Interview: Big Dick Dudley

The current XPW mainstay shoots on ECW, and talks about almost going to the WWF before the Dudleys.

July 11, 2000

At a World Xtreme Wrestling show in Phillipsburg, NJ on July 8th; I had the opportunity to sit down with Big Dick Dudley and chat with him on a variety of subjects. In this interview, he shoots on Paul Heyman, and tells the story of XPW. He was very professional, and it was a pleasure to chat with him.

Josh Pontrelli: IGNwrestling.com here with Big Dick Dudley, former ECW superstar, now with XPW out in California. How do you describe your relations with Spike Dudley, D-Von Dudley, and Buh Buh Ray?

Big Dick Dudley: Spike's a good kid. Buh Buh and D-Von; I talk to them all the time. My feelings are mixed towards what they are doing. We weren't originally supposed to be sports entertainment. We are more of an extreme tag team, or a hardcore team, you know.

Josh: Do you know the latest on how Spike Dudley is doing, concerning his injury?

BDD:: He is doing really good. I talked to him about a month ago, and everything seems to be going well.

Josh: Now that D-Von and Buh Buh Ray are in the WWF, do you think that they would ever be interested in bringing you in?

BDD:: Actually, it's funny. When Vince Russo was originally there, he wanted me before the Dudley Boyz. I was negotiating with Vince Russo and the WWF, but then Buh Buh and D-Von kind of went behind my back and signed the contract. It wasn't as good as the one I was going to work out with the WWF. After that, things backed off, and Vince Russo left. Everything happened; so I went off to California to start off XPW.

Josh: Do you think that Vince Russo is still interested in you?

BDD:: I don't want to comment on that, but we will leave it up to your imagination.

Josh: Eventually, why did you leave ECW?

BDD:: Well, money problems. Paul E. wasn't paying guys for the PPVs, he was bouncing our regular paychecks. That is what we did, and that is what we counted on. When he started doing that, the company wasn't that good to work for. I went off and did my own thing.

Josh: ECW Fans are slated to be so true to the roots and hardcore; What is the difference between ECW Fans and XPW Fans?

BDD:: Basically, they are the same fans. Paul E. let all of his top talent go. He let us go, he let the Pitbulls go, he let Public Enemy go, he let Kronus go. He let a lot of guys that helped build ECW. So, I called all of them over to XPW. We have a better show, a better production. The TV shows; we are on our 12th or 13th show out there; which airs on America One and the Sunshine Network. It airs before ECW on those channels, too. We are coming along. We have been doing our shows for a year, and house shows draw 1500 to 2000 people, sometimes 2500. Next up on the list, we've gotten our pyrotechnics license. You know, we have got some good sh*t happening.

Josh: How about the locker rooms, and backstage?

BDD:: Actually, the ECW locker room was good when all of the boys were together. We had good chemistry, and that is what we have out there in XPW. It's good chemistry, the guys are clicking. We have all of the good talent that built ECW, and we have the new talent from California. Everything is well, as planned. It is on track. Where I said we would be in a year, that is where we are. We took all of Paul E.'s faults, and incorporated them to what we did out there, and made sure not to do the same mistakes that Paul E. did. In one year, we grew more than ECW did in five years.

Josh: How do you feel about Mike Awesome, who left ECW while under contract?

BDD:: I thought it was great. I liked it; Paul E. sticks it to the guys. Here is a guy that stuck it back to him. He did what he wanted to do, and that is just an example of how Paul E. is running the locker room. If this guy is happy where he is, then why would he jump ship from ECW and go to WCW? There was something going on, and something wrong in ECW. It just goes to show you what is going on. His big star left with his belt to go to a different promotion. So, what does it tell you about Paul E. Dangerously?

Josh: What are your immediate and longterm goals in professional wrestling?

BDD:: I am going to do what I do best. I am going to wrestle extreme, stay extreme. I have got things worked out. XPW should be taking off, and actually, it is taking off. Anything can happen, though. If WWF calls, or WCW inquires, which they have been; if they want to do what I want to do, and do extreme stuff like it is supposed to be done; not what they do on TV, but what is supposed to be done, then I will consider it.

Josh: Finally, you are currently in an angle with Rob Black and Josh Lanzie in XPW. Can you give the details on that for our readers?

BDD:: When Rob and I started this company, we started it together. When the company grew, the understanding was that I would have some type of control over the company. We would work on a price that was reasonable. As things went on, and people were interested in the company, he started re-negotiating on his side of the deal. I had left XPW for about three or four months. I got into a car accident first, then I had left. We re-negotiated our deal as far as me coming back to the company. Right now, Lanzie from Danzig brought me back under the assumption that we would get control of the company back from Rob. All he was doing was screwing things up. I had my ideas and my input. What we are trying to do is get control back from Rob, keep it controlled, and build our company. That's about it. He still owns the company, but it is a tug of war between what is going on, and all of the new offers.

Josh: Well, I would like to thank you for your time. If there is anything else you would like to say...

BDD:: Stay hardcore, my friend. Big Dick is always around.