For years, Brian James believed he and CM Punk had a deep-seated rivalry—until Punk’s recent WWE return changed everything. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, James revealed the unexpected moment that made him realize the supposed feud was all in his head.

“For 10 years, I thought we hated each other. Turns out, he hadn’t thought a damn thing about me!” James laughed.

The tension stemmed from James’ perception of past backstage clashes, particularly during Punk’s early WWE run. However, when the two reunited, Punk greeted him with a hug, immediately breaking the ice.

James admitted that the moment taught him a valuable lesson about letting go of grudges and overthinking past conflicts. He even praised Punk’s new attitude, saying,

“He’s a different dude today. I told him, ‘Hey man, I really appreciate your attitude,’ and he said, ‘That’s the first time anybody’s ever said that to me.’”

The revelation highlights how wrestling’s backstage politics can sometimes be more about perception than reality. Now, James sees Punk as a valuable part of WWE’s locker room, proving that time can change even the most stubborn perspectives.

These remarks from Road Dogg echo what we’ve heard about CM Punk from several people who have worked closely with him, most recently The Undertaker:

WWE Hall of Famer Brian James is opening up about his backstage role with WWE. Admit reports that he just returned to SmackDown as a co-lead writer along with John Swikata, the former DX member addressed his job during a recent conversation on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

“Honestly, dude, I’m a creative consultant, and that goes across the board when it comes to wrestling.

I don’t think I could be a creative consultant for IBM, but I can do it for WWE,” he joked.

James was previously SmackDown’s head writer, overseeing some of the brand’s most memorable moments. While WWE has scaled back its domestic live events, he remains in charge of creative direction for house shows and continues to work closely with Triple H and WWE’s writing team. He reportedly just

One of his favorite aspects of the job is crafting superstar entrances, working with production to make each performer stand out.

“Me and Hunter love to create together. We look at new talent and say, ‘What can we do with that entrance? What lights? What smoke?’”

James also praised WWE’s new era of creative freedom, describing it as a major improvement over past regimes.

“The old regime sometimes stifled creativity. Now, nobody gets shut down—it’s a free-flowing environment.”

With WWE continuing to evolve, James remains a key figure in shaping its future, proving that his contributions extend far beyond his in-ring career.

Brian James, better known as Road Dogg, has opened up about his battle with addiction and how sobriety saved his life. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on his darkest moments and the journey that led him to recovery.

“I was on a vicious cycle—wake up and do drugs, wake up and do drugs. I didn’t want to live like that anymore,” James admitted. “I wanted to die, but I was scared my kids would find me that way. Sobriety saved my life.”

James has now been sober for 15 years, but getting to this point wasn’t easy. He revealed that at one stage, he contemplated taking his own life, feeling trapped in a cycle he couldn’t escape. His turning point came when his brother confronted him after a show, leading James to seek help through WWE’s rehab program.

Looking back, James recognizes how much time he wasted on self-destructive habits.

“One of my biggest fears today is not being self-aware. I wasted so much time trying to die, and now I just want to live.”

Today, James is a key figure behind the scenes in WWE, helping shape the next generation of talent. His story serves as an inspiring reminder that change is possible, even in the darkest moments.

In a surprising revelation, former WWE SmackDown head writer Brian James admitted that he initially pushed for Big E to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35 instead of Kofi Kingston. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, James reflected on the decision and why he’s glad he was proven wrong.

“I was wrong. I didn’t realize how deep Kofi’s connection was with the fans. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong,” James confessed.

At the time, James believed Big E was the best choice to be WWE’s next major star. However, a member of his writing team convinced him otherwise, pointing out the emotional investment fans had in Kingston’s journey. The moment culminated in one of the most celebrated victories in WWE history, with Kingston defeating Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship.

While James initially questioned the decision, he now recognizes that it was the right move.

“Kofi won the title at WrestleMania, and nobody can ever take that away.”

Big E would go on to have his own championship moment years later, proving that both men were destined for greatness.

Brian James has seen WWE’s creative process from all angles, and under Triple H’s leadership, he says it has reached new heights. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, James compared the current WWE regime to the past and praised Triple H’s vision for the future.

