R-Truth has revealed that he nearly quit WWE before his career truly began, and it was a Hall of Famer who convinced him to stay.
Speaking on Six Feet Under with The Undertaker, the WWE veteran reflected on a difficult period early in his career when he was ready to walk away from wrestling entirely. At the time, his WWE developmental contract was nearing its end and he was struggling both professionally and personally.
“My contract was coming up. I hadn’t already gave up because I was having issues at home and my mind wasn’t there in Memphis and developmental,” R-Truth said. “I was like I’m ready to quit man. I’m not made for wrestling.”
Everything shifted when WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg crossed paths with him. According to R-Truth, Road Dogg saw potential in him that he couldn’t see in himself.
“He believed in me and said, ‘Hey man, you got what it takes. You got to hold on. Can you give me two months? I’ll have you out of here,’” R-Truth recalled.
The wrestling veteran would go on to make his main roster debut in November 2000 as Road Dogg’s new tag team partner. This run did not last long, and Truth was released from his contract a year later, but it stopped the legendary career that followed from ending before it began.
The veteran superstar emphasized how much that belief meant to him. “Just to have somebody believe in you means a lot. It didn’t take a bunch of people. He believed in me,” he said. “People helping people is a powerful thing.”
The story offers a reminder that sometimes the most important moments in a wrestling career happen outside the ring. For R-Truth, it was when someone refused to let him give up before his journey had truly begun.
The March 20 episode of SmackDown featured a tag team championship match with MFT’s JC Mateo & Tama Tonga defending the title against the new alliance of Damian Priest and R-Truth.
The other MFT members got involved towards the ending of the bout as expected. Solo Sikoa ran interference, allowing Talla Tonga to chokeslam Truth on the apron. The wrestling veteran, however, still somehow kicked out of a pinfall attempt from Mateo.
The Wyatt Sicks then made an appearance to even the odds. The trio of Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, and Joe Gacy first came down to attack the MFT, and then Uncle Howdy locked the Mandible Claw on Solo. Mateo saved his leader and gave him the Wyatt lantern to defend himself.
The distraction cost the champions the bout, as Mateo got back in the ring. Priest first took out Tama Tonga, allowing Truth to hit the Attitude Adjustment on JC for the win.
This is an unexpected development as Damian Priest was originally believed to be set for a program with Royce Keys coming out of the Royal Rumble. These plans were seemingly nixed as part of the big WrestleMania shakeup and the tag team of Priest and Truth was born. The duo had only competed in two matches as a team before the tittle win and we’ll have to see how long they hold the belts.
R-Truth has revealed the best advice he received from John Cena.
The Attitude Era star has been associated with the Cenation Leader in various ways during his WWE career. Calling the 17-time world champion his \’childhood hero,\’ Truth has dressed up as the fellow wrestling veteran on many occasions and dubbed himself \’Ron Cena.\’
During his recent appearance on the Nikki and Brie Show, the 54-year-old discussed John Cena\’s influence on his career. He revealed the one piece of advice from the former face of WWE that resonated with him the most:
\”One that kind of really resonated with me that Cena told me, and told me this maybe three years ago, but it took me to be a grown man to like… he said, \’Truth, one heel at a time,\’ and it resonated with me. Like damn. I try to do so much. Whether it’s please, or whether it’s accomplish, I try to do so much. Focus on one thing, get that done, and move on to the next, so one heel at a time.\”
R-Truth got to work with John Cena in his recently concluded retirement tour around the same time he was fired and re-hired by WWE. Cena first defeated him at Saturday Night\’s Main Event, before a SmackDown rematch that ended in a disqualification.
The former K-Kwik has not officially been announced for the Royal Rumble event this Saturday but it\’s unlikely that he will miss the show.
It\’s Friday, January 23, 2026 and here\’s your wrestling news update covering the biggest stories from WWE, AEW, TNA, and the world of professional wrestling.
Powerhouse Hobbs Officially Signs With WWE
The speculation is over—Powerhouse Hobbs is officially WWE-bound. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select confirmed Thursday that the former TNT Champion has signed a contract with WWE following the expiration of his AEW deal last week.
As previously reported, WWE had expressed interest in Hobbs for some time, and the company has reportedly already planned a new name and image for the powerhouse. The 32-year-old spent four years with AEW, where he established himself as one of the promotion\’s most physically imposing talents.
Hobbs\’ signing comes amid WWE\’s continued efforts to bolster its roster with established talent. His combination of size, athleticism, and presence makes him a natural fit for WWE\’s style, and fans should expect him to make an impact once he debuts.
