D-Von Dudley is opening up about a personal chapter from his in-ring career that many in the wrestling industry have long debated.
The topic of steroid use in pro wrestling has remained a controversial one for decades, dating back to the early 1990s when WWE Chairman Vince McMahon faced a high-profile trial centered around performance-enhancing drugs.
Over the years, the conversation has often been tied to both the physical demands of the business and the long-term health risks faced by performers.
During a recent appearance on Vlad TV, D-Von Dudley spoke candidly about his own experience with steroids, revealing that his use came during his time outside of WWE.
“I actually took it during my TNA run,” Dudley admitted. “It wasn’t long-term. I did indulge in it, probably for about three years. I spent ten years in TNA. Three, three and a half years of using it.”
He didn’t shy away from discussing the downsides, particularly the physical toll that came once he stopped.
“The only bad thing about it was, when I stopped using it, my body fell,” he said. “I wasn’t looking all jacked. I was looking flabby. Now, I had to train all over again the way I used to train when I was a young boy. I had to get a trainer to help get my body right. Yes, I did use it when I left WWE and went to TNA for the first few years. After that, I stopped. I think that’s where the knee problems came in effect because I got to be almost 315 pounds. I was solid. Carrying all that weight around hurt my knees. I wore knee pads and braces my whole career. I kept saying to myself, ‘How the hell am I having knee problems?’ Carrying all that weight and bouncing around, you can’t do that and expect nothing to happen. I don’t blame TNA. I blame myself. I indulged in that stuff. Nobody put a gun to my head and forced me. I did it. I’m not ashamed. I did what I did in terms of the enhancements. Did it become a problem? No. Was I addicted to it? No.”
It’s a brutally honest reflection.
Dudley also shared what ultimately led him to step away from using steroids, pointing to his family as the deciding factor.
He explained that thinking about his sons, and wanting to be present as they grow and pursue their own path in the wrestling business, played a major role in his decision to stop.
