 From Tough Enough to Next Gen, several WWE "reality" shows over the years have been firmly focused on finding future greats. LFG, premiering this Sunday, February 16th at 8/7c on A&E, will continue that legacy. A handful of legends will essentially serve as coaches on the program to offer expertise and occasionally put the rising rookies in their place. That includes Bubba Ray Dudley, a 30-plus-year veteran of the business and tag team icon who now doubles as an analyst for Busted Open Radio. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke to WrestleRant ahead of LFG's premiere about the role he'll have on the series, tips for younger talent, his take on today's wrestling landscape, the time he's spent at the WWE Performance Center, and more. "I'm excited for wrestling fans and the WWE Universe to see the camaraderie and chemistry among the four legends," Dudley said. "I'm excited for wrestling fans to see the process to get these future greats ready to go. I'm excited for fans to get a look behind the curtain that they normally don't get to see in the WWE of how the process works on Day 1.” There's already plenty of buzz surrounding the premiere of LFG with one of the preview clips teasing controversy between one of the athletes and Dudley with The Undertaker also getting involved. The athlete, who WWE signed during the filming of the Next Gen show that aired on The Roku Channel last spring, cut a promo about Dudley refusing to shake his hand because Dudley didn't feel he was worthy of his respect yet. Dudley believes that he and the rest of the legends on LFG command respect and that the first episode in particular will get "tense." "As great of a job WWE does from the minute you step foot in the PC about instilling respect into younger talent, I think the world we live in has watered down respect levels for the people that have come before you," he said. Most of the aspiring Superstars on the show will have something that makes them special. Otherwise, they'll be overlooked immediately. It's the only way they'll get noticed in a business where virtually everything feels like it's been done before. However, Bubba believes that the talent do have the innate ability to get themselves over and that it's the same approach he's had to the business his entire career. "You say you've seen it all but haven't seen it all until you've seen it all," Dudley said. "That's what makes you stand out. Do something different, be something different. Make them turn their head twice. Make them perk their ears up. Do something. Get over. Is it easier today or more difficult today than it was back in my day? No. Why would it be? It's all relevant.” He also stressed that social media can be incredibly beneficial if utilized properly, noting that it's important to learn how to work social media so it doesn't work the wrestler. In an age of unlimited negatively and toxicity, platforms such as X, Instagram and TikTok can be invaluable tools to build organic fan followings and connect with crowds on another level. "Make people care, because if you make people care, that means they've emotionally invested in you," Dudley said. "I don't care what they care about. Just make them care. Make them love you. Make them hate you. Make them relate to you. Make them despise you. Make them want to invest emotion in you... It's not them caring about the moves you do, because that's them caring about some physicality. Make them care about you the individual. You the performer. You the human being.”
For as hot as the pro wrestling landscape is at the moment, it isn't without its flaws. As a multi-time tag team champion across countless companies and a two-time TNA World Champion, Dudley has been around long enough to know the trends of what works and what doesn't. Ultimately, he feels more authenticity is needed in every promotion. "Across the board in professional wrestling what I feel is missing is talent being genuine," he said. "Realism. Speaking from the heart. I don't do well with words on paper. I grab a microphone and say whatever comes to mind based on what my heart is telling me at any given moment. "I've become the Hannibal Lector of the wrestling business," he continued. "I can get you to react to anything I want you to react to. I can get you to think about anything I want you to. I'm trying to instill this in the future greats at an early stage to try to get them to tap into people's emotions.” As part of the filming for LFG, Dudley has spent a considerable amount of time at WWE's Performance Center as of late. Additionally, he had a brief run on NXT TV at the end of 2024 and even teamed with Trick Williams against Ethan Page and Ridge Holland at the ECW Arena. He was complimentary of the brand as well as its stacked women's division. "WWE has an awesome program down here with NXT," Dudley said. "I sit back and I watch and I'm amazed. It's a well-oiled machine. The talent is on board. They are attentive, they're excited. Everyone's in a good mood, which is rare for pro wrestling. The women of NXT are the foundation here. They're the ones driving the ship and stealing the show... As good of a job as the guys are doing, it's the women who are standing out. I think NXT has the best women's division in all of pro wrestling.” WWE LFG premieres this Sunday, February 16th at 8/7c.
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