10 Attempted WWE Repackages That Failed Miserably
7. D-Von Dudley To Reverend D-Von
WWE’s original Brand Split saw a number of tag teams split-up and go their separate ways, and while some parties went-on to enjoy considerable singles success (hello once again to JBL), others floundered. The Dudley Boyz were one such team, and while it was arguable that they’d reached the end of their lifespan in WWE, the split benefited neither D-Von nor Bubba Ray, and both failed as singles workers.
Bubba eventually found great success as TNA’s Bully Ray, but D-Von was never cut out for this singles wrestling malarkey. One of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all-time, D-Von’s first singles run saw WWE draw on his real life as a clergyman’s son to create “Reverend D-Von”: a hooting and hollering preacher who served as Vince McMahon’s spiritual advisor.
Alongside him was Deacon Batista, who’d frequently clobber D-Von’s opponents with his collection box before eventually betraying the good reverend. Religious gimmicks rarely work in WWE, and crooked Reverend D-Von is a perfect example of that. D-Von himself was never lacking in his portrayal and always put full effort into trying to get the doomed gimmick over, but he could never grab the crowd’s interest.
The repackaging was quickly abandoned and the Dudleyz were reunited six months after the initial split.