Reverend D'VON was GODLY!

The Dudley Boyz are one of the mot decorated and famous tag teams in WWE history. But for a brief spell in 2002 Vince Mcmahon decided it would be a good idea to split them up. This was around the time that Edge and Christian and The Hardy Boyz broke up too. D'von Dudley had a massive character overhaul and became a preacher called Revered D'von. I've heard a lot of people say this gimmick on Smackdown was really bad and one of the worst of all time. So it made perfect since for this short run to go on Ring Of The Hawk!
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[@Markyd123]

I don't see why this gimmick gets hate. Thumbs up if you like it, comment if you don't!

[@vishakhvijayan1901]

Dude, Thank you for this video. I truly appreciate this spotlight on a gimmick I wanted to see more of but couldn't.

[@AntonBalfe]

Honestly it's seriously a underrated run solid work from D-von

[@superfan931]

Eyes of Righteousness alone gives him a place on Ring Of the Hawk.

[@cubeclutch4781]

Newlegacyinc helped his character out lowkey years later

[@James.chalmers]

I liked it!

[@ricardonb6375]

Back in ECW, D-Von cut promos that made him sound like a preacher saying things like, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Dudley, thou shalt honor thy Big Daddy Dudley, thou shall not screw with the Dudleyz!"

[@duelistemissary7680]

"Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not fuck with the Dudleys!" Is his default one later on, he'd just throw it in at the end of their promos.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

He also cursed while doing it too.😂

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

He told someone to shut the f*ck up.😂

[@Kingofb0ngstyle]

Yes, but still it was foolish to make him do this small time character

[@kenterminateddq5311]

​@@duelistemissary7680 Awesome impression with the F-bomb.

[@TophDaGreat]

Laughed my ass off as a teen when I realized he was collecting real money from the Crowd

[@ValSempai]

Honestly I can see why Bruce Pritchard would write Reverend D-von better than Heyman.....It's literally just Bruce's "Brother Love" gimmick xD

[@Kingofb0ngstyle]

"I love you!"

[@quentinkaasa47]

It's been said that when Heyman was head of SmackDown's creative that he wasn't looking out for the ECW guys. He was more interested in the younger, newer and "better" talent.

[@Teddy42O]

Reverend D-Von them music is still 🔥🔥 very underrated theme

[@dellowery]

Bro, I STILL want that sheet music to this day!

[@Mrunder946]

I always used it for my create a character in the video game lol

[@quentinkaasa47]

More wrestling themes need a black choir.

[@am2382]

Oh my brother, TESTIFY!

[@kidz4p509]

🎵Please call my name!🎵

[@scawfan75]

HE'S DOMINATE!

[@holdthetruthhostage]

Testify

[@robinjosephy.aquino5189]

TESTICLES

[@Venemofthe888]

This gimmick gave us the soundbite of d-von saying masterbation lol

[@hecksters423]

"...What!"

[@user-lg9sf9jv4n]

6:00 i forgot how ripped and in good shape Ron Simmons was in 2002, he was 44 years old, damn!

[@JamesLettetman]

Its bcuz he Ma----bated😂

[@quentinkaasa47]

Randy Orton is the same age right now! 😮

[@ValSempai]

@@quentinkaasa47 and looks older than ron did then.....that shit kinda crazy xD

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

Weird to see Batista, Orton, and HHH interact pre-evolution.

[@MikeJr9284]

Not to mention that Evolution formed later that year too.

[@Curtisisback1]

And the strangest thing is that Mark Jindrak was originally member of Evolution instead of Orton.

[@iago6000]

@@Curtisisback1 no, jindrak spot got took over by batista, but actually atp I don't know if it is true, since batista interviewed by ccv clarified that he was always meant to be a part of evolution and jindrak wasn't, but in the ig reel jindrak said it was not true... so believe what you want, who cares

[@Curtisisback1]

@@iago6000 I'm sorry, just put the wrong person)

[@malikwilson7387]

​@@iago6000no orton took Jindrak spot in Evolution and that's was Mark's big break but orton played politics

[@zayneclark3771]

I think Rev D-Von could've been a good combo with Right To Censor as a cult heel stable, both gimmicks were underutilized.

