Grew up on Long Island in Huntington, NY, graduated high school from New Rochelle High School in New Rochelle, NY. Played football throughout. Upon graduation, Devon pursued his dream, and started his wrestling training with Johnny Rodz in New York City. He got his big break when he was brought in as the evil Dudley Brother, D-Von, a disgruntled postal worker, in 1996. He was scheduled to feud with his "brothers" in ECW. He soon partnered with the newly-turned-heel Bubba Ray Dudley, and went on to form one of the most successful tag team in ECW history. They went on to win the ECW World Tag Team Titles 8 times before they defected for the WWF in 1999.