Road Dogg Leaves WWE SmackDown Creative Team

Brian James, known professionally as Road Dogg and a WWE Hall of Famer, has left the company's creative team after serving as co-lead writer for the SmackDown brand. Reports indicate the departure occurred on Thursday and was a voluntary decision by James, marking another chapter in his on-again, off-again relationship with World Wrestling Entertainment.

James had held the co-lead writer position for SmackDown for about a year, working alongside writer John Swikata. The role came after WWE made additions to the SmackDown creative staff in October of the previous year to enhance the show's storytelling and overall appeal. Prior to this, James had a previous stint as head writer for SmackDown before transitioning in April 2019 to a coaching and producing role with NXT, WWE's developmental brand. He was released from the company in early 2022 but returned later that year to an executive position in live events, and eventually back to creative under the leadership of Paul "Triple H" Levesque.

James joined WWE in 1994 as The Roadie and rose to prominence as Road Dogg, part of the iconic tag team The New Age Outlaws and the Attitude Era faction D-Generation X alongside figures like...