Jim Ross Reveals Scary Fall Left Him on Floor for Hours
WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW announcer Jim Ross has provided an update on his health following a frightening incident at his home that prevented him from attending last week\’s Dynamite taping in Orlando.
Speaking on the latest episode of \”Grilling JR,\” the 74-year-old legendary commentator revealed the severity of the fall that kept him down. Ross disclosed that he was on the floor for approximately five hours before he could get help, but says he \”got lucky\” and avoided serious injury.
JR\’s return to AEW programming has been postponed as he continues to recover. The beloved announcer has faced numerous health challenges in recent years but has remained a fixture in professional wrestling broadcasting.
Trey Miguel Returns to TNA After AEW Release
Trey Miguel is officially back in TNA Wrestling, making a surprise return on Thursday\’s live episode of iMPACT just days after being released by AEW. Miguel entered the Feast or Fired match as an unannounced participant, securing one of the briefcases in the signature TNA stipulation bout.
Miguel\’s return comes after a whirlwind week. The Rascalz member had signed with AEW but parted ways with the company before ever appearing on television. Fightful Select reported that TNA had conversations with Miguel about a potential return just hours before Thursday\’s show.
\”If this is the fired briefcase, I\’ll be so pissed,\” Miguel joked after the match, referencing the stipulation where three briefcases contain title opportunities while one results in termination. The briefcase contents will be revealed on next week\’s iMPACT.
The System Undergoes Major Faction Overhaul in TNA
TNA\’s long-running faction The System underwent a shocking transformation during Thursday\’s iMPACT, with Cedric Alexander and Bear Bronson officially joining the group—only for the faction to immediately turn on two of its founding members.
After JDC announced the new additions, The System attacked both JDC and Moose, kicking them out of the group in a stunning heel turn. The betrayal came just weeks after JDC\’s retirement match against Eddie Edwards at TNA Genesis.
The revamped System now positions itself as a major heel faction heading into the AMC era of TNA programming.
Bishop Dyer Reveals Tony Khan\’s Reaction to AEW Debut
Speaking on Busted Open\’s \”Off the Ropes\” podcast, Dyer opened up about the opportunity, explaining how the booking materialized and sharing Khan\’s positive feedback after the match. Dyer competed in an eight-man tag before Wednesday\’s Dynamite in Orlando, teaming with Martin Stone and Better Together against Billy Gunn and his team.
"There's nothing in this world that feels like that, when you get that kind of reaction."
While it remains unclear if this was a one-time appearance or a potential ongoing relationship, Dyer has been working for MLW since his WWE release in November 2024.
Quick Hits
Marissa McMahon Scores Oscar Nomination: Shane McMahon\’s wife received a Best Picture nomination at the 98th Academy Awards announced Thursday. Dwayne \”The Rock\” Johnson missed out on a Best Actor nomination for his work in \”The Smashing Machine.\”
Will Ospreay Backstage at Dynamite: The absent AEW star was spotted backstage at this week\’s Dynamite, having not competed since Forbidden Door in August. His presence has sparked speculation about an imminent return.
Saraya Posts Training Footage: The former AEW star shared new training footage on her Instagram stories, fueling speculation about a potential in-ring return. Saraya hasn\’t competed since October 2024 and departed AEW in March 2025.
Ash By Elegance Out of Retirement: Former WWE star Dana Brooke, now Ash By Elegance in TNA, ended her brief in-ring retirement during Thursday\’s iMPACT, getting physical in a segment and confirming \”she\’s back\” in a backstage interview.
Chris Jericho Addresses Ageism: The 55-year-old veteran spoke about reinvention and ageism in wrestling, saying it\’s \”not a death sentence\” amid continued speculation about a potential WWE return ahead of Royal Rumble.
SmackDown Tonight: WWE SmackDown airs from Montreal featuring Nathan Frazer vs. Johnny Gargano and a WWE Tag Team Championship match.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for continuing coverage of these stories.
R-Truth has thrown the ball back into Triple H\’s court.
The new season of WWE Unreal covered the drama surrounding Truth\’s announced WWE departure and surprise return in early June last year. While talking about it in the show, the WWE creative head tried to claim that the whole thing was a result of a communication lapse.
The Game explained that when the company and talent are too far apart in negotiations, telling them that their contract will not be renewed can sometimes force the wrestler to reconsider their stance. He claimed, however, that Truth was never actually fired by the company:
\”He immediately went out on social and said he was fired, which he was never fired. Contrary to prior belief, he was never not under contract with us.”
