Road Dogg Recalls Holding A Grudge Against Jim Ross For His WWE Release

"Road Dogg" Brian James was admittedly "mad at everybody" and "the whole world" when he was fired by WWE in January 2001. More than two decades later, James has attempted to diagnose the source of his anger. 

"It was me being mad because my gravy train ended," James said on his "Oh...You Didn't Know" podcast. "They took my gravy train away because I was behaving in ways that were unbecoming of a WWF superstar. Now, I can see that and say that. At the time, I was still looking through drug-addled eyes, and not making sound decisions."

James believes he was basing decisions on "feelings" which he acknowledged was not the right approach in a professional working environment. Reflecting on his mindset at the time, James says he was particularly vexed when the question 'How am I going to buy drugs now?' crossed his mind. In 2011, when James completed all his steps toward sobriety, he made it a point to call Jim Ross, WWE's former Head of Talent Relations, who dismissed him a decade earlier.

"JR was the first person I called after I got sober," James revealed. "He was the first amends I made. Even while firing me, he put me over by acknowledging that I was talented. And they [WWE] did make me a star. They did everything right, I was doing everything wrong."

"JR said, 'Thank you, no hard feelings.' He was forgiving and humble, and that humbled me. He was the first guy I had to say, 'I'm sorry for the way I have been.' It led me down a path where it has gotten easier to call myself on my bullcrap and to tell people: 'I'm sorry. That's on me, that's not you.'"

According to James, he and Ross have spoken more than 10 times since that fateful day in 2011. "We have a great relationship now," he concluded.