Tommy Dreamer Talks WWE Run, Dudley Boyz and House of Hardcore

ECW legend Tommy Dreamer is regarded as one of the innovators of violence in professional wrestling, but his impact on the industry is far from over.

After a short run with WWE in 2015, Dreamer has turned his focus to his own promotion, House of Hardcore, which has continued to grow over the last several years. With Dreamer having complete creative control of his product, he is providing fans with the wrestling alternative the industry desperately needs.

In a recent interview promoting House of Hardcore 18 on Sept. 17 in Philadelphia, Dreamer spoke to Ring Rust Radio about his decision not to sign a full-time contract with WWE earlier this year, the recent WWE run of The Dudley Boyz and his thoughts on the creative element of his wrestling organization.

Today’s wrestling fans were treated to several matches at the end of 2015 featuring Dreamer teaming with The Dudley Boyz to take on The Wyatt Family. The run helped expose Dreamer and the old guard of extreme to a whole new generation of the WWE Universe.

It was reported recently that Dreamer was offered a full-time opportunity with WWE and turned it down. He confirmed the story, explaining why he decided he needed to focus his attention on his own promotion instead of another run in WWE:

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The reason why I went back to WWE last year and the beginning of this year, I wasn’t under contract and I said I would basically do the same thing I did, but I just couldn’t sign a contract with them. Then they said I needed to sign a contract, and I told them I just couldn’t do that. I have commitments to certain charities and events already booked for 2017 and I just can’t sign.

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The tagline Dreamer uses for House of Hardcore is “No Politics, No BS, Just Wrestling,” and that’s an adage he lives by. Instead of focusing on putting himself over, Dreamer understands what is best for business and wants to further the wrestling industry.

Another duo with the same mindset is The Dudley Boyz. The tag team returned to WWE in 2015, and the fans expected big things from the veterans. Unfortunately, The Dudley Boyz were criminally underused and never accomplished what they should have upon their return.

While it’s unclear if politics or something else contributed to the poor booking, Dreamer spoke candidly about his feelings on The Dudley Boyz and their most recent run in WWE:

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I think they came in super-duper hot. I want to say they truly helped The New Day take it to the next level. If you think about after their feud was over with New Day, then they had their next big thing was with the Wyatt Family and myself. Bubba and D-Von are the most decorated tag team and the greatest tag team of all time for a reason. They know how to entertain the fans. Just going out there and losing or just going out there and putting other people over isn’t my vision. Bubba and I are best friends, but creatively that’s mind-numbing.

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Creative control is a topic of discussion for every wrestling company, and Dreamer’s opinions on The Dudley Boyz come from years and years of experience.

With House of Hardcore, he is taking out the politics that have plagued the industry for too long.

Wrestling fans want to see the best possible action, but sometimes the direction of characters and stories takes away from the experience. Dreamer is focused on making sure the product he puts out with House of Hardcore is something any wrestling fans can get behind:

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For me, I will not have anyone jump on my creativity. If I fail, I’m failing on my own, and if I succeed, I succeed on my own. I have been part of the creative process in other places. Fans sometimes bitch and moan about a lot of things that they see on television. Yes, there are things that could’ve been done better, but there’s so many people mixing their opinions into certain stuff and then that ultimate outcome does not start from how the creator, the writer or the booker had wanted it, and I just can’t fathom that.

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In a wrestling landscape that features egos and backstabbing, Dreamer brings a transparency that is refreshing. Few other promoters truly want the best for the talent that steps into their ring the way Dreamer has since day one of House of Hardcore.

Instead of trying to relive the glory days of ECW, Dreamer is utilizing the experience he had with the hardcore style of wrestling as a jumping-off point for the diverse array of talents he brings into his shows.

Regardless of where the talent is from or what style they work, House of Hardcore has become a breeding ground for the top wrestlers in the world today. The hope is that the company continues to grow and provides fans with the alternative product the industry desperately needs.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).