WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long isn’t buying the idea that R-Truth’s recent release and return was a storyline all along. On a recent episode of his Road Trip After Hours podcast, Long addressed the controversy head-on, calling WWE’s handling of the situation a “failed cover-up.”
When asked by host Mac Davis whether the situation was a work or a shoot, Long was blunt in his response:
“It’s a shoot. Jesus Christ. What does it take for these people?”
Davis echoed Long’s sentiment, noting that fans across the board—young and old—weren’t fooled. “The sad part is… WWE came in and they tried to make it sound like it was a work,” Davis said. “And every fan out there… everybody pretty much went, ‘nah. That’s not the case. This guy got fired. You screwed up, and now you’re trying to cover up the stench of a screw up by saying, ‘Oh no, that was planned the whole time.’ I don’t believe that for a second.”
Long wrapped up the topic with finality, calling it “old news” and implying the company only pivoted once they realized the backlash from fans was real. “To me, it’s old news,” he said, suggesting WWE changed course after the release drew widespread criticism.
Long and Ron Killings (R-Truth) are long-time friends, and Long had previously shared on the show that Truth was in “a good place” after speaking to him privately. At the time of his release, reports indicated that other promotions, including TNA Wrestling, had interest in signing Killings.
Ultimately, R-Truth returned at Money in the Bank, and he’s now back on WWE television for what is believed to be his final run with the company.
Despite WWE’s efforts to frame the ordeal as a storyline, multiple outlets have confirmed the release was very much legitimate.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
