WWE
Road Dogg has revealed he stayed in WWE longer than he wanted to out of financial fear, saying he stopped having fun years before he actually left and only remained because of anxiety about unemployment.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Brian James was candid about the circumstances of his departure.
“I wasn’t having any fun. It got to be so much work, that it stopped being fun. 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 recovering alcoholic. I didn’t manage my money well. That fear of the unknown kept me for a long time. I was about to go into a meeting, and my wife told me on the phone, ‘I lived with you in a tent.’ I said, ‘I’m coming home right now.’ If you lived with me in a tent, I don’t need to pay the mortgage.”
James had previously said he felt WWE was “moving too fast” for him and acknowledged it is a young man’s game. He had been with WWE in backstage roles since 2011, most recently as co-lead writer of SmackDown. He departed in March 2026 and remains under contract through a WWE Legends deal.
About the Author
