Billy Gunn Credits Road Dogg For Saving His Wrestling Career

WWE Hall of Famer Billy Gunn has acknowledged that his illustrious wrestling career might have ended prematurely if not for his partnership with Brian James, better known as Road Dogg. During a revealing interview on SiriusXM’s “Busted Open Radio” recently, the current AEW coach spoke candidly about how Road Dogg was instrumental in helping him discover his true wrestling character.

Despite being physically gifted, Gunn struggled to connect with audiences during his early WWE tenure. The veteran admitted that his career trajectory changed dramatically once he was paired with Road Dogg to form the New Age Outlaws in the late 1990s.

I think nothing really clicked for me until me and Road Dogg got together. In all honesty, I should have never gotten a job at WWE because I was so green, but somehow the stars aligned.

What makes the story more remarkable is that both performers were reportedly on WWE’s chopping block before their partnership began. According to Gunn, creative frustration had led both men to the brink of unemployment.

We were literally about to get fired because they just didn’t have anything for us. We weren’t going anywhere. We weren’t doing anything. Then they said, ‘Hey, you guys just go do what you want to do. Go be what you want to be.’

This last-chance opportunity provided the freedom that unlocked their potential. The New Age Outlaws quickly became one of the most popular acts during WWE’s commercially successful “Attitude Era,” with their entrance routine becoming a highlight of WWE programming.

Billy Gunn credits Road Dogg’s natural charisma and mentorship with helping him tap into his own personality, leading to the creation of his memorable “Mr. Ass/Bad Ass” persona.

Road Dogg is so talented that he kind of helped me along. He told me, ‘Hey, dude, just turn it on. Just be that thing that’s in you that you wish you could get out.’

The partnership proved incredibly successful, with the New Age Outlaws capturing six WWE Tag Team Championships during their run. Their contribution to professional wrestling was formally recognised when they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019 as members of the influential D-Generation X faction.

Today, Billy Gunn continues to apply the lessons learned throughout his career in his role as a coach and occasional competitor in AEW.

Who Said Billy Gunn Was One Of His All Time Favourites To Work With?

AEW announcer Tony Schiavone has expressed his admiration for WWE Hall of Famer Billy Gunn, naming him as one of his favourite wrestlers to work with. Schiavone lauded Gunn’s contributions to the wrestling industry, highlighting his exceptional qualities and the impact he has had on their professional relationship.

H/t to Wrestling Inc