D-Von Dudley Says Randy Orton And Bubba Ray Have Squashed Their Feud

A long-simmering backstage rift between Randy Orton and Bubba Ray Dudley has apparently been put to rest, according to D-Von Dudley.

Speaking on Episode 79 of his D-Von & The Duke podcast, D-Von addressed the years-old tension involving his brother Bubba, Orton, and Batista, a saga that has floated around wrestling lore for a long time. The dispute reportedly traces back to an in-ring accident in which Bubba landed awkwardly on Orton, breaking his foot. According to an excerpt from Batista’s autobiography, Bubba blamed Orton for the injury and berated him as he was being loaded into an ambulance, an account pointed enough that Batista titled the corresponding book chapter “Bubba Dudley Is an Asshole.”

That kind of public airing has kept the story alive among fans for years, but D-Von says the Orton side of it is resolved. “I am happy that Bubba and Randy somewhat made up,” he said. “I know that for a fact. I spoke to Randy a couple of times, and he said he squashed it with Bubba. It is what it is.”

The same can’t be said, however, for the relationship between Bubba and Batista. D-Von admitted that friction remains there, and that he’d like to see it resolved as well. “Nobody wants to see an ongoing feud with these three men,” he said. “I hated that Batista and Bubba don’t care for each other. I’m hoping one day Batista can do the same, him and Bubba.”

D-Von also used the moment to explain why he’s selective about what backstage details he shares publicly, pushing back on the idea that his podcast should function as a gossip outlet. “I’m not there to give you the gossip, the juicy details,” he said. “I’m going to tell you what I feel I should tell you and what you should know. Forgive me for trying to do the right thing and get these guys to be good, as opposed to you turning on your phone and seeing, ‘Bubba hates Batista, Batista hates Bubba,’ and blah, blah, blah.”

Stories like this tend to take on a life of their own in wrestling circles, partly because so many of the details originated from Batista’s own book rather than either Dudley brother. Hearing D-Von confirm that Orton and Bubba have moved past it adds a real coda to a story that’s been retold and speculated about for years, especially since all three men remain visible figures whose paths could still cross in some capacity, whether in the ring, on television, or simply within the same wrestling orbit.

Whether Bubba and Batista ever reach the same understanding is a separate question, and D-Von was careful not to overstate where that relationship currently stands. For now, one leg of the old triangle has apparently healed, even if the other hasn’t quite caught up.