According to Brian “Road Dogg” James, WWE didn’t take AEW too seriously when Tony Khan founded the promotion in 2019.
Speaking to the Busted Open podcast in an episode released on Sunday (June 7), Dogg said WWE officials instead viewed AEW as a “little money mark’s company.” However, he acknowledges now “that was wrong to be looking at it that way.”
Early into his call with the show, Dogg said he was currently in Jacksonville, Florida, which he noted is “the home of AEW.”
“But there’s no breaking news
there,” he said. “I’m just here doing a signing.”
Following his in-ring career, Dogg worked behind-the-scenes at WWE until he parted ways with the company earlier this year in March. During the interview with Busted Open, a comparison was made between WCW and WWF’s Monday Night Wars in the 1990s and the current rivalry between WWE and AEW. Dogg was asked if he felt like WWE viewed AEW as viable battle opponents during his final years at the company.
“No, we didn’t, and we probably should have to be quite honest with you,” he answered. “Instead, I think it was looked at like, ‘Oh that’s this other little money mark’s company.’ You know what I mean? I honestly think that’s how it was looked at. And I would argue that, however long we are into their tenure, that was wrong to be looking at it that way.”
He continued, “They’re still here. They’re still strong. I would argue they’re getting stronger.”
While James didn’t come out and say he’s fishing for work from AEW, he has been pretty straightforward in the past about his desire to work for the company. He said during a 2022 chat with Busted Open that he’s seen “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,” Dogg said at the time.
Though he didn’t say where, James indicated during Sunday’s call with Busted Open that he plans to land a job somewhere soon.
“I still love wrestling, and I want to do wrestling, and I want to do it for somebody that wants it and needs it,” Road Dogg said. “What I can do is put on a great television show with wrestling involved in it and make it pretty. I think I can help.”
He added: “I’m going to help somebody before this year is up.”
What do you think, Cagesiders? Do you think AEW could benefit from having Road Dogg on the payroll? Let us know in the comments.