“The New regime is like Google—we’ve got ping pong tables in the production meeting room! Creativity flows, and no one gets shut down,” James joked, highlighting the new environment.

James noted that under previous leadership, creative ideas were often stifled, making it harder to innovate. However, Triple H has created an atmosphere where all ideas are considered, leading to a more engaging product for fans.

Beyond creative freedom, James credited Triple H’s ability to think both short-term and long-term.

“He has such a vision—right now and five years from now at the same time. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

With WWE’s storytelling at an all-time high and its production value continually evolving, James believes the company is in the best hands possible.

“He’s taken this industry into a stratosphere that wasn’t even thought about.”

AJ Styles is defending “Road Dogg” Brian James, who has been promoted to co-head writer of WWE SmackDown alongside John Swikata.

Road Dogg served as a WWE producer from 2014-2022, including a brief stint as SmackDown lead writer. After departing the company, he was later rehired under Triple H’s leadership regime as Senior Vice President of Live Events.

While Road Dogg’s previous tenure as SmackDown head writer in 2022 may not have been particularly memorable, Styles suggests there’s more to the story. According to the former WWE, TNA, and IWGP Champion, Road Dogg’s creative vision was heavily compromised by his superior’s excessive editing.

“Before judging this guy from his past performance as head writer, just know that there was a man who picked it apart to the point that it was no longer his ideas anymore,” Styles wrote.

WWE has made another significant change to its creative team, with former D-Generation X member Road Dogg (Brian James) stepping into the role of co-lead writer for SmackDown. According to PWInsider, James will work alongside John Swikata, who was promoted to lead writer in June 2024.

This marks another chapter in James’ evolving role within WWE’s corporate structure. After serving as a producer from 2014 to 2022, he had previously held the position of lead writer for SmackDown. He briefly departed the company in 2022 due to the demanding schedule under then-CEO Vince McMahon, but returned later that year as Senior Vice President of Live Events.

In his SVP role, James has been responsible for overseeing the creative direction of WWE’s live events, maintaining a biweekly office presence while visiting selected live shows monthly. This latest appointment suggests a further expansion of his creative influence within the company.

The writing team’s leadership now combines James’ veteran wrestling experience with Swikata’s proven track record as a longtime member of WWE’s creative staff. Swikata, who replaced Ryan Callahan, has worked his way up through the ranks, moving from senior writer to his current position as lead writer.

CM Punk and Road Dogg Brian James have patched things up and it caused the latter to nearly tear up.

Speaking on a YouTube exclusive of the “Oh … You Didn’t Know?” podcast, Road Dogg talked about his interaction with Punk upon his WWE return. 

Dogg and Punk had professional friction between one another and Dogg has been critical of Punk in the past. However, Dogg did note even before Punk signed with WWE again, that he’d be a definite needle mover for the company.

Speaking with co-host Matt Mitchell, Dogg said that he first saw Punk at catering. Punk stood up and the two shook hands. Nothing was said but then Punk broke the ice by indicating James should pull a “Step Brothers” and come in for the hug.

“He literally shrugged his shoulders and went like, ‘Ah, come on’ and pulled me in and hugged me and… I’ll tell you the truth. It made me feel immediately like an a-hole, like I’m a piece of crap. It humbled me in myself if that makes sense (he laughed). I don’t know how else you can humble yourself but, it humbled me in a way where I thought, ‘I have talked negatively about you. and I thought negatively about you and then you embrace me and wow,’ you know what I mean?”

That wasn’t the only interaction the two had with one another. James has been back on the road with WWE and is the Senior VP of Live Events. The WWE Hall Of Famer believes that a higher power brought him and Punk together.

“I believe God works in mysterious ways and he worked that weekend. Every bit of it was orchestrated to put me and Punk in certain situations and I hope he hears this because I think he’ll realize the depth of it because, I don’t know. We were just put together for like five days in a row, working and working together and speaking about the future and what he’ll be doing as far as what I do in my job and so, I don’t know man. It felt very much like, ‘Stop talking bad about people, Brian. Stop thinking negatively about people…'”

CM Punk is set to make a return to the squared circle both in Los Angeles and in New York City ahead of The Royal Rumble.