[@hoin3371]

Even so RTC got tag team title

[@tafua_a]

RTC not really. It was meant to last three weeks and they ended up with months and months of stories and a couple title runs.

[@noctes100]

The timing as off. RTC ended about a year before the Rev. gimmick started.

[@zayneclark3771]

@@noctes100 I know but I see certain characters or storylines and can't help but think how they could've made a bigger impact!

[@JRGOAT_23]

Being Jamaican and hearing the dutty wine instrumental in a wrestling vid is making me laugh

[@Lunchtime32]

😂😂😂😂😂 that got me off guard

[@maliiksfu]

Fam i am laughing so hard… i was like “hol on.. but wait”🤣🤣🤣

[@Genos064]

Same yah mi g

[@doyadirty3804]

Fr 😂

[@HarlemHospital]

Was just about to make this comment I'm glad you got there before me 🤣🇯🇲

[@VXGaming]

People forget how JACKED Val Venis was.

[@JayceeGenocide]

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@quentinkaasa47]

Because by 2004 he stopped tanning, his body became all doughy AND he was going bald. He actually looked bigger here in this video than at any other point in his career. It's obvious he was on the juice.

[@bjmills87]

@@quentinkaasa47apple or orange?

[@doyadirty3804]

We know he was always jacked its just that nobody cares about him...

[@DaleEarnshark3]

@@bjmills87 What about Grape? Or Juvi?

[@ThePhenomenalAce__]

Owen Harts blackhart solo run from December 97-November 98?

[@marlon778]

1:13 Let's be honest with ourselves: Bruce Prichard thought it was a good idea because Vince thought it was a good idea and Bruce is a yes-man lol

[@quentinkaasa47]

I don't think that's quite it. Bruce and Vince just have similar tastes. The Undertaker likely wouldn't have worked so well without either Bruce or Vince's production. Bruce is also adamant that the Red Rooster (an equally ridiculous gimmick) would have worked if Terry Taylor's heart had been in it. Vince wouldn't be so defensive about that.

[@LimaKiloRomeo]

Oh for sure.

[@jruwilkerson1356]

Vince is a satanists so of course he loves these gimmicks to embarrass God

[@thedon42]

4:31 “This referee”? Come on Marky it’s the power of TEDDY LONG! HOLLA HOLLA!

[@Jay.130]

John Cena did actually beat Reverend D-Von once, but it was on Velocity. I think this was mentioned on WWE's 5 Things.

[@jasontodd1896]

This. Cena beat him twice

[@mesousagaby740]

We'll never know the conclusion of the D-Von Building Fund...

[@quentinkaasa47]

He funded the orphanage that El Generico works for.

[@PaizuriKing_]

@@quentinkaasa47In which his friend Kevin Steen also helps run with Generico and two orphans followed in their footsteps and they were Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens

[@SNOWDUDE13]

Wow Heyman couldn't work his magic with this character? Such a rare flop indeed.

[@quentinkaasa47]

Likely an intentional burial so that it would be planted in Vince's head that Bubba & D-Von needed to be reunited sooner.

[@fro-zone2k]

I don't know if it's truth or not but I hear the Reverend gimmick was his D-Von's idea.

[@codyman5540]

Yeah, and better yet - Bruce Prichard was the one behind his segments. He even admitted Heyman was the catalyst on leading him sooner to the reunion of The Dudleyz, since Paul didn't really know how to display a southern reverend portrayal unlike Prichard.

[@natebaxter9551]

I think his dad was a pastor.

[@scottfitzgerald5309]

Rene Dupree singles run. Unsure if it's less than 30 matches though

[@kingextreme88]

Day 2 until Ricky Ortiz gets covered on Ring of the Hawk.

[@charlesiofaustria7361]

This run is actually alot better than I remember. Its better than what Bubba was doing over at Raw.

