WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley recently opened up about his deep religious faith and how it intertwined with his famous “Reverend D-Von” character. On INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, he revealed that the “Testify” catchphrase came from Paul Heyman and that his father, a bishop, gave him his blessing for the controversial Dudley Boyz gimmick.
“My faith in God is strong. Both of my parents are reverends,” D-Von shared. “My father was a reverend before he passed away, he became a bishop. My mother got ordained in 1987 and became a reverend… she’s Dr. Reverend Renee Washington Hughes Gardner.”
The Origin of “Testify”
D-Von explained that it was Paul Heyman who came up with his signature catchphrase, drawing inspiration from D-Von’s real-life background and a classic film. “Testify actually came from Paul Heyman, because Paul Heyman knew my background of being a preacher’s kid,” he said. “He took my character from Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mr. T… he combined those two together, and that’s when he said, ‘You know what, let’s make your tagline ‘Testify,’ because it coexists with your background and your beliefs in God.'”
A Father’s Blessing
He also admitted to struggling with some aspects of the Dudley Boyz’ gimmick, particularly the commandment, “Thou shalt not f— with the Dudleys,” due to his religious beliefs. He recalled a conversation he had with his father about it.
“I remember when I told my father about the gimmick, he said, ‘You know what? Let me tell you something, son, don’t listen to anybody. You go do what you’re doing, but when you’re done hooping and hollering in that ring, bring it to where it really counts, and that’s in the pulpit,'” D-Von shared. “And you know, I hope I made him proud, because, you know, again, I go around speaking the Word of God.”
D-Von clarified that while his “Reverend D-Von” character was inspired by his background, he did not become an actual reverend until after that gimmick had ended. He now incorporates his faith into his public speaking and his work at his wrestling school.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
