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Over the last few years, WWE has re-hired former stars to work backstage in the company as producers/agents. The likes of Finlay, Jeff Jarrett, and Shane Helms, to name a few, have been hired by the company as backstage personnel.
Former SmackDown Executive Director Eric Bischoff recently spoke about WWE Hall of Famer and tag team legend Bubba Ray Dudley, and how he is surprised that WWE has not hired him yet. The 8-time Tag Team champion still occasionally wrestles, but it's quite clear that his in-ring career is coming to a close.
Eric Bischoff on why Bubba Ray Dudley hasn't been re-hired by WWE
Eric Bischoff, on his 83 Weeks podcast, praised Bubba Ray Dudley, calling him "incredibly smart, incredibly experienced". He stated that WWE has a culture that everyone coming into the company has to abide by and that Bubba Ray may "compromise to a point and then he won't".
"Bully knows what it's like to be in WWE, especially in that role as a producer and on the creative team. I'm guessing that he just doesn't want it. I'm not sure if anyone has ever offered it to him, and maybe if they did, he'd make a fool of me. Bully's a man's man. He's very much an individual. He'll compromise to a point and then he won't. I'm guessing that's probably why." (H/T WrestlingInc)
Bischoff said that some people are able to adapt to the WWE culture, like Adam Pearce, who has been an authority figure of sorts in WWE in recent times. He said that he "found out the hard way" about the culture in the company.
Bubba Ray Dudley, who has gone by the ring name Bully Ray in ROH and TNA, last wrestled for ROH earlier this year in February. He is no longer under contract with the promotion.
Bubba Ray was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 as part of The Dudley Boyz with his tag team partner D-Von Dudley. D-Von, in fact, is a part of the backstage team in WWE and works as a producer.
