Brian “Road Dogg” James has opened up in greater detail about his exit from WWE, shedding light on the frustrations that led to his decision to step away from the SmackDown creative team earlier this year.

Following reports that pointed to dissatisfaction with a performance review as a key factor, Road Dogg has now offered his own perspective and suggested the situation ran deeper than what was initially believed. Speaking during a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, he hinted that fans may have already seen signs of his struggles through WWE’s Unreal series, which he believes reflected some of the behind the scenes tension.

“Have you guys seen WWE Unreal? I feel like if you watch that show, you saw what happened. I’m a happy man because of it. I have friends there that are still going to be there.”

Despite making it clear he has no bitterness toward the company or the people still working there, Road Dogg admitted the final months of his run were far from smooth. He acknowledged that voicing frustrations might not sit well with some, but stood firm in explaining why he felt compelled to move on.

“I do have gripes, but in saying that, it sounds sh**** to say, like, ‘Oh, you’re still going to gripe about stuff there? Like why?’ I feel like I was done a little wrong. I feel like I was receiving a paycheck, but I didn’t have any purpose.”

He went on to explain that the real issue was not financial, but creative. While he remained under contract, he felt disconnected from the decision making process, which ultimately made his role feel hollow.

“I was making a dollar, but I wasn’t making any decisions. I think I can make a difference somewhere where I might not make as many dollars. In this phase of my life, that’s what I’m thinking about.”