Please credit “Oh, You Didn’t Know?” and h/t Andrew Thompson of POST Wrestling for the transcription.

After an ongoing struggle with substance abuse issues Shannon Moore was close to ending his life, but he credits WWE and one particular Hall of Famer for saving his.

A new article by the Tampa Bay Times focuses on Moore’s inspiring life journey so far and how he’s been able to help so many others after being six years sober.

Moore said that his primary drug abuse came from using painkillers initially, but branched out even further to other drugs, something that he was introduced early in his career. He said that his real problems came back in 2012 once he took a leave from wrestling after a TNA run. He had a lot of time and a lot of money on his hands.

“That was the worst thing I ever did,” he said. “I was just sitting at home. I had time. I had money. And what do you do? You just party. I think that’s the point where physical addiction really set in.”

Speaking on the Road Dogg Brian James’ podcast earlier this year, Moore spoke about how he was on the verge of ending his life and potentially ending his ex-wife’s until he gave James a call.

“I said, ‘Hey, dude, you’re probably going to hear about me on the news. Something bad is going to happen,’” Moore said. “He reached back out, and the rest is history.”

James is also over a decade sober and he was someone that Moore kept having on his mind during the darkest time of his life. Now Moore works as a client relations manager at Riverside Recovery in Tampa. He still wrestles, but doesn’t plan on going back to it full-time.

“There have been plenty of offers,” Moore said. “But Riverside has an amazing team. I believe in what we are doing. I’ve got a taste of being in service. My whole thing now is just trying to do my part and hopefully use my platform and use my career to hopefully help somebody.”

Is CM Punk the best wrestler in the world as he claimed during his iconic June 2011 Raw pipebomb?

Perhaps, perhaps not. But he’s a darn fine ‘Sports Entertainer.’

Punk has been a huge topic of discussion ever since his actions following last September’s All Out 2022 event, and he has been suspended ever since.

Sports Entertainer

Punk has often credited himself as a professional wrestler, and during his 2011 pipebomb spoke about ‘sports entertainers’ like The Rock and John Cena.

Oh his Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James admitted that Punk is a great wrestler, but believes that the Sports Entertainer label fits him better. He added:

“Punk’s a great example of a guy that if you just went with wrestler, wrestler, wrestler, wouldn’t have made it without the attitude, mic skills and I don’t want to say character because Punk was never really a character, he was just himself, but he’s good at it.”

‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James.

CM Punk’s Future

Punk’s future with AEW remains uncertain, with Tony Khan refusing any and all requests for comment on the former World Champion’s situation.

It has been reported that some top names in AEW have refused to work with Punk if he is brought back, and that Chris Jericho is one of them.

Things are not looking better for Punk in WWE, with reports that some in the company absolutely do not want him to return.

The belief is that Punk (who walked out of WWE in 2014 on bad terms) will only bring the problems seen in AEW if he is rehired.

h/t – Wrestling Inc

Could CM Punk make a shocking return to WWE, over nine years after his departure from the promotion?

In January 2014, Punk walked out of WWE following that year’s Royal Rumble and was released from the promotion that June.

The former World Champion was sent his termination papers on his wedding day, timing that Vince McMahon later said was merely coincidental and apologized for.

WWE Return

With Punk still suspended from AEW due to the All Out brawl, questions remain as to his future with AEW.

Speaking on his ‘Oh You Didn’t Know’ podcast, WWE’s Senior Vice President of Live Events ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James weighed in on whether Punk could return.

“Never say never with these guys. They will give you a second chance. [WWE] will give you an opportunity if it’s business savvy, and bringing him back might be. The reason it might be is because he’s a needle mover.”

‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James.

Punk has had a hostile relationship with WWE following in the years since his walkout, but did appear for WWE Backstage, though his contract at the time was with FOX.

Unhappy Roster

CM Punk could (in theory) return to WWE, but if so, he shouldn’t expect a warm response.

It has been reported that there are some who “absolutely do not want” Punk back, believing he would just bring the same attitude that has inflicted his AEW run.