[@retrovisualz]

Exactly. Bubba was still in his Dudley persona, no change of character. I always felt like they should’ve gave D’Von a European title run

[@joshfreifeld5236]

11:51 HOLY MARK HENRY HITTING A JUMPING SUPER KICK IS INSANE

[@AvoidTIMtation]

His music was GREAT

[@SubZero589]

How could you not love D Von, he's just one of those wrestlers than no one seems to dislike. The fact that his first match involed him, Batista and Triple H and he was the winner, who would of ever thought that. His reunion with Bubba at Survivor Series 2002 was something else

[@thehater6189]

Great gimmick! A short term goal of mine is to get a rev dvon doin a dance as a gif to use when I get donations. He was the only tag guy that got a gimmick at this time

[@scs2850]

Nobody ever questioned the Dudley’s being brothers only in wrestling 😂😂

[@ShrexyGuy]

Whatchu mean? Spike and DVon are totally spitting images 😂

[@GR8NE55]

As a Smackdown-only teen (cuz I didn't have cable to watch Raw back then), I absolutely loved Reverend D-Von. He could have had a major push as WWE Champion had his run continued, however, the Dudley Boyz reunion was much needed.

[@imnobody1906]

Enjoyed the gimmick but GOD DAMN the theme was absolute, and I've never said this in this context in my life, fire

[@joshfreifeld5236]

jimmy wang yang will definitely make the hawk talk🦅

[@psyopticprodigy2427]

It looks so weird seeing Triple H come out on the Smackdown fist set.

[@TheRealAhoy]

Could never understand why people called it a failed gimmick. I loved it, sure, it fizzled out, and wasn't ideal for where Batista wanted to go, but both were great at it.

[@fredcasdensworld]

Paul Heyman not understanding anything about the South is pretty much spot on

[@STEDEL82]

That was some really good music for a gimmick that was actually quite solid. It just sucks that tbe fans really just wanted D-Von in Dudley or Team 3D form. If not, he would've had a solid singles' run.

[@FlyGuyLaFlare]

Dawg is that a dancehall song @ 1:55😭😂😂😂

[@ScottFree-GB]

Dutty Wine - Tony Matterhorn

[@FlyGuyLaFlare]

@@ScottFree-GB yea I know the song im Jamaican lol I was just surprised bout the sing being on this video

[@xxxCyber24xxx]

​@@FlyGuyLaFlareMarky has been using it for a while lol Big up from Guyana 🇬🇾

[@dmoore540]

Awesome video. Even better background music. Dutty wine while watching Reverend D-Von 🔥🔥🔥

[@ianfeuerhake1859]

Good to know Farooq launches the hand shuttle. He’s a good guy. He hooked us up with tickets once when I was a kid, when he started in FL

[@antfrancis9941]

Remember when bubba used to st-st-st-st-stutter? 😁

[@JeneralDethray]

I-I-I DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU REMEMBER!

[@ricardonb6375]

I-I-I-I do remember back when he had tr-tr-tr-tr-trouble speaking his own na-na-na-na-name everytime he says, "My name is Buh-buh-buh-buh... Buh-buh-buh, (pause) My name is Buh Buh Ray Dudley".

[@slammydunk9787]

He actually used stutter gimmick twice. One in ECW and other time in WWE. Both times it was for a short time after debut.

[@Bigbossman216]

He should get an A Just for that theme song

[@pleaseshutup7053]

And that masturbation promo

[@mjdf122]

Testify my brotha

[@NoTengoDinero69]

Nice mate. Been looking forward to this one. I don’t make requests anymore since you covered Chris Melendez a few years back, but I’d love to see you cover Jimmy Havoc in AEW. Most overhyped wrestler ever. If you don’t count his AEW Dark matches he’s in RoH territory.

[@gejamugamlatsoomanam7716]

Dvon is a better person irl, Bubba is known as an asshole when fans go up to him

[@RC99_Productions]

Bubba's "singles" run on RAW lasted around 32 or 33 matches from WWE Draft to Survivor Series 2002 when he and D-Von got back together. I say "singles" in quotation marks because he mostly teamed with Spike Dudley and Jeff Hardy on RAW. I know ROTH says "30 matches or less" but exceptions can be made sometimes.

[@thesaltnation5570]

I loved this time for dvon his theme is great and i liked his promo style! ❤

[@aaronhurst4379]

I can't believe I went this long without seeing that promo exchange between D'Von and Farooq 😂😂

[@spoonyluv19]

I agree the Batista vs D-Von angle should have happed at a ppv or at the very least the pre-show to one.

[@shtembyduelsson]

Guy beat The Undertaker & Triple H on the same night (clean) and almost won Kingiest Of The Ringiest, he's earned my respect, adoration and plenty of donations.

