Smackdown (WWE).jpg|thumb|[[Buh Buh Ray Dudley]] and [[D-Von Dudley]] in 1999, wearing the Dudley Brothers' signature [[tie-dye]] shirts, overalls and glasses|left]]

At [[Massacre on Queens Boulevard]] on April 13, 1996, [[D-Von Dudley]] officially made his debut, angrily proclaiming that the Dudley's comedic antics were not the way "true Dudleys" should conduct themselves. At [[Heat Wave (1996)|Heatwave]] on July 13, 1996, D-Von attacked Dances with Dudley, Chubby Dudley and Sign Guy Dudley with a [[Professional wrestling attacks#Chair shot|chair]] and delivered a low blow to Buh Buh Ray before being driven off by [[Hack Meyers]].<ref name="Torch">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Torch_Flashbacks_19/article_17384.shtml#.VKlprCusWSo|title=ECW Arena Flashback (July 1996): Sabu, Sandman, Raven, Gordy, Dreamer, Dudleys, Taz |publisher=[[Wade Keller|Pro Wrestling Torch]]|work=[[Wade Keller|PWTorch.com]]|date=July 20, 2006|accessdate=January 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Lister2005">{{cite book|author=John Lister|title=Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991-2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80DO1mB_69gC&pg=PA18|date=November 2005|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-1-4116-5329-0|pages=18–}}</ref>

Dances With Dudley and Chubby Dudley left ECW in mid-1996.<ref name="WWE2"/> Later that September at [[When Worlds Collide II]], [[Little Spike Dudley]] debuted in ECW. The "runt" of the Dudley Brothers, Spike began teaming with Buh Buh Ray Dudley, facing tag teams such as the Eliminators and the Bad Crew. The duo also faced D-Von Dudley in a number of bouts.<ref name="Milner&Powell">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/spike.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115063055/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/spike.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 15, 2013|title=Spike Dudley|last=Milner|first=John M.|author2=Powell, John|accessdate=January 6, 2015|work=[[Canoe.ca]]|publisher=[[Québecor Média]]}}</ref> At [[November to Remember#1996|November to Remember]] on November 16, 1996, Buh Buh Ray defeated D-Von in a singles match.

At [[Crossing the Line Again]] on February 1, 1997, Buh Buh Ray turned [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] by joining forces with D-Von. The duo began teaming together as the [[Dudley Boyz]], along with Big Dick Dudley and Sign Guy Dudley, forming a dominant heel stable.<ref name="Williams2013"/> Between March 1997 and August 1999, Buh Buh Ray and D-Von held the [[ECW World Tag Team Championship]] on a record [[List of ECW World Tag Team Champions|eight occasions]].<ref name="WWE2"/> The Dudleys feuded with rivals such as the Eliminators, [[New Jack]], [[Tommy Dreamer]] and [[The Sandman (wrestler)|the Sandman]], [[Balls Mahoney]], and Little Spike Dudley, the sole remaining [[face (professional wrestling)|face]] Dudley.<ref name="WWE2">{{cite web|url=http://de.wwe.com/superstars/the-dudley-boyz|title=The Dudley Boyz|publisher=[[WWE]]|work=[[WWE]].com|accessdate=January 4, 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104202728/http://de.wwe.com/superstars/the-dudley-boyz|archivedate=January 4, 2015}}</ref>

On the April 11, 1998 episode of ''[[ECW Hardcore TV]]'', [[The Bushwhackers]] made an appearance as the "Bush-Dudleys". Cousins [[Luke Dudley]] and [[Butch Dudley]] who were supposed to fight The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer only to be ambushed by Buh Buh Ray and D-Von. 

At [[It Ain't Seinfeld|It Ain't ''Seinfeld'']] on May 14, 1998, Buh Buh Ray Dudley's taunting resulted in a member of the audience attempted to rush the ring before being intercepted by security guards. On the June 3, 1998 episode of ''ECW Hardcore TV'', Buh Buh Ray and D-Von delivered their [[Dudley Death Drop]] finishing maneuver to [[Beulah McGillicutty]], supposedly breaking her neck.

Big Dick left ECW in early 1999. The stable finally dissolved in August 1999 at [[the Last Show at the Madhouse]], where Buh Buh Ray and D-Von left ECW to join the [[World Wrestling Federation]]. In October 1999 at [[Re-enter the Sandman]], Sign Guy Dudley renamed himself "Lou E. Dangerously", leaving Spike as the sole remaining Dudley in ECW until the promotion folded in April 2001, when he too joined the WWF, reuniting with Buh Buh Ray and D-Von.

==Legacy==
Buh Buh Ray (renamed "Bubba Ray") and D-Von Dudley would go on to the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]], winning the [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|World Tag Team Championship]] eight times, as well as the [[WWE Raw Tag Team Championship|WWE Tag Team Championship]] and [[WCW World Tag Team Championship|WCW Tag Team Championship]] once each. Spike Dudley joined his "half-brothers" in 2001, winning the [[WWE European Championship]] and [[WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1996–2007)|WWE Cruiserweight Championship]], and remained with the Dudleys on and off until their collective release in 2005. For a short time, [[Stacy Keibler]] acted as a valet for the Dudleys under the name of "The Duchess of Dudleyville". [[The Backseat Boyz]], [[Trent Acid]] and [[Johnny Kashmere]], appeared on an episode of ''[[WWF Sunday Night Heat]]'' as "The Backseat Dudleys."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqWPxZ04jbQ | title=2001.04.15.WWE.Heat.Backseat.Boyz.As.(Backseat.Dudleys) - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> In early 2007, actor [[Steve Schirripa]] appeared alongside Bubba Ray (renamed "Brother Ray") and D-Von (renamed "Brother Devon") in [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]], where he was depicted as a distant relative of the Dudley family.

