R-Truth has become a staple of WWE, with his comedic antics often leaving his fellow Superstars with no choice but to break character and burst into laughter. Fans love him, management must love the veteran wrestler for him to get so much TV time, and last June, he was released.
It was later reported that, instead of a traditional "release" (i.e. a firing), this was a case of WWE deciding not to renew R-Truth's contract. Following vocal fan backlash, the former 24/7 Champion returned and got serious as Ron Killings.
That didn't last particularly long, and he's since returned to his R-Truth persona. Now, in a new clip from the upcoming second season of Netflix's WWE Unreal, Triple H reveals what really happened behind the scenes...if you choose to believe him, of course.
In the video below, the WWE Chief Content Officer claims that Truth was never actually fired. "We got to a point in Truth’s run where his contract was coming up," he explained. "When you are dealing with contracts and money, and you’re very far apart on the numbers and communication breaks down, it’s very easy for both sides to read into the communications differently."
"'Okay, well, if you’re not going to come to us, then, Truth, we’re going to let your contract lapse. We’re not going to renew,'" Triple H said of how WWE approached the negotiations.
"Knowing that, hopefully, maybe, this will force his hand to say 'Well, hold on a second, can we talk?' He immediately went out on social [media] and said he was fired, which he was never fired. Contrary to prior belief, he was never not under contract with us." Talk about a technicality, eh?
As for how R-Truth perceived the situation, he says, "I got the call that my contract wasn’t gonna be renewed, and I’m like, 'So, am I released? Am I...?' I took it as I was released. I was hurt."
Ever the company man, Brian James, a.k.a. Road Dogg, who is WWE's Senior Vice President of Live Events and head of SmackDown creative, stated, "While it broke my heart, it made perfect business sense to not renew his contract. At his age, you might not get that reward back."
WWE Unreal Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix, so you'll be able to learn more about R-Truth's clash with WWE on the streamer now.