Jim Ross Recalls Road Dogg Being ‘The Real Double J,’ Why He Became a Bigger WWE Star Than Jeff Jarrett

– Jim Ross discussed the bringing Road Dogg back in 1996 as “The Real Double J” and why Road Dogg became a bigger star in WWE than Jarrett on the latest Grilling JR episode. Road Dogg was debuted as The Roadie, the assistant to Jarrett, when he came to WWE in 1994. When Jarrett performed a song under his country music gimmick, which was actually sung by Road Dogg, the plan was to have him eventually reveal he was the actual singer which would lead to a feud. However, the two abruptly walked out of WWE in July after the second In Your House PPV.

When Road Dogg came back in 1996, they used the planned angle as his gimmick and billed him as Jesse James, “The Real Double J,” where he revealed that he was the real singer of “Be My Baby Tonight.” Highlights from Ross’ thoughts on the gimmick and why Road Dogg became a bigger star than Jarrett in WWE are below, along with the full podcast:

On the angle where Road Dogg was the real singer of Jarrett’s songs: “Well to be honest with you, I didn’t think that was a bad idea. Because I believed — this is my opinion, I might be wrong — that Road Dogg’s a better worker than Jeff. And I thought he had more of an upside, because he was fresher. Jeff’d been on TV [for a while]. That’s what I thought, I may be wrong. Anything I say about it’s gonna be, ‘Well, JR’s knocking Jeff.’ I’m not knocking anybody … I’m just saying that Road Dogg [was] bigger, stronger, as good a worker. So I just — I think Bruce had a lot to do with that whole angle, and he did a real good job. Bruce emotionally invested in the angle because he and Jeff are buddies, and Bruce liked the sizzle and the entertainment aspect of that deal. All well and good. But I thought in the big picture, that the best worker of the two was gonna be Road Dogg. And so how that came about, the little thing about he exposed that he was the singer, was unique.”

On why Road Dogg became a bigger star in WWE than Jarrett: “Look, here’s the thing. Until Road Dogg got into DX, he was a solid, well talented, skilled, mid to semi-main guy, same as Jeff. Mid-card to semi-main guy. But when Road Dogg got into DX, he became a megastar and was making seven figures a year. I know this for [a] fact. Jeff didn’t have that thing to gravitate to. He didn’t have the DX. He still had that same old gimmick that was getting old to people, which is why I think he cut his deal with Russo, and went to join him in WCW as time went on. But I always thought Road Dogg was the player of those two.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Grilling JR with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.