[@isiahbraun8704]

Nah his entrance music 😂😂

[@1Masterevil1]

11:11 D-von looks like he was trying to do Prince Nana's dance xD

[@hardcatsonly]

Hi Hawk. Thanks for being more active than Ultimate Warrior on the way to the ring

[@TruthTellerTV]

"aw you don't massuhbait no mo? well i do!" lol

[@NcWcN1]

They're barely noticeable on the Cena match (M13), but D-Von wearing his 3D boots towards the end of the Reverend character (when on his prior twelve matches he was using white shoes) was a veiled hint that the three Dudleys were going to reunite sooner or later...

[@SNOwyte]

Dvon w the crucifix taunt on the top rope was lit

[@dnickx]

We need the complete WWF run of Jerry Lynn...I understand that he wrestled like 95% of the run on B and C shows, but it will surely be a banger, plus he had like 27 matches

[@trystanstewart1120]

Mexicool tag team wwe run - Officially nominated for a ring of the hawk video

[@chrisstewart7539]

I like how he was booked with and againt all of "Evolution" before it formed and helped make Batista and Orton get over in a small way

[@BlackLaGoonies]

Since you recently covered The Power Plant, I think Buddy Lee Parker would be a fun ROH. It'd give some insight perhaps as to why he focused on conditioning and little else.

[@andrewgbarker]

That damn theme is so good it ends up in my Spotify top 100 every year!

[@thoroughbredunderdog]

Either I missed out on a lot of D-von’s early ECW run or this was the most in shape he had ever been. He was moving fast and hitting drop kicks during this run!

[@Kingofb0ngstyle]

If Devon was a main event talent with this gimmick, it would have been good. Like how Bully Ray was the top star heel in TNA. I love the dominate theme song though, very catchy. I remember it on Anthology

[@beaulynskey8470]

Either The Briscoes in TNA/Impact or Murdoch & Slater as The Hardliner Collection Agency in WCW in Ring of the Hawk pls.

[@theslimjames]

Here's the thing, a lack of a midcard title on Smackdown in 02 threw off a lot of the perception of midcarders, IMO. A guy like Dvon wasn't going to instantly be a main eventer, so he's languishing in a midcard with no "landing pad" of a US title. Eddie, Benoit, Edge and Angle all dipped into the tag ranks in fall of 02, and when DVon did as well, it felt like his singles run was a failure. Similar things with Ron Simmons, even John Cena. Without a midcard title, some guys were just too far away from something tangible to feud about.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

He didn’t need a title just a storyline or feud with someone.

[@theslimjames]

There's a reason WWE has had midcard titles after the brief experiment from 02 to 03. Too many c tier guys can't just will themselves up a notch without the crutch of a midcard title. This video was littered with em...Mark Henry, 02 Orton, 02 Cena, Valbowski.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

@@theslimjames because they are too lazy to come up with storylines so “put them in a title match” is easy to do. That’s why fans are calling for a women’s mid card title because wwe cannot come up with more than 1 women’s storyline at a time. It allows for laziness. The more titles there are the more the top title is diminished

[@pleaseshutup7053]

@@theslimjames why wasn’t dvon put in a storyline with rikishi or farooq ever since there Monday night wars ended Vince got lazier and lazier

[@theslimjames]

Everything you're saying is correct, midcard storylines hit the toilet after the brand split, often just becoming "you beat me, I beat you" with no real stakes. But you also need a midcard title so that the bottom half of your roster has something to theoretically fight for in the back of the fans' minds.

[@SNOwyte]

Can we just talk about how lit whatever chris jericho is wearing in that interference

[@honestdave]

Good Ol' Baptista.

[@subhojitghosh6851]

The strong referee in the Dvon VS Rikishi match, who stops Batista, is actually Teddy Long 😂

[@bigdaddymlora]

5:50 I almost choked on my water😂😂

[@KAPTAINmORGANnWo4eva]

I'd never seen the second half of that promo where Farooq proudly declared he enjoyed cranking his hog. That was probably the highlight of the whole gimmick.