Several more Dudleys were created outside of ECW. Big Dick Dudley formed a tag team on the [[independent circuit]] with [[Sammy Couch]], using the name "Psycho Sam Dudley", while Snot Dudley formed a tag team with Jeff Roth, using the name "Schmuck Dudley". Beginning in 2015, D-Von Dudley's sons began wrestling as [[Terrell Dudley]] and [[Terrence Dudley]].

==Trademark of name==
After the release of Bubba Ray and D-Von from WWE in 2005, they were informed by the company that they could not use any aspect of the "Dudley" name in any other promotions due to WWE trademarking the names before their release. This decision was controversial due to the fact that [[Paul Heyman]], the former owner of ECW, had "given" the men (including Spike) the rights to the gimmick out of loyalty when ECW folded, but never actually transferred the rights in any official manner.

Although the former Dudleys attempted to fight WWE for ownership, they were unsuccessful. Following their debut in [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] (TNA), they took the monikers of "Brother Ray " (Bubba Ray) and "Brother Devon" (D-Von), combining under the new name "Team 3D". As a jab back at WWE, they wore shirts with [[The finger|middle fingers]] on them with the message "Trademark This!" and constantly tread a fine line of the official trademark by either having others use their common phrase "Get the tables!" or almost saying it before stopping short right before. Originally, however, the two were going to adopt the last name of Deadly. During an interview with Steve Austin on the Broken Skull Podcast, Bubba Ray stated the name got leaked to the media prior to their debut in TNA and he decided, out of stubbornness, to not use the name Deadly. When Spike was released from WWE shortly thereafter, he was forced to work under the name Matt "LSD" Hyson in various independent promotions. Upon joining his brothers in TNA in 2006, he was re-christened as "Brother Runt".

Many people have laid claim to the intellectual property that is the Dudley Boy [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick|gimmick]]. Former ECW wrestler [[Raven (wrestler)|Raven]] has said multiple times that he is the person who came up with the original Dudley idea. [[Tazz|Taz]] has corroborated his story, but added that it was not ''just'' Raven who came up with the idea, but Raven and Taz together.<ref>History of ECW, episode 9/17/95</ref>

==Members==
{{Col-start}}
{{Col-2}}

===Dudley family===
*[[Big Dick Dudley]] (1995–1999)
*[[Bubba Ray Dudley|Buh Buh Ray Dudley]] (1995–1999)
*[[Chubby Dudley]] (1995–1996)
*[[Dances With Dudley]] (1995–1996)
*[[Dudley Dudley (wrestler)|Dudley Dudley]] (1995)
*[[D-Von Dudley]] (1996–1999)
*[[Sign Guy Dudley]] (1995–1999)
*[[Little Spike Dudley]] (1996–1999)
*[[Snot Dudley]] (1995)
*[[Luke Dudley]] (1998)
*[[Butch Dudley]] (1998)

{{Col-2}}

===Dudleys outside of ECW===
*[[The Backseat Boyz]] ("The Backseat Dudleys") ([[World Wrestling Federation]], April 15, 2001)
*[[Psycho Sam Dudley]] (USA Pro Wrestling, 2001–2002)
*Schmuck Dudley ([[Florida Championship Wrestling]], 1998–1999)
*[[Stacy Keibler]] ("The Duchess of Dudleyville") ([[World Wrestling Federation]], 2001–2002)
*[[Steve Schirripa]] ("Cousin Steve") ([[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]], February 2007)
*Big Vern Dudley (American Pro Wrestling, 2002)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bgwrn.weebly.com/names-s.html|title = Names s - Barry Gilbert's Wrestling Real Names}}</ref>
*Urkel Dudley and Dog Puke Dudley (Coastal Championship Wrestling, 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=28&nr=4951&page=2|title=Pain And Gain|website=Cagematch}}</ref>
*[[Terrell Dudley and Terrence Dudley]] ([[independent circuit]]/[[All Elite Wrestling]], 2015–present) 
{{Col-end}}

==Championships==
*'''[[Extreme Championship Wrestling]]'''
**[[ECW World Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of ECW World Tag Team Champions|10 times]]) &ndash; [[Buh Buh Ray Dudley]] and [[D-Von Dudley]] (8) and [[Little Spike Dudley]] and [[Balls Mahoney]] (2)

==See also==
* [[Dudley Boyz]]
* [[TNT (professional wrestling)|TNT]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Duffy">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/g/rec.sport.pro-wrestling/c/eEc9FHuZ_gE/m/IGI8N1HO81wJ|title=ECW - Live with El Lurker Loco - Queens, NY|website=Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling|last=Duffy|first=Ray|accessdate=October 29, 2020|date=April 14, 1996 |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614213137/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.sport.pro-wrestling/c/eEc9FHuZ_gE/m/IGI8N1HO81wJ }}</ref>

<ref name="HeelsInc">{{cite web|url=http://crazymax.org/newsite/reviews/omg-massacre-on-queens-blvd-41396/|title=The "Oh My God!" video review: ECW's Massacre on Queens Blvd. 4/13/96|website=CrazyMax.org|author=Heels Inc|accessdate=October 19, 2020|date=February 20, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Matthews">{{cite web|url=https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2020/07/05/massacre-on-queens-blvd-96/|title=Massacre on Queens Blvd '96|website=ClassicWrestlingReview.com|last=Matthews|first=Paul|date=July 5, 2020|accessdate=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806182612/https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2020/07/05/massacre-on-queens-blvd-96/|archive-date=August 6, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

}}

{{Dudley Boyz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dudley Brothers, The}}
[[Category:Dudley Brothers members| ]]
[[Category:Extreme Championship Wrestling teams and stables]]
[[Category:Fictional siblings]]