Update on Road Dogg joining TNA Wrestling
He’s still expected to join the company, but Slammiversary week came and went without Brian “Road Dogg” James officially signing with TNA Wrestling.
When Tommy Dreamer’s departure from TNA was announced last month, it was reported that James was expected to join TNA for a role in creative. James was at Slammiversary on June 28 but had not signed with TNA yet, and PWInsider reported that was still the case as of Thursday. James did not attend TNA’s post-Slammiversary TV tapings in Albany, New York as he’s still going through the hiring process.
Dave Meltzer confirmed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that James is still expected to join TNA despite not having signed yet.
“Brian James was there [at Slammiversary], though the sides have not completed a deal. He did some match agenting but this was said to be mostly a Dreamer & Hunter Johnston show even with no Dreamer there,” Meltzer said.
“James was not at the TV tapings in Albany, NY this past week. He is still expected to sign here, but the sides haven’t come to terms.”
Plans for Slammiversary were not significantly altered after Dreamer’s departure. James will be joining Hunter Johnston (former ROH wrestler/booker Delirious) and Eric Tompkins (TNA Vice President of TV Production and Executive Creative Director) on the creative team when he does sign with the company.
Upcoming TNA schedule —
TNA was in Albany for tapings on both Wednesday and Thursday. There are a few weeks until the company’s next show, with a live Impact episode and subsequent taping set for Philadelphia on July 30-31. Those events will build toward TNA’s Lockdown pay-per-view in Chicago on August 23.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.