"There was a lot of politics" - Former WWE Champion might have been responsible for sabotaging Ryback's push

'Road Dogg' Brian James briefly spoke about Ryback's WWE career on his podcast this week and alluded to CM Punk possibly playing a role behind the star's failed push.

Brian James admitted that backstage politics was quite prevalent in WWE a few years back and felt Ryback might have been an unfortunate victim of the same.

As we had reported earlier, Road Dogg didn't have much positive to say about CM Punk as he took a big shot at the former WWE Champion. The tag team legend also speculated if Punk intentionally sabotaged his former rival's early rise in the company. Speaking on the Oh...You Didn't Know podcast, James noted:

"So, I don't know what it was, to tell you the truth. Look, I think there was a lot of politics going on then, and I'm not going to lie to you, I think CM Punk had something to do with it. Look, if I could just beat up on CM Punk on this whole episode, that's probably what I should do, and that's what I'm doing! But no, there was a lot of politics going around him, around then," revealed the former D-Generation X member. [19:05 - 19:29]

Rumors have suggested that Ryback's career failed to take off as he "was his own worst enemy." However, Road Dogg picked up no such hints from the superstar when they interacted in the WWE.

The WWE Hall of Famer once again mentioned how talent has to deal with tricky situations behind the scenes and sometimes face heat for their public statements.

Road Dogg added:

"Look, I heard we was his own worst enemy. I don't know that for a fact, but that's what I heard. I don't know whether it was one of them perfect storm kind of things, like, oh there is politics against him, then he said the wrong thing, and then, oh my god, now we're snowballing him, and he's gone." [19:30 - 20:00]

"I got along with him really well" - Road Dogg on working with Ryback

Road Dogg was already part of the backstage setup in WWE when Ryback began making waves on the main roster.

While the New Age Outlaws member wasn't particularly close to Ryback in real life, he still enjoyed cordial relations with the former Intercontinental Champion. Ryback, who has his own nutrition supplements brand, was always open to giving fitness-related advice to Road Dogg, as the legend recalled below:

"Look, I don't know. I didn't know him personally. I did work with him but not on the road with him and stuff like that, like, I was in the office, and he was one of the boys," stated Brian James. "So, I got along with him really well, and I always did and always asked him for advice when I was working out and trying to eat right. I would ask him stuff, and he was always cool to tell me about that." [18:43 - 19:04]

While Ryback has not wrestled since 2018, he continues to be very vocal about the business and its well-known personalities on social media.

Would you like to see the former WWE star return to the wrestling world? Sound off in the comments section below.

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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the Oh...You Didn't Know podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.