During a recent episode of his podcast, WWE and TNA Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley opened up about using performance-enhancing drugs during his TNA run. Battling low testosterone and the brutal toll of a near year-round schedule, he turned to steroids for faster recovery. And in news that likely won’t shock many, considering how lax TNA was once thought to be regarding drug testing, D-Von revealed he did, in fact, fail a test at one point, but all he was told during a brief phone call was not to do it again.
“I got a phone call, said, ‘Hey, you’ve been tested positive for such and such.’ I went, ‘So what are you telling me?’ He’s like, ‘Just don’t do it again. Goodbye.’ Click.” – D-Von Dudley
In stark contrast to TNA’s past hands-off approach, WWE introduced its Talent Wellness Program in 2006 following the tragic death of Eddie Guerrero. Their policy featured random testing, escalating suspensions, and public accountability, which created a far stricter deterrent. While TNA’s old regime conducted infrequent tests with virtually no consequences for failures, WWE strictly enforced penalties to protect both wrestlers’ health and corporate liability. Modern TNA leadership has reportedly improved its standards, but the previous era’s leniency remains a clear point of difference from WWE’s structured system.
