In a no-holds-barred interview, Road Dogg has stated that WWE began to feel like a “money grab” during his final months with the company. Appearing on Busted Open, the WWE Hall of Famer explained that while he once believed the focus was on producing great wrestling, business and financial decisions eventually took priority over everything else. The shift left him unfulfilled and disconnected from the product, prompting him to step down.
“I think the booking used to be about wrestling, and I think the booking’s maybe always been about the money, and I just forgot. I just thought it was about the wrestling. But it feels like it’s just all about the money now. So maybe that goes to what you’re saying, the money. They can go over there and make some money too, so the money’s deciding everything. But I don’t know, man. It just feels like WWE right now, for me, was a money grab. And I don’t know, it didn’t feel right. I wanted to step away from that.” – Road Dogg
Since TKO Group Holdings took control of WWE in 2023, the company has undergone a major financial transformation. Revenue skyrocketed to a record $1.709 billion in 2025, up 22%, driven by major media rights deals with Netflix, higher ticket prices, premium international events, and expanded sponsorships. However, while this corporate approach has delivered impressive profits and growth, it has sparked criticism from insiders like Road Dogg, who felt creative choices were increasingly dictated by money rather than wrestling quality.