A return to AEW won’t be much better for Punk either, with top talent refusing to work with him if he is brought back by Tony Khan.

There is a group, said to be led by former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho, which is working to prevent his return to the All-Elite promotion.

h/t – Wrestling Inc

Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart may be known as the best there is, was, and ever will be, but does he hold a candle to AJ Styles?

Hart is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, having been inducted in 2006 and inducted as part of the Hart Foundation in 2019.

Styles, a two-time WWE Champion, debuted for the promotion at the 2016 Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View, and is also a Grand Slam champion.

Styles Vs. Hart

Both Styles and Hart are considered two of the best wrestlers of their respective eras, but which is better?

During the latest episode of his ‘Oh You Didn’t Know’ podcast, WWE’s Senior VP of Live Events ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James gave his pick.

“He [Styles] is a better wrestler. He has been working very hard ever since he showed up at the [Royal] Rumble. He’s older now and he’s slower now and he wants to work smarter now, but when he first got here and I think he was very much in his prime, the road puts it on you and that life.”

‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James.

In recent months, Styles has been feuding with the Judgment Day, and has reunited with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

Road Dogg also named AEW’s Kenny Omega as one of the greats, saying he is currently below the Phenomenal One.

Road Dogg and Bret Hart

This week is hardly the first time that ‘Road Dogg’ has spoken about Bret Hart, and while others have respect for the Hitman, James isn’t among them.

In November, James told listeners of his podcast that he “never saw what the big deal was” in regards to Bret as a performer.

“I don’t think Bret was a great wrestler. He was a wrestler. I think I was a better sports entertainer than Bret was and I think that’s where the money is.”

h/t – WrestlingInc

Road Dogg Jesse James is WWE’s Senior Vice President of Live Events but is remorseful for taking the role from Jeff Jarrett.

In May of this year, Jarrett was rehired by WWE for the role and would appear on screen in July as a special guest referee at Summerslam 2022.

Mere weeks after officiating The Usos vs. The Street Profits, Jarrett was released from the company, and Road Dogg served as his replacement.

Sorry

Before being appointed WWE’s Senior VP of Live Events, Road Dogg worked for years as a producer and writer for WWE.

Speaking on the latest episode of ‘Oh You Didn’t Know,’ the New Age Outlaw addressed his time backstage, and how names can be cut for seemingly no reason.

“Look, you can be doing your job, and one day someone not like it, and the next day you’re not there.”

Road Dogg Jesse James.

When James’ co-host Conrad Thompson joked that Jarrett used the same line after losing the SVP role, Road Dogg saw the funny side but was apologetic.

“[Laughs] Bless his heart, I’m so sorry. It hurts me when you say that. But I bet it hurts him a hell of a lot more. [Laughs] I’m so sorry Jeff.”

Road Dogg Jesse James.

Jeff Jarrett is All-Elite

Jarrett’s return to WWE was short-lived but the ‘Chosen One’ has bounced back nicely.

On the November 2, 2022, Dynamite, Jarrett debuted for AEW, his first televised appearance for a wrestling show on TBS since the final WCW Monday Nitro in March 2001.

At AEW Full Gear, Double-J made his AEW in-ring debut, teaming with Jay Lethal against Sting and Darby Allin in a losing effort.

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Title from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 was a big deal as it wasn’t originally planned, but once Kingston got over as a late replacement in the Elimination Chamber match where he came up short in dethroning Bryan, there was a Kofi Mania movement among the fans. 

Kingston lost the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in a match that lasted about 10 seconds on the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX on October 4, 2019. 

On the latest episode of his Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Road Dogg noted that Big E is doing well while recovering from a broken neck. He also revealed that while he was the lead writer of WWE SmackDown, he pitched Big E to win the WWE Title instead of Kingston. 

Road Dogg’s Pitch

“When I wrote Smackdown, I wanted him to be the champion,” he said. “I wanted him to be the champion of Smackdown. I actually pitched, and I’ve said this before, I actually pitched Big E Mania, and Kofi got the nod because of his time and service for lack of a better word or phrase.”

“Kofi had been there, and look, it worked, maybe better than it would have with Big E. Only time will tell if and when he comes back and they put the title on him because he can cut great promos. He’s a great guy. He’s always in great spirits. Just an honor to be able to call him my friend.”

