D-Von Dudley says he was “very bothered” over comments Jim Ross made but has forgiven him

Now again, I’m not getting involved in the stuff that happened, you know, with his downfall of leaving the company. I don’t get involved in that. That’s not my business. But what I can say is that the man has been good to me. Has there been times where, you know, I got frustrated with him, whether it was as talent or as a producer? Absolutely. We all do with each other. But that doesn’t mean I hate the man. It doesn’t mean I’m going to start talking bad mess about him. So, no, he wasn’t one that did anything to me.

Michael Hayes did nothing but help me during my producer role to help me become a better producer. So no, not Michael Hayes.

John Laurinaitis—a lot of people don’t like John, and I understand that, for reasons that they have. But again, John Laurinaitis took care of me as a producer. Never once did he badmouth me in any way, shape, or form.

And oh—and Pat Patterson. Hell no, it wasn’t Pat. Pat gave me and Bubba so much knowledge about this wrestling business, it’s not even funny. He actually helped Bubba with his mind, along with Heyman and Terry Funk and Bam Bam Bigelow, Ravishing Rick Rude, and all of those names that came before us. He helped us. Patterson took us under his wing and basically taught us a lot of the right things to do and the wrong things to do in the business. So no, it wasn’t them.

Okay. Did I come out and say ‘Ten Gallon Hat’? Yes. Did Maven let the cat out of the bag? Yes. Was it JR [Jim Ross]? Yes, I did have a problem with JR back then. And I didn’t know why. I’m not angry at the man today. I know the man is going through some health problems, some health issues, you know, and just to show you where I am and the place that I’m in—I pray that God can heal his body.

But was I disappointed with that man when he said the things he said to me back then? Yes, I was. Now, he can sit there and deny it all he wants, but again, Bubba was there, and Bubba said that he remembers the incident on my podcast. Paul Heyman was there, Spike Dudley was there, and Tommy Dreamer was there. So you had all these other people that were there—who aren’t black, by the way. I want to point that out. Who aren’t black, okay?

And I say that because a lot of people say, ‘Oh, well, you know, if they were black, they all stick together and blah blah because of racism. They pull the race card.’ No one’s pulling the race card, and I’m not just coming out and saying this because I’m retired and I’m not with a company now.

The question was asked, and I got tired of people saying, ‘Who is it? Who is it?’ Number one, if I didn’t want to say it back then, I have the right to not say who the person was. You just want to know who it is. I don’t have to make you feel good by telling you who it was. So why now? Because I wanted to. That was my way of letting it go.

Now, how you guys choose to handle it on social media—that’s up to you. I don’t wish that man any bad illness, nothing like that. I was very hurt, very bothered by what the man had said on two separate occasions. And like I said about [Hulk] Hogan, I’m not asking you to forget what was said, but you have to forgive—and I’ve forgiven him in my heart.

I have not talked to him. I have not. And when I see him, I don’t say anything to him because not once has he come to me and apologized for the things that he said. And he might say he doesn’t remember—that’s fine. But out of respect for the company itself, I’m not putting WWE in a bad light. Because a lot of times, you know, we don’t know the people who we hire. We don’t know what type of people they are.

And I’m not going to downplay Vince for hiring someone like him at the time. You know, business is business. But to let that ugliness come out—that’s where I have the big problem. Especially when you’re in charge of so many talent. And when Vince has got everything on his table, he’s instilling you to take care of things—and then you go that route and do that. That’s where I have the problem.

So, I don’t hold any ill feelings towards the man. Again, I won’t forget, but I do have to forgive him. And whether he wants to be stubborn about it or what have you, that’s on him. But my heart of hearts is letting it go.”