[@buhbuhjaychampagne1706]

In ECW Heyman wanted a black Dudley Boy and was introduced to D-Von (A-Train at the time). Saturn worked him out and said he could go and Heyman hired him. Then Heyman asked if he’d seen Pulp Fiction. And had him create his character after Samuel L. Jackson’s in the movie. And that’s how his character was born. In WWE D-Von asked to use the Reverend D-Von character. Vince loves the idea. Too bad it didn’t really go anywhere.

[@ScrubTheNub]

“Bruce Prichard liked the idea too” of course he did. He’ll agree with anything Vince wants.

[@marvelsProtege]

7:01 That was a lovely finisher Chife kiss

[@criminalmindsgirl2936]

I found the gimmick to be funny 😅😅😅

[@ollieduracell]

Shuv it squaddddddd! Finally see D'vons finisher on Cena nearly three quarters of the way through.

[@DJWreckAlot]

That mark henry jumping thru the middle ropes on his feet was badass 🎉

[@wbcwinnipegbeltcollector]

I watched back then and remember being impressed by batista but just wishing for the Dudley Reunion sucks i sorta didnt appreciate the run for what it was I didnt realize he crossed paths with so many main eventers and didnt really get much out of it other than beating Hunter

[@Kingofb0ngstyle]

Randy & Batista wrestled so much better back then

[@martyvibe]

D-Von quoting Alan Partridge is something I thought I’d never see.

[@thaheartbreaker]

Dvon had a great character that got a young Batista over. It was a perfect run to me.

[@theslimjames]

Also, wasn't Venis just "The Big Valbowski" in 02?

[@Markyd123]

Wasn’t in these matches 😂

[@bobbybr38k3r8]

Your commentary is comedy gold

[@DocHolliday8998]

Whether it *was* his "name" at that time, just a typo, or an intentional joke, I just 😂 in the last match: D-Von vs Bautista, where Bautista's name is written as "BAPtista" which, if it wasn't how he was presented during the "religious run," was an asbolute missed golden opportunity.

[@szymonj9377]

11:49 wtf !? I didnt knew henry could do that Damn

[@kjdinero]

😭😭😭 those last 2 promos crazy

[@kidgruesome407]

Farooq's got our back guys!!

[@Elfo_Scuro]

He nailed the gimmick, great character by D-Von!

[@SNOwyte]

Young randy had a crazy moveset

[@BothSideStoriez]

Best tag teams.. LOD, Bush Wackers, Road Dogg Billy Gun, Hardy boys, egde christina lol. Head bangers, Apn, the gangsters, rock&sock, xpack123kid&kane.bros in destruction. Yall add some.....

[@Mochi_Madness87]

This gimmick was hilarious. Plus it gave us Batista.

[@معاذمحمد-س6ط]

Hawk do luther reigns run is good

[@fergalstackstreams]

D-von and Batista didn't get a shot at the tag belts because they were exclusive to Raw for some reason, until the fall when Smackdown got their own titles.

[@RealAaron317]

I think Vince put Batisa with Devon to have him learn from the veteran. Like he did with Evolution

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

it looks like batista was handpicked and groomed by batista since day 1

[@The80sWolf_]

I admit it. I sinned to Trish 😭

[@DeathSongoftheThreeStorms]

I wonder if they stopped with the collection box because of the implication that D-Von was stealing money from the fans.

[@손주희-c1s]

D-Von building fund still dominates

[@itsKWhile]

Missing a few matches in here. Especially Chuck Palumbo & The Big Valbowski vs Reverend D-Von and Ron Simmons at Rebellion which D-Von and Simmons won

[@beastmode_576]

Kung Funaki for Ring of the Hawk (He’s even got a Wrestlemania moment!) Mexicools for Ring of the Hawk

[@georgepiedra8791]

NewLegacyInc's biggest nightmare

[@maliiksfu]

Brother DUTTY WINE AS THE MUSIC IS SO NUTS 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@extremeking425]

I don't think people understand how great of a run this was, nah I'm lying because if it was, he wouldn't have began teaming with Bubba again after Survivor Series '02. WWE realized they made a serious mistake splitting up The Dudley Boys at the 2002 WWE Draft.

[@AmateurHour1111]

Barista w/ D-von AGAINST HHH. Strange!

[@FatJackedNerd]

13:37 no wonder cena wore Jorts 😂😂 his legs look weak compared to torso 😂😂