The New Day will challenge The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown. 

• Big E, Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston Reunite for ‘Action Human’ Comedy Sketch

H/T: WrestlingNewsCo

WWE’s Head of Talent Relations and Head of Creative Triple H was nowhere to be seen during last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

Hours before the show went live, it was reported that the Game has contracted Covid-19 and is self-isolating.

Contracting Covid also means that Triple H will miss tonight’s episode of WWE NXT, which will go head-to-head with a special Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite.

Raw Without the Game

Even without Triple H around, Raw went on ahead, with ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James running the show backstage.

PW Insider reports that James oversaw production, and made the majority of the big calls for the show.

At last Friday night’s WWE SmackDown TV tapings, Road Dogg was working alongside his D-Generation X stablemate.

Road Dogg

While best known for his work in DX and the New Age Outlaws, ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James has held various roles behind the scenes in WWE.

In 2011, James returned to the promotion as a producer, and in 2016 became a writer for SmackDown, where he would also produce matches.

After WrestleMania 35 in April 2019, it was reported that James had resigned as head writer of SmackDown, but would remain with WWE as a “utility” player.

From 2019 to 2022, James worked with Triple H in NXT, teaching classes on in-ring development and promo skills before his release in January.

The WWE Hall of Famer was appointed the Senior Vice President of Live Events in August this year, replacing Jeff Jarrett.

Road Dogg doesn’t understand CM Punk’s us of “Cult Of Personality” as his entrance theme.

Taking to his podcast, “Oh You Didn’t Know,” Road Dogg discussed Punk’s use of the song by Living Colour for his theme. In Dogg’s opinion, the song doesn’t really match Punk’s personality.

“Buying ‘Cult of Personality’ for CM Punk makes zero sense to me. Yes that was his theme song for a minute, but why?

“[Whatever song they would’ve picked for his return] would’ve been fine, it would’ve been CM Punk’s new song and they could’ve found one in a music library that was close enough to where we can either copy this, rip it off a little bit, change it a little bit and own it, or we can just use that one, pay the library costs.

“I don’t know, I don’t think the’ Cult of Personality’ defines him in my mind or not. I don’t know if I’m just bringing that up because I’m negative about him all the time.”

Road Dogg and CM Punk have certainly had their issues with one another in the past. In a past podcast, the D-X member noted that he once wanted to fight Punk for the lack of respect he would show to veterans such as himself and The New Age Outlaws.

Currently, Punk is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he is a multi-time World Champion for the promotion. However, he’s currently nursing an injury that has him sidelined from in-ring action.

He was also involved in a backstage altercation with other AEW talents that has caused quite a bit of backstage drama within the promotion. His future with AEW remains in question.

• CM Punk is Probably Not Returning to AEW

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Degeneration X reunited tonight on RAW and celebrated 25 years in WWE. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, and X-Pac were on tonight’s show but AEW star Billy Gunn was not.

The group drove down the entrance ramp on a mini-tank at the end of the show. X-Pac gave a shoutout to Chyna to begin the promo. Road Dogg grabbed the microphone and had the crowd chant Billy Gunn’s name.

Corey Graves joked on commentary that Billy Gunn is doing something with “office supplies” now, a reference to The Acclaimed scissoring catchphrase.

Shawn Michaels joked that if we are out here again in 25 years, please put DX out of their misery. Triple H fired up the crowd one final time as RAW went off the air.

Road Dogg Sends Message To Billy Gunn After WWE RAW

After WWE RAW went off the air, Road Dogg took to Twitter to send a message to the member of Degeneration X who couldn’t make it to RAW tonight. Road Dogg said that he survived the promo tonight and joked that it was touch and go for a minute. He then tagged Billy Gunn in the post and said that they missed him tonight on RAW.

The Acclaimed captured the AEW Tag Team Championships at Dynamite: Grand Slam from former WWE stars Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee. Billy Gunn hit Swerve with a Fameasser after the match. The Acclaimed celebrated “National Scissoring Day” on last week’s edition of Dynamite but Swerve interrupted, likely leading to The Acclaimed versus Swerve In Our Glory III in the weeks ahead.

AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed have become wildly popular in All Elite Wrestling. They battled Swerve in Our Glory (Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland) for the tag titles at All Out and came up short.

The crowd was so heavily behind The Acclaimed during the match and it got such rave reviews, that AEW President Tony Khan wasted no time and announced a rematch for Dynamite: Grand Slam. The Acclaimed captured the titles in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Daddy Ass (Billy Gunn) provided some assistance in the matchup.

Billy connected with a Fameasser on Swerve Strickland outside the ring and rolled him back inside. Max Caster hit the Mic Drop and Anthony Bowens fended off Keith Lee as the referee counted to three. The crowd went ballistic as The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass scissored in the ring.

Road Dogg On Billy Gunn With The Acclaimed

WWE is set to have a DX Reunion next week on RAW without Billy Gunn and there reportedly have already been preparations in case a “Daddy Ass!” chant breaks out. Billy was aligned with his sons (Colten & Austin Gunn) in the Gunn Club originally but they were separated.

The former DX member is now a massive part of The Acclaimed’s act and Colten & Austin have joined Stokely Hathaway’s The Firm stable alongside W. Morrissey, Lee Moriarty, and Ethan Page.

Road Dogg recently spoke about Billy Gunn on his “Oh… You Didn’t Know” podcast and praised his work with The Acclaimed. He said that Billy’s kids (Austin & Colten) needed to break away from their father to grow as performers.

Road Dogg noted that The Acclaimed is capable of doing the same thing DX used to do with the long entrances and promos. He said that Billy being aligned with The Acclaimed is awesome and the group is on fire right now.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Oh… You Didn’t Know Podcast” and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Road Dogg has opened up on his issues with CM Punk, which were big enough that he considered throwing down with him.

The former WWE Tag Team Champion spoke about his issues with CM Punk while discussing world championship runs and the perception behind “needing” a world title win.

Road Dogg recalled during the new episode of his Oh… You Didn’t Know? podcast on AdFreeShows.com that Punk had the mentality of needing to be the top champion and being in the main event. 

Road Dogg on his Issues With Punk

Road Dogg discussed wrestlers wanting certain clauses in their contracts and recalled why he still doesn’t have any respect for Punk. It goes back to the 2014 brief run together in WWE between Punk and the New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn). 

“Bro, I’ve been burying him for years, and I’m not kidding. He’s not a nice person. He’s not a good — I don’t know. I don’t know. If you’ve been friends with somebody for so long and all the sudden you’re in a lawsuit over stuff and you can’t just talk to it? I just don’t understand it, but that’s not the straw that broke the camel’s back for me,” Road Dogg said. “It was when we actually had to work with him in our 2014 run [in WWE]. Seeing the attitude he had towards me and Billy — granted, we were not Hall Of Famers at the time, but we were on our way to be for sure — and we were the New Age Outlaws, at least we’d been there as long as he had, you know what I mean? He showed us not respect, he showed us disrespect, so that was that. You don’t get a second chance at that. I’m showing you respect, why aren’t you showing me respect? Honky Tonk Man said, ‘I don’t bodyslam you, why are you bodyslamming me?’

“The truth of it is, respect is a two-way street and if you don’t give it, you dang sure ain’t getting it. Not from me, and you got one shot at that, from me and Billy. It was just, he talked to us negatively and if I hadn’t had a job there, if I wouldn’t have been newly hired, I probably would’ve fought him. I feel relatively confident I would’ve come out on top. This was prior to his [MMA training], so maybe I would’ve come out on top, maybe I wouldn’t have,” Road Dogg proclaimed, “but I was willing to find out. That’s enough burying Punk, he’s burying himself good enough right now.”

The New Age Outlaws and CM Punk had a brief run together in January 2014. That same year, Road Dogg returned to working as a producer while Billy Gunn resumed his duties as a trainer in NXT and Punk left the company. 

Quotes via WrestleZone

In 1997, Joan Laurer debated in the WWF, introduced as Chyna: the imposing bodyguard for D-Generation X.

