Former WWE veteran Road Dogg recently caused a stir when he claimed on social media that he was refused a job in AEW because of his political beliefs. Now, a report has emerged questioning the validity of the Hall of Famer’s statement on the matter.

Following his retirement from in-ring action over a decade ago, Brian James aka Road Dogg held a number of backstage positions in WWE, primarily in writing, production and training roles. The New Age Outlaws member was appointed as the co-lead writer of one of the promotion’s flagship shows, Friday Night Smackdown, towards the beginning of last year. However, this past March, it was reported that the veteran was parting ways with the sports entertainment juggernaut.

Recently, Road Dogg courted controversy on social media when he claimed that the AEW World Tag Team Championships are “beneath” Austin and Colten Gunn, the sons of his former tag partner Billy Gunn. During the online spat that ensued as a consequence, the former WWE Tag Team Champion also stated that he was denied a position in All Elite Wrestling because of his political beliefs.

On the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer questioned Brian James’ claim about the Tony Khan-led promotion not hiring him, noting that the company employs several individuals with conservative views, and that it supposedly does not discriminate with respect to hirings based on political philosophies.

“There are many people in AEW that have conservative viewpoints and I have never heard of anyone not being hired by AEW based on political viewpoints in one direction or the other,” Meltzer said. [H/T- Wrestling Inc]

When were The Gunns last seen in action in AEW?

For the past several weeks, The Bang Bang Gang have been embroiled in a bitter rivalry with The Dogs and their allies, The Death Riders. Although Juice Robinson led his stable-mates Ace Austin and The Gunns to a victory against Jon Moxley’s crew on July 30, The One True King, along with Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta and PAC, defeated Robinson, Austin and Colten Gunn, and Jack Perry in a multi-person tag bout on the August 8 edition of Collision, thanks to interference from Clark Connors and David Finlay.

It remains to be seen what lies next for The Gunns and the rest of the Collision Cowboys in All Elite Wrestling.