R Truth feels very happy seeing the rise of black talent in wrestling and it makes him emotional to know that all of them have huge respect and admiration for the wrestling veteran.

One half of the current world tag team champions recently had an interview with the Battleground podcast. He discussed things such as winning the World Tag Team Championship with The Miz at WrestleMania 40 and more.

During the interview, they played a clip of the new AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland discussing Truth’s status as a legend of the industry. The WWE star returned the favor saying that what we have seen is only the beginning for Swerve:

“Man, I get emotional. It’s such a prestige [and] honor to have. Let me say this, I want to congratulate Swerve. Definitely gotta congratulate him man on his achievement, his accomplishment. I meant to call you. I’m sorry I haven’t called you yet. I’mma text you. He’s been killing it for a while. He’s so talented, man, so humble, so well-deserving of what he’s doing now. You’re just seeing the beginning of him.”

It’s A Surreal Moment For Me: R Truth

Just like Swerve in AEW, a number of young black talents have made their mark on WWE TV in recent times. Carmelo Hayes has only recently concluded his successful NXT run after being called up during the 2024 Drafts. Current NXT Champion Trick Williams and NXT North American Champion Oba Femi are some other names that are gaining new followers every day.

Speaking about all these talents breaking through the barriers to earn their rightful place in the industry, R Truth said that it’s a surreal moment for him:

“Trick, Obie, Carmelo, these guys are just like — it’s such a good time to be a part of this. It’s such a good time to see these guys give me my flowers. Strickland have always talked good about me, man. Again, it’s a surreal moment for me to be in the position I’m in.”

Of course, Truth himself has been a pioneer in the industry for almost 3 decades now. Apart from having a Hall of Fame worthy career in WWE, Truth has made history by becoming the first-ever African American NWA World Heavyweight Champion back in 2002.

His successful music career speaks for the diversity of talents possessed by the current champion. It’s only a testament to his skills that even at 52 years of age, Truth continues to perform at the highest level in the industry and can go toe to with any current or upcoming talents. 

Triple H presented Awesome Truth with the new WWE World Tag Team Championships during the 4/15 episode of WWE RAW. This was a historic moment in front of a frenzied Montreal crowd.

Awesome Truth won the RAW Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 40. Two weeks later, the company did away with those titles and replaced them with totally new belts.

WWE is in a new era, and that has brought many changes. The Undisputed Tag Team Championships were split during WrestleMania 40, and now the RAW Tag Team Titles are no more. In their place, Triple H introduced new titles.

Crowning New Champions on 4/15 WWE RAW

Triple H made his way out during RAW this week and the Montreal crowd was pumped to see him. Then the camera revealed that the ring was done up in its red carpet look, with something covered on a podium in the center.

It did not take long for Triple H’s promo to get directed toward the new RAW Tag Team Champions. Then Awesome Truth made their way to the ring. Triple H revealed that Awesome Truth are no longer RAW Tag Team Champions. They are now the World Tag Team Champions, and that came with new titles.

When The Game revealed Awesome Truth’s new titles, R-Truth flipped out and thought it was an amazing magic trick. Then he mistook Triple H for Tommaso Ciampa once again.

WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!

Paul @TripleH Levesque just revealed the brand new World Tag Team Championship for @RonKillings & @mikethemiz on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/L6LBAO9v3m

— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2024

Triple H left, but not before taking Awesome Truth’s old titles and putting the new ones around their shoulders. As R-Truth and The Miz raised their new titles up, fans cheered the new belts.

After the new WWE World Tag Team Titles were given to Awesome Truth, they held a triple threat tag team match to decide a new #1 contender. Team DIY, Creed Brothers, and The New Day. In the end, Team #DIY won the match, so they will face Awesome Truth for the new World Tag Team Titles first. That might get confusing for R-Truth, because he thinks they are Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

WWEShop already has the new World Tag Team Champions replica belts available for pre-order here:

R-Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a runaway success, but this only happened after the veteran nearly lost his leg to infection. 

In November 2022, Truth suffered a torn quad during a WWE NXT match with Grayson Waller. The injury occurred after Truth attempted to dive over the top rope and was later confirmed to be a torn quadriceps. He would undergo surgery later that month and after a lengthy absence, returned to programming during the Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 broadcast. 

