Bully Ray

[7.0] "Bully Ray wasn't the world's best wrestler, & he never needed to be. He was astutely aware of his weaknesses & was able to successfully smoke-&-mirrors his way around them, which is something to be admired in a post-modern-type society where so many fall into the trap of simply analyzing their weakness & doing absolutely nothing about them. He is a bit stubborn & comes off as a bit of a lummox on Busted Open sometimes, but I'm willing to forgive him for that. The TLC matches were seminal bangers & even his mid 2010's work wasn't all bad. He's much better in ring than I think many give him credit for. He's really not that bad. His mic work is killer."

[8.0] "ENGAGER: 10 STRIKER: 9 CRAFTMASTER: 6 AERIALIST: 2 POWERHOUSE: 9 EXTREMIST: 10 ENTRANCE: 8 NARRATIVE: 9 GIMMICK: 9 ANGLE: 9 GRUDGE: 9 ELOCUTION: 9"

[5.0] "Bubba Ray has had some historic matches in pro wrestling, but on the other hand, he's exhausting! he constantly rants and argues on social media, posts controversial takes, and just comes off as obnoxious and attention-seeking, plus his annoying attitude in interviews and promos."

[8.0] "Bubba Ray Dudley is one of the best tag team wrestlers of all time, no question. His work with D-Von in ECW, WWE, and TNA helped define an era, and he knew exactly how to get under a crowd's skin as a heel. While his singles run as Bully Ray in TNA was underrated and showed he could carry a world title storyline, he's always been at his best in hardcore, brawling environments. Not everyone's cup of tea, but his character work and mic skills are top tier. Definitely deserves more respect than he gets."

[8.0] "Bubba Ray Dudley was apart of the legendary Dudley Boyz. He had a great run with them in ECW, WWE, and TNA (as team 3D). His single run in TNA as Bully Ray was fun and he was an amazing heel. He was able to piss off the fans so much that he almost incited riots (Mainly on ECW HeatWave 1999)."

[4.0] "A man who found himself enshrined in wrestling history despite his best work being when he's standing on the apron. The Dudleys are undeniably an iconic tag team and you can certainly make a case for them being one of the best, but whenever Bubba was by himself his ring work and character work was, at its best, completely unremarkable."

[4.0] "Bubba Ray had a fun few years as a tag team member, but since then he's one of the worst singles wrestlers who has ever gotten a push anywhere. Maybe he's your cup of tea, but I find him to be one of the most annoying talkers in wrestling history. He's smooth and strong on the mic, but his character work is just abysmal, and his in ring work is pretty awful, as he's only had one above average singles match in his entire career, which he was carried to by AJ Styles who is physically incapable of a bad match. Find that most of his good matches are on the backs of other people's incredible work, though he definitely has put his body through a lot of damage and deserves respect for that, but almost half of his matches are fucking terrible."

[7.0] "Best as a tag star but also proved he could do it alone in TNA. Definitely better in a team with Devon. I enjoyed early Aces and Eights. He was good on the mic and his in ring work is alright but not better than Devon's."

[7.0] "A dick but a moderately talented dick. He can cut a good promo, had a good singles run in TNA, a all-timer tag run in WWE. His ECW stuff is just walk and brawl, so not my style."

[2.0] "This rating is based on him as a singles wrestler, ROH booker, and talking head personality in wrestling media. The 2 points is for his physical transformation and heel run as TNA champion in 2013 and tag team career. The match with AJ Styles at Bound for Glory is very good. Everything else about him...not so much. He desperately wants to be seen as tough guy and taken very seriously for his opinions, no matter how out of touch they are. TNA was putting him in main events in 2023 to the delight of no one and he did the same things in every match. A comment below says what I was going to about him doing the cheapest heat possible. He did that in ECW in the 90's too. Walking through the crowd and telling women to suck his dick doesn't go very far to the next town. He was the nadir of Ring of Honor and will forever be remembered as being one of the worst parts of its dying days."

[6.0] "Out of Bubba and D-Von, Bubba was by far the better wrestler and the one who you could really tell would swim instead of sinking as a singles star. Though, the initial seperation in 2002 was awful, hence why they were put back together so quickly. His TNA run as Bully Ray was fantastic though, he really showed people he's capable of being a singles star. Wasn't capable of doing any crazy moves, but he did the basics very well and could have a good match. Oh, his mic work is on a high level too, would easily destroy most people nowadays on the mic. Overall, decent wrestler, really proved himself to be a good singles guy too."

