WWE Internally Viewed AEW As A 'Little Money Mark's Company' According To Road Dogg

WWE's internal perception of All Elite Wrestling was that AEW were "this other little money mark's company", according to Road Dogg.

After being asked on Busted Open Radio if WWE felt like they were in a battle with AEW during his tenure with the company, Road Dogg replied:

"No, no we didn't, and we probably should have, to be quite honest with you, but instead I think it was looked at like, 'Oh, that's this other little money mark's company.' I honestly think that's how it was kind of looked at. I would argue, however long we are into their tenure, that was wrong to be looking at it that way. They're still here. They're still strong. I would argue they're getting stronger."

Outside of a brief period between January and August 2022, Road Dogg had worked backstage in WWE since All Elite Wrestling was founded in January 2019 until he quit WWE in March of 2026. At the time of his departure, Brian James was the co-head writer of SmackDown. The WWE Hall of Famer explained he decided to leave the company because he felt like he wasn't earning his paycheque and he was no longer having fun working for WWE.

"I still love wrestling, and I want to do wrestling, and I want to do it for somebody that wants it and needs it, and I feel like WWE didn't want it or need it anymore. They were firing on all cylinders and making money and records, setting records and breaking them, and it was complacent. I felt like I wasn't earning. I was getting a cheque but I felt like I wasn't earning it. I wasn't having any fun either," Road Dogg said.

"It got to be so much work that it stopped being fun and I told myself a long time ago - I actually stayed longer than I wanted to just out of fear of unemployment. I didn't do well with my money. I'm a drug addict and a recovering alcoholic. I didn't manage my money well, so that was fear, that fear of the unknown kept me for a long time. My wife told me on the phone, I was about to go into a meeting and she said, 'I lived with you in a tent.' And I said, 'I'm coming home right now' because if you'll live with me in a tent, then I don't need to pay the mortgage. We're keeping the lights on at the James Gang ranch, I assure you of that."

Since his WWE exit, Road Dogg has reunited with Billy Gunn and they have been together for signings at conventions. Brian James will be on commentary for Ohio Valley Wrestling's 1400th episode on June 11 in Louisville, Kentucky.

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