The 54-year-old responded to these remarks from the King of Kings during his appearance on The Breakfast Club. R-Truth confirmed that he was told his deal would not be renewed while he was still technically under contract. Though he questioned whether that did not constitute a release as he had claimed:
\”I get a call from this side saying \’We’re not going to renew your contract,\’ or however it was. [I ask] \’So do I come to work?\’ It’s Sunday. Next Sunday, my contract [would end]. [They go] \’No, don’t come to work.\’ [I ask,] \’Oh okay. Am I done now?\’ [They go] \’Yes.\’ There was no flight, no calendar. What do you call that?”
Former WWE star Killer Kross has also detailed a similar experience while discussing his August 2025 WWE departure. Kross has explained that the company tried to corner him into a unfavortable contract by offering a renewal on the last day of his employment and refusing to negotiate the terms of the deal.
Two of WWE\’s most influential employees have provided contradictory accounts regarding R-Truth\’s contract situation in newly released footage from WWE Unreal Season 2.
Road Dogg, WWE\’s Senior Vice President of Live Events, addressed the decision not to renew R-Truth\’s contract when it expired.
\”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,\” Road Dogg explained in the sneak peek footage.
However, Triple H offered a starkly different version of events.
\”He immediately went out on social and said he was fired, but he was never fired. Contrary to prior belief, he was never not under contract with us,\” WWE\’s Chief Content Officer claimed.
Miscommunication
The conflicting statements have created confusion among fans regarding the 54-year-old superstar\’s actual status with the company. Road Dogg\’s comments suggest a deliberate business decision not to renew an expiring contract based on age considerations, while Triple H maintains R-Truth was never released and remained under WWE contract throughout.
R-Truth had posted on social media claiming he was fired, which Triple H has now disputed as inaccurate.
Im sorry to inform you all. I just got released from WWE. I want to thank WWE for the ride, but MOSTLY I want to thank each and EVERYONE OF YOU who was along for the ride, Thank you for all the love, support, and appreciation you have given me over the years. Thank you ??
The contradictory executive statements leave questions about whether this represents a legitimate contract technicality, miscommunication, or potential storyline development.
The footage appears in promotional material for WWE Unreal Season 2, premiering Tuesday, January 20 on Netflix.
R-Truth has opened up about his future plans in WWE, revealing he wants The Miz to be his final opponent when he decides to hang up his boots.
In an exclusive interview with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, the 53-year-old veteran discussed how watching John Cena\’s farewell tour has shaped his own retirement vision.
\”Watching Cena\’s end game gave me ideas about mine. I want to articulate mine creatively,\” R-Truth said. \”We\’re all on a ride. The ride stops at some point. And it was great seeing him have some control and go, \’I want to get off right now.\’ That\’s what I want to do.\”
R-Truth\’s Retirement Plans
When asked who he envisions standing across from him in his final match, R-Truth didn\’t hesitate.
\”The Miz. I have a story with The Miz. I have an outside-the-ring story with The Miz. I have a relatable story with The Miz. The history,\” he explained. \”I will have that with The Miz.\”
The two have a storied history together as Awesome Truth, dating back to their 2011 heel run that culminated in a Survivor Series main event against John Cena and The Rock. They reunited in 2024 and captured the World Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL, giving R-Truth his first WrestleMania victory after over two decades in the business.
Under Contract Through 2028
R-Truth also confirmed he signed a four-year deal with a three-year option following his dramatic return at Money in the Bank 2025, where he shocked fans just six days after announcing his release from WWE.
WWE Unreal Season 2 premieres January 20 on Netflix and will document R-Truth\’s release and return saga, along with the Road to SummerSlam 2025.
R-Truth addressed his future in wrestling during Saturday Night\’s Main Event, acknowledging that his current WWE contract could be his final run with the company.
\”I always like to say, I steal this from The Rock, I let pain in my body be my guide as far as when it\’s time for me to go,\” R-Truth said. \”Right now, I still feel good — I\’ve thought about it. As you know, I just renewed my deal, so it\’s like… this could be the last one. We all have to have that time. We all have to get off the ride at some point.\”
R-Truth\’s WWE Return
The 53-year-old veteran signed a special new WWE contract in June 2025 following a brief release that sparked massive fan outcry (rightfully so).
R-Truth returned at Money in the Bank just days after announcing his departure, with the new deal described as allowing him \”one true final run\” rather than a standard active talent contract.
R-Truth appeared at Saturday Night\’s Main Event on December 13 dressed as \”Ron Cena,\” delivering a heartfelt rap tribute before John Cena\’s final match. He later teamed with Joe Hendry to confront The Miz.
With 28 years in professional wrestling, R-Truth holds an impressive résumé including being the first African-American NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time WWE United States Champion, and the record holder for WWE 24/7 Championship reigns at 54.
