Why the Dudley Boyz Need to Break Up for Good

The Dudley Boyz return to the WWE has been a resounding failure, and the only way to keep them going may be to split them up.

What does it mean to be the most decorated tag team in wrestling history? In the WWE it doesn’t mean a heck of a lot, just ask the Dudley Boyz whose exciting return last year quickly fizzled out. It may be time for the long-running team to pack it in and go their separate ways, for good this time.

A rumor recently surfaced at The Wrestling Observer (h/t What Culture) suggesting WWE may break the Dudley Boyz up, but fans have seen this coming for some time. Bubba Ray and D-Von returned last summer and immediately jumped into the title scene against the New Day. But they never could defeat the unicorn horned trio for the gold, which made sense considering New Day has elevated the division to incredible heights. But the Dudleyz have floundered ever since, relying on nostalgia to carry them through some underwhelming matches in the process.

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Nostalgia is a fickle thing. What is charming one moment is stale the next. Seeing the Dudleyz reenact the same old “Whuzzap” headbutt they were doing 15 years ago isn’t cool. Does anyone even remember the beer commercial that was based on? Their act feels old and musty, like R-Truth shouting “What’s up!?” or the continued presence of Chris Jericho. Sorry, Jericho-holics but he’s outdated, too.

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The thing is, the Dudleyz have already shown potential when flying solo, or at least Bubba Ray has. In TNA he transformed himself into the cruel, heartless Bully Ray and dominated the company, becoming their most compelling World Champion in years.  With WWE in desperate need of star power and quality heels, Bully Ray could quickly ascend to the top of the card and vye for any championship he wanted. The same can’t be said for D-Von who has never really thrived on his own, but there’s no reason he can’t be a decent midcard act, or perhaps find a new partner. Maybe someone else from the ECW past could join him, like Tommie Dreamer or Rhyno. As long as we don’t see a return of the Reverend D’Von persona!

But the bigger issue is that WWE’s tag division has no room for the Dudleyz right now. New Day isn’t going anywhere, the Uso Brothers are back as the top babyface team, followed by the Prime Time Players. They could soon be joined by the likes of Jason Jordan and Chad Gable if they are called up from NXT. And let’s not forget the Wyatt Family, who have been kicking Dudleyville butt for weeks now, are also in the mix. There is enough talent out there that the division can do without the Dudleyz, and would probably be better off.

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The Dudley Boyz are, arguably, the greatest tag team WWE has ever seen. They are first ballot Hall of Famers whenever they decide to hang up the tye-dye and camouflage for good. But for the time being let’s hope we’ve heard the last of “D’Von, get the tables”!