[3.0] "The third head of the three-headed Old ECW beast consisting of him, Rhino, and Tommy Dreamer. He at least has better promos than the pther two, but Bully takes up way too much time on TV on a product that really needs to put more emphasis on their young core of The Rascalz, ABC, and MK Ultra. He is in his 50s but can't go like and Edge or Christian or Jericho, so please just be a backstage producer at this point if you still want to contribute to a company, just get off TV and take Dreamer and Rhino with you, please."

[8.0] "Quality for me, always shone above D-Von in ring despite the fact that he's smashing too. Everyone hates on his TNA championship run but for me it was a great period for a fresh new champ in TNA and he gained legit heat. Played a great heel and is criminally underrated with regards to his storytelling in the ring and on the mic"

[3.0] "It is remarkable how much he has achieved in wrestling considering how limited he is in nearly every key element. He got himself a good gimmick in putting people through tables and has been riding it for 20 odd years. Works best as a heel as he comes across as genuinely dislikeable, his stuff in ECW was actually pretty good to be fair to him but unless you are watching carnage TLC matches then I am never happy hearing his music hit. I would rather punch my own gran than watch any of his longer singles matches and my gran is lovely."

[4.0] "Bubba/Brother Ray falls into the category of guys who accomplished so much with so little. Ive always been woefully underwhelmed by him, whether it be in tags (where hes serviceable) or in singles. Hes an average promo at best and completely unremarkable in the ring."

[7.0] "His work on the dudley boyz was excellent. They did great work all over the world in many different companies. His role as Bully Ray as world champion was a great heel in TNA. One of the only bright spots at the time. His character wasn't used properly. Winning and losing at the wrong times. But his character was very good there."

[6.0] "The best of the Dudleyz when it came to singles runs. I actually liked his singles push in 2002 and when he was allowed to bum rush Brock Lesnar and take him down was pretty cool. But alas, the singles push stalled and they put him back together with D-Von who was much worse in the singles run."

[6.0] "Definitely has a good brain for the business and has had some absolute classics. His work as a tag wrestler really stands out. The Dudleys are absolutely vital to their time. His solo work leaves something to be desired, though my exposure to that work is limited."

[3.0] "His work in the TLC matches was phenomenal, but what a deeply unpleasant presence Bully Ray was. His ROH work is the nadir of that company's history and the Dudleyz always had a bad vibe for me personally, outside of a few classics."

[8.0] "Bully Ray in his prime was great. Dudleyz might be my favorite team ever, and TNA world champ Bully was cool.. I don't hate this era of Bully or the aces and eights as much as others do, so for his contributions to this business, he gets A 8."

[7.0] "I'm not sure that he still should be at spotlight in Impact at 51 years old, but it's not his fault. One of the most iconic tag-team figure in history. His contributions to extreme side of wrestling are undoubtedly memorable."

[6.0] "Personally never been the biggest fan of Bubba but can't deny he's impacted the business. Plays the heel very well and is very good on the microphone. In the ring he's solid enough even if he's not the great so from that point of view he's suited to tag matches more than main event singles."

[8.0] "I can understand some people not being happy with him still being around today, but please don't let it affect the rating for his entire career. He's legendary as a tag team wrestler overall, but his TNA run is painfully underrated. Bully Ray was an absolute menace in the mic, maybe too edgy sometimes, but oh god if you weren't ready, this guy would cook you with words. I can't help but gasp every time I watch some of his best moments. He deserved to be a world champion, and I'm glad TNA gave him the chance."

[4.0] "Solid tag team wrestler, like his partner D-Von. Lackluster singles wrestler. He was his gimmick as a Dudley boy, which he seemed to lose as a singles wrestler."

[7.0] "Firstly let us send out respects for the body transformation fairly early into his career, such a thing takes a wealth of work and dedication so, kudos. D-Von was the more fundamentally sound and Bubba was the "brawl brawl patented maneuver brawl brawl high impact spot" guy to keep things interesting. Bubba was also the more colorful behind the mic (not better, but more "colorful" if you catch my drift). Bubba's style translated to a singles run far easier than D-Von's. Bubba is also rather relatable to "the common man" and that always goes a long way in regards to longevity. Short comings however would rear their ugly head often as he might have been a bit too vocal backstage for his own good at times. Not sure if the Dudley gimmick was a blessing or curse really, because it was a true "giveth and take away" kind of affair."