Chyna’s career would see her become a two-time Intercontinental Champion (the only woman to win the title), as well as a one-time Women’s Champion and the only woman to enter the King of the Ring tournament.

After her 2001 departure, Chyna was never welcomed back to the company before her death in April 2016.

Survivor’s Guilt

One Superstar who worked closely with Chyna is ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James, who often teamed with the Ninth Wonder of the World in DX.

Speaking on his ‘Oh You Didn’t Know’ podcast, James said that he recently filmed content for an A&E Biographies: WWE Legends episode about the deceased wrestler.

Road Dogg said he got emotional thinking about Chyna, and how like her, he too had problems with drugs and other substances, but is still alive (via Wrestling Inc.)

“They came to my house and I didn’t think I was gonna, I was gonna cry, but it got me, man. Some of that survivor’s guilt comes back, you know what I mean? … I did every horrible thing she ever did, why me? … It got me yesterday and the guy said, ‘Oh, man, that’s gonna be good TV.'”

“I did every horrible thing she ever did, why me?”

Road Dogg Jesse James on questioning why he’s alive and Chyna isn’t.

The Hall of Fame

For years, WWE tried to downplay Chyna’s influence, arguing that her career in pornography meant that she could not be acknowledged by the PG-rated promotion.

In recent years, WWE has done a U-turn and now celebrates Chyna, inducting her posthumously into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

While Chyna is worthy of the induction, fans criticized that she was being inducted as part of DX and not as a singles Superstar.

There have been calls for Chyna to receive a second induction, with WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley saying he believes it should happen.

Road Dogg is back in the saddle in WWE.Brian James is returning to an executive position, as first reported by PWinsider. The Attitude Era legend and DX alum is backstage at Monday’s Raw from Toronto.

Road Dogg will take over as Senior Vice President of Live Events, a position held by Jeff Jarrett until this week, per Wrestlevotes.

There is said to be another key hire in the works.

Triple H’s Team Continues To Expand

According to Fightful, WWE has had an interest in bringing Katz back into the fold after he was let go this past January. While with the company, he was an integral figure creatively for the NXT brand for almost seven years. 

The report noted they’ve “heard that Katz is expected back if he isn’t already, and had remained close with several in NXT. There were some rumors last month that he could already have been back in the fold, but if not, the interest was already there on WWE’s end.”

Katz has been hosting a podcast with Road Dogg since being let go by WWE. He appeared in Wrestling Society X as Fabian Kaelin, and in TNA as Minion. He was also part of Kane and Daniel Bryan’s anger management skits. 

Road Dogg had been working as the head of creative for SmackDown until he resigned from that role because, in his words, Vince McMahon’s work ethic “tapped me out.” Road Dogg then went to NXT, where he worked under Triple H before being let go this past January.

Road Dogg is not a fan of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and their TV production style.

The WWE Hall Of Famer was a guest on Konnan’s “Keepin’ It 100” podcast recently, where he discussed AEW and their progress as a young promotion. Specifically, Road Dogg talked about AEW’s production style, which he called “horrible.”

“The production of the show, not how you produce and execute the creative, but the production of the show is horrible. I have been very, very open to saying that.

“From a television point of view, and you can not like me for saying it, you can not like me for whatever you want to not like me for, but WWE is good TV.

“I think you could bring, I know I could bring, that good TV and execute it from a production and a camera standpoint to them. I just think they have too many people.

“I lose track of who all they are, They don’t focus on one. They tell the long term story, but the only reason they do that is because each guy’s only on TV every four weeks.”

Road Dogg, real name Brian James, isn’t the only professional wrestling veteran to have some harsh criticisms for AEW. Eric Bischoff’s relationship with president Tony Khan has soured over the past several months for his own criticisms.

However, James seems to be approaching his analysis of AEW from a different perspective. He seems to be open to bringing his talents to the company as an official, helping it grow and improve.

James has said numerous times, he’s surprised that Khan hasn’t reached out to him for a job yet. With over 30 years of experience in the industry as a competitor, producer, and writer, James would certainly bring a wealth of knowledge to the table.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.Co

Road Dogg wants to know why All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan won’t hire him.