R-Truth Nearly Loses His Leg

Since recovering, Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a hit with fans and is one of the most popular angles the company currently has going. During a recent appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, Truth explained how his injury nearly cost him his leg. 

“I had a hole in my knee. I had five different bacteria that caused the infection along with MRSA… It started off as a routine quad tear. I tore my bottom quad. They went in and I guess it could have happened during surgery. I went to get the stitches out and we found out that the bacteria, the infection, was eating from the inside out.”

Despite initial beliefs that the infection would be dealt with quickly, the disease continued to affect Truth’s recovery. In the interview, Truth recalled months of intensive treatments and what the only other option was. 

“I had to have a wound VAC on. It was a VAC on my knee that kept sucking the old blood up and putting the new blood… It was a good four months or five months of just trying to kill the infection, slow it down, stop it, and I’m going mentally crazy because there was a chance, he said, the other option was amputation.”

Thankfully, the infection would clear and Truth would retain the use of his leg. The veteran is a 53-time WWE 24/7 Champion and a two-time WWE U.S. Champion. 

R-Truth had a bit of help becoming an ‘official’ member of The Judgment Day… 

H/T – POST Wrestling

WWE has a few sure-fire angles going, one that are guaranteed to be money-makers. R-Truth’s story with the Judgment Day shocked everyone to see how rapidly the WWE Universe responded.

R-Truth In Judgment Day

Judgement Day is comprised of Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh. It is hard to get into their family, but R-Truth apparently found a way through their bank accounts.

WWE ran an angle on RAW this week where R-Truth made direct reference to how well his new Judgment Day t-shirt is selling. He gave Priest his cut of the profits, and that calmed him down a bit.

While speaking to Busted Open Radio, R-Truth revealed that it was Damian Priest who pushed for him to remain in the Judgment Day stable. Señor Money in the Bank saw that the angle was working, and he was very correct in his observation.

“I was happy. I was ready to get out of the house and go back to the sport that I love. When they said I was working with Judgment Day, I was like, ‘Let’s do it. What are we doing?’ They could have said I was working with anybody and I was ready. I will say this, Judgment Day, they all want me.”

“I will say Damian Priest, he was like, ‘Bro, we should keep you around. This thing is working.’ He actually went to, I think it was Hunter [Triple H] and the writers. Damian Priest fought for it.”

R-Truth Is Raking In Cash For Judgment Day

R-Truth became the top merchandise seller in WWE after his Judgment Day angle took off. He dethroned CM Punk from his #1 position, a place the Second City Savior has been since his November 25th WWE Survivor Series return.

Judgment Day has not officially accepted R-Truth into the stable yet. If he can keep bringing in this kind of revenue, then that may grease the wheels.

WWE’s 24/7 Championship may not have been to everyone’s taste, but R-Truth had a blast defending the unique piece of gold. 

The 24/7 Championship was introduced in 2019 and was immediately met with negative responses from fans who took issue with the design. Shortly after however, the title would become a highlight of WWE programming with various comedy segments leading to title changes. After a while though, the momentum would die down and the title would become less relevant on programming. 

R-Truth on the 24/7 Championship

R-Truth would become synonymous with the 24/7 Championship, as he’d have more reigns and hold the title for longer than anyone else on the roster. Speaking on the Busted Open Radio podcast, Truth recalled being approached about the title and the initial response from fans. 

“They gave me a call. They called me and said ‘Hey, they want you to go to SmackDown.’ No, I was on SmackDown as a matter of fact, they want you to go to Raw and do a backstage promo. Didn’t tell me what it was. When I got to Raw. I saw Mick [Foley] pull that thing out of the bag like that right. And everybody said that thing was ugly. Everybody thought it was ugly. Nobody even liked it. It had a different look, we’re gonna say that. It just looked different.”

Despite the backlash, Truth had no issue with the title as he’s always relished in flexing his comedic chops. 

“I like laughing I like being funny. And y’all give me an opportunity to make things funny. That was just my playground right that moment. All the things myself, the writers was coming up with was just like, we [were] just hitting home runs. There was no rules when it came to 24/7 title man. If it was rules, we broke them all and I think people were just loