WWE has hosted several farewell matches for wrestling legends over the years. However, The Dudley Boys and The Hardy Boys will end their lengthy rivalry in another company, and the reason why is now being revealed.
The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz have shared the ring more than 110 times, and more than 100 of those bouts were in the WWE ring. Their first TV outing came during RAW on September 20, 1999 as the ECW Legends defeated the brothers from North Carolina, who were then billed as The New Brood. Of their televised series of two-on-two matches in WWE, The Hardys lead 7-5 with two No Contest finishes.
TNA first hosted The Dudleys vs. The Hardys during the Impact episode that aired August 14, 2014. Billed as Team 3D, Bubba and D-Von defeated Matt and Jeff in their only two-on-two match in the TNA ring. The two teams shared the ring in four other TNA matches, which included The Wolves.
The Hardys became four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions at Slammiversary on Sunday by winning a Ladder Match over First Class, The Rascalz, and former champions The Nemeths. After the match, Matt and Jeff were confronted by Bully Ray, but D-Von was not there. The ECW Original issued a challenge to do The Hardys vs. The Dudleys one more time on Sunday, October 12 at TNA Bound For Glory, which will air live from the Tsongas Center in Boston.
WWE and TNA have a strong working relationship right now, and there’s been a lot of speculation on why The Dudleys vs. The Hardys isn’t taking place at SummerSlam, or at least an upcoming NXT PLE or Saturday Night’s Main Event special. TNA hosted the big Dudley reunion for Impact 1000, and now they are getting what is also being billed as Team 3D’s last match, and last battle with The Hardys.
Bubba Ray Dudley On Why The Match Against The Hardy Is Not Being Done In WWE
Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy have been teaming in TNA since June 2024, but Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley have only worked three matches since December 2016: they reunited for Impact 1000 in September 2023 to defeat The Desi Hit Squad, then defeated Tommy Dreamer and Atsushi Onita at BCW’s ECW Reunion show in April 2024, and that same month they teamed with Elijah at IWC Superstar Showdown for a trios win over Derek Dillinger, Wes Barkley, and Canaan Kristopher.
The Hardys and The Dudleys will lock up one more time at TNA Slammiversary on October 12. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray explained why their final match is happening in TNA’s squared circle, and not the WWE ring.
“It’s actually kind of perfect that our last match, me and D-Von’s last match, happens in a TNA ring. And when I say ‘last match,’ I don’t know if it’s the final final one, but I mean Dudleys vs. Hardys. That match will never happen in a WWE ring, that’s for sure,” Bully Ray said. [H/T to Ringside News]
Dudley continued and acknowledged the deep history the four legends have with TNA. He noted that this match is all about giving fans the send-off they deserve.
“The Hardys and the Dudleys did face off in TNA a couple of times, and me and D-Von spent a big part of our careers there. So why not? If you’re not gonna get it in WWE, I’d love to give it to the fans in TNA—and that’s exactly what they’re gonna get at Bound for Glory,” Bully Ray said. [H/T to Ringside News]