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Triple H’s Close Friend’s Next Appearance Announced After WWE Exit

By Sridhar Krishnan • Published Mar 17, 2026 14:22 EDT
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Triple H Gorilla Position on WWE: Unreal - Source: @WrestlingNewsCo

WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg’s next appearance has been confirmed.

The former Intercontinental Champion and Triple H’s close friend recently quit the promotion after serving in a backstage role since 2014.

In February 2025, he was appointed the co-lead writer of SmackDown, the position he held till his departure, and was also featured on Season 2 of WWE: Unreal, the Netflix docuseries.

Road Dogg, real name Brian James, was a member of D-Generation X and its sub-faction, New Age Outlaws, with Billy Gunn, during the Attitude Era.

The company’s blue brand received a lot of flak in 2025 for its non-compelling storylines and even suffered in TV ratings, which cannot necessarily be attributed to James’s role.

Having served as the head of the creative team since September 2022, Triple H decided to make several changes to the team, with James becoming one of the casualties of the shake-up.

A report by Dave Meltzer claimed that after receiving his annual report, James felt disappointed and chose to quit.

Following his departure, Road Dogg is set to make his first public appearance. In a tweet dated March 17, Ohio Valley Wrestling announced Brian James as part of a pre-show meet-and-greet.

Triple H Struggling As A Babyface Booker

WWE’s struggles from 2025 have continued in the first quarter of 2026 as well, forcing Triple H to make changes to the creative team.

According to a report by Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the 56-year-old has struggled behind the scenes as a “babyface booker.”

Calling out his attempt to be a ‘sage architect,’ the report revealed that if he were able to decipher true criticism from those who always lambast his creative direction instead of second guessing, then he would at least be able to be on par with the ratings of his earlier shows.