The WWE Hall Of Famer was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio where he talked about his professional wrestling career.

This included his exit from WWE back in January, where he served as a writer, producer, and trainer.

During the interview, Road Dogg talked about the possibility of working for AEW. He noted he’s asked for a job from Khan on several platforms, but he hasn’t heard anything back.

“I’m not retired, I’m unemployed. I see things on Tony Khan’s TV show that appall me. I could help with that.

“I have been begging him for a job on every platform I can and I want to know the reason why he won’t hire me.”

He certainly has a lot of knowledge to pass along. As a member of D-Generation X, he racked up six Tag Team Title reigns alongside Billy Gunn. He also began working backstage in WWE in 2014.

As a producer and writer on SmackDown, Road Dogg helped many young stars develop, while also occasionally returning for some in-ring work. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2019 as a member of DX.

In May of 2019 he began working as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, before ultimately leaving the company this past January.

Quotes via Fightful

Two weeks ago, Wardlow captured the AEW TNT Championship, winning the title from Scorpio Sky in dominant fashion.

The title win marks Wardlow’s first championship since joining AEW, and “Mr. Mayhem” retained against Orange Cassidy on last week’s Fyter Fest: Night One edition of AEW Dynamite.

Road Dogg’s Comments

Wardlow may have won over a lot of people with his work in AEW, but WWE Hall of Famer ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James isn’t impressed.

Speaking on Dr. Chris Featherstone’s podcast for Sportskeeda, Road Dogg discussed Wardlow’s recent title defense against Cassidy (via Wrestling News.)

“I wasn’t a fan. It took him 18 minutes. First, they give him the jabroni title. It doesn’t mean nothing when he was a guy that seemed like he was The guy, and maybe he is in the future. I just don’t think you needed to give him that other than the best title and then it took him 18 minutes to beat the jokey guy.”

“They give him the jabroni title. It doesn’t mean nothing.”

Road Dogg Jesse James on Wardlow winning the AEW TNT Championship.

Future Plans for Wardlow

Wardlow has had just one title defense so far, but he plans on having many more very soon.

Wardlow recently said that he plans on bringing back the AEW TNT Championship open challenge, which was first introduced by Cody Rhodes during the WWE Superstar’s tenure with the promotion.

Wardlow has said that he does not plan on changing the design for the TNT Championship, unlike previous holders of the title including Scorpio Sky and Sammy Guevara.

WWE Hall Of Famer Road Dogg reveals a “bad habit” Set Rollins used to have when he worked with him.

Road Dogg recently took part in a Q&A over on AdFreeShows, and was asked about “bad habits” that independent stars had when signing on with WWE. He actually used Seth Rollins as an example for this answer.

The Hall Of Famer explained that Rollins had a “bad habit” of not taking advice from his elders well, seemingly responding in a disrespectful way.

“He used to do this thing in the corner where he would jump up and down, and jump up and down, and run like he was in a mosh pit, and then just run and hit the guy with the forearm,” James said.

“And I thought, ‘Man, that’s so anti-climatic.’ It seemed like the build-up to it was bigger than the finish of it. So I went to him and told him that, and he said, ‘No, that’s what I do. I’m not changing it. That’s what I do.’ And I went to [Triple H] and I said, ‘Well, that kid, I’ll never talk to him again.’

“His bad habit was not saying, ‘Okay, thank you sir,’ or whatever and being respectful and then not doing what I said like every other young wrestler. At least pretend to respect what I’m telling you, you know what I mean? And what I was telling him was right.

“He did change it, and he did come up with something that was more [of] a bigger pop than the set-up to it. They had a ‘come to Jesus’ speech with him down there. And he changed his whole philosophy and perspective on how he was looking at stuff, and look at him now, man. On top of the world, doing some of his best work too, I might add.”

Of course, today, Rollins is one of the top stars in WWE. Over the course of his career “The Architect” has racked up four World Title runs, a Royal Rumble win, and so much more.

He had one of the more compelling rivalries so far thus year with Cody Rhodes, which was cut short due to Rhodes’ injury. Recently, he comes off of a failed bid at yet again becoming Mr. Money In The Bank.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.