[7.0] "He was never the flashiest worker, but as a tag team worker he always seemed to be able to get the job done. His singles stuff was never quite as compelling. However, Bully Ray usually was able to put on a better performance than you'd expect. He definitely had a respectable career."

[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers of all time. Tag team fantastic partner with the Dudley boyz (my favorite tag team of all time), in every federation where they have fought they have left their mark and became legend. In the single competition I think he reached very high levels, especially with the gimmick of Bully Ray, one of the best heels of these years."

[7.0] "Bubba's great. I think the guy gets a bit underrated when, for a really good while, he was probably one of the most consistent features of TNA at the time and could put out good match after good match, which is hard to say when even world class talent got booked like garbage. Strong charisma, could work a crowd very easily as a heel and to be honest, all of his best work comes from being a heel. Sure, he was over in WWE with the tables but his later heel self was when he would really showcase his mic skills. Was never anything worth mentioning in the ring beyond a nasty chop and size, and got progressively worse over time with wear and tear, but he knew how to work around his limitations quite well, usually excelling when put into a hardcore scenario where he could work with weapons and really get brutal. Ofc he's a legend for his well renowned tag work as well with D-Von, no debating there. He basically carried them for a good part due to D-Von being less than stellar on all accounts. Very versatile and can really play any role, either being a comedy goof bickering with Scott Steiner, a underdog babyface, or a bitter old vet taking it out on the younger guys."

[6.0] "I think 6 is a fair rating for Bubba. I find he is better as a tag team specialist than a singles competitor. My opinion. He was used a lot in tag teams matches. he has the big and every but his singles are just ordinary nothing different or exciting. In ECW and WWE he excited fans with D-Von and the tables. he got hardcore in him. His best peak was when he was TNA Heavyweight champion and the leader of Aces and Eights. I guess its promoters fault for giving him a push."

[7.0] "Hard for me to write nice things about this guy because he seems like such an ass in real life. But putting that aside, his contributions to the business can't be ignored. The Dudleys were fun for the majority of their run, although they did get stale when they started relying too much on the table. Bully proved he had more than just being a tag guy when he got the Bully character over. Listening to his podcasts now, it's clear that he has a sound understanding of the business."

[7.0] "Mediocre worker but nobody can deny that he consistently managed to get over. Can cut some world class promos sometimes."

[9.0] "Bully Ray wasn't the greatest in-ring worker of all time, but he was good enough in the ring. He's also one of the greatest talkers ever, and one of the best heels ever. He's also something of a rarity in the business in a couple of ways – first, he's the rare wrestler who made the transition as a successful singles star after spending many years as a tag team wrestler, and second, he's a guy who was hugely successful in three different national companies – in his case, ECW, WWF/E, and TNA."

[7.0] "As a singles competitor Bubba fared a lot better than D-Von. After during the initial Brand Split of 2002 Bubba was more over as a singles star than D-Von, however in TNA his Bully Ray character was the thing he really needed to prove himself as more than a tag team legend. Bully Ray v. Austin Aries is one of my favorite matches from TNA. He really stepped up his mic work and was in the best shape of his career. What drags down his rating as a singles star was some of the terrible storylines with Brooke Hogan and Aces & Eights, but there's always going to be some downsides. Too bad he couldn't bring the singles heel run to the latest WWE run."

[6.0] "While I would call Shane and Raven better heels within ECW, Bubba Ray along with D-Von were the masters of getting people to hate them. Bubba in general should get some credits for the set of nuts the man had for some of the crap he did to the crowd back in the day. He was a good worker, not great in the realm of singles work but he was a good heel. Had charisma (a LOT of it actually) and got over wherever he went. He almost successfully split into singles success but couldn't quite break that glass ceiling (Chipped it a bit), but really he didn't need to. As a tag team the Dudley Boyz are a 9/10 and stand as one of the best teams of all time. As a singles guy hes pretty impressive but it might've been too little too late."

[9.0] "I always though that he was underrated as a singles wrestler, and his work as Bully Ray proved me right. Of course he cannot have technical masterpieces, but he does his work extremely well. Also, extremely over with the fans both as a face and a heel. Check out his heel promos, they definitely are "how to get heat 101"."

[6.0] "One of the most decorated tag-team wrestlers of all time, Bubba Ray has also proven he has what it takes to pull off an excellent singles run. As Bully Ray, he put in the best work of his career -- something which shocked me as a fan of his tag-team matches. He's the farthest thing in the world from a technician, and I don't give him much credit for his actual wrestling abilities. But he's living proof that sometimes a gimmick and good promo skills are all you need -- as long as you're willing to put some bodies through tables. Even with very little training, Bubba carved out a large place for himself in wrestling history, and he deserves many props for that."

[6.0] "Bubba is pretty awesome. I never really found him interesting until he became Bully Ray, and oh man, that run was so awesome. Had some great matches vs. Austin Aries & AJ Styles, his promo work was on point, and he totally understood the character, too."

[9.0] "I never though much about Bubba Ray until his run in TNA as Bully Ray. I thought he did a great job and certainly deserved The World Heavyweight Championship. It's too bad everyone discovered what he could do when at the age he was at."

[7.0] "BUBBA! ray dudley is one half of one very good tag team in wwe :) he is forceful and powerful with the 3D!"

[10.0] "Always liked him in the Dudleyz/Team 3D, but he really blew me away in his singles run over the last several years in TNA. Aces & 8s had it's ups and downs but when he was champ it really hit it's peak, and played a fantastic heel throughout. I guess he's back to teaming in WWE now? So we'll see how that goes, but this man is a first ballot hall of famer in any sense of the word."

[10.0] "Already a legendary tag team wrestler, Bully Ray experienced a complete career renaissance during his run as Bully Ray in TNA, becoming a legitimate World Champion singles wrestler. His brawling skill and hardcore propensities allow him to put on good matches with an air of legitimacy, and he is a heat magnet on the mic, working the crowd as a heel like no other. Along with his longtime partner Devon at their Team 3D Academy, he's also a top wrestling trainer."

[9.0] "A great singles wrestler who gives it his all no matter the match. Part of the best tag team in history and a fantastic tag team wrestler. Oodles of talent on the mic."

[10.0] "Maybe no the most talented man on the ring, but with a micro, he is the best, no matter, a heel, a face, BUlly is the bestand always ggive the best in every match."

[10.0] "Best heel in the business today as far as drawing heat is concerned (Not including non-wrestlers like Paul Heyman) I've never seen a heel wrestler get that much heel heat since Edge. Although I hated the Aces and Eights storyline (mainly because it dragged on way too long, and was a blatant ripoff of the Sons of Anarchy show, Bully's promos always get me into what he is going to do, or planning to do next. Hell, he even got me interested in Ken Anderson again."

[10.0] "After a long and storied tag team career Bully Ray has done an excellent job late in his career getting into much better physical shape and making a very good transition as a singles wrestler. As a main event in TNA he has been nothing short of exceptional , both in the ring and as a talker as well. His promos over the last couple years have become can't miss. Thought hard about deducting point for poor conditioning/match quality during the end of Bubba Ray, but the transformation he has made has been so amazing for a guy who is 20 years in and you would expect to be declining has truly been amazing. If we broke it down to decimals I would say 9. 5 and I will round up for the very good transition as a singles wrestler this late in his career"

[8.0] "Bully Ray has never really been much of a technical wrestler or had the largest bag of moves, but he has a natural charisma and has shown to be capable of playing multiple roles well. His tag team work speaks for itself, and his recent run has a heel in TNA is some of his best work yet. A versatile worker that adds value to any roster."

[9.0] "Now in his 40s, 'Ray is possibly now in his physical prime, something he wasn't when he was in his 20s and 30s, a rare occurrence. In the ring he demonstrates good storytelling and timing. His suplexes and slams are absolutely beautiful, along with a lot of other moves he does that demonstrate a lot of polish as well as explosive accent. To go along with this, he is actually a fantastic heel. He knows how to annoy a crowd, and along with Devon, where along the best heels in the old ECW. If he didn't look like a fan for most of his career, he would have been a star long ago."

[8.0] "While I still believe he is better suited in the Tag Team division along with Devon, Bully Ray worked hard and earned the TNA World title. While I'm not sure he'll win it back, I'm glad that he became top dog of the company."

[5.0] "A fat, boring wrestler for most of his career, Bully Ray has really managed to turn things around lately, getting into the best shape of his life and showing marked improvements. Still don't think he's much fun in the ring, and his mic work is usually just him vocalizing his terrible personality, but yeah, definitely salvaging his career here at a relatively late point."

[10.0] "Has risen to new level in TNA during the last year and is one of the top heels in the business right now. Great mic worker and enough in-ring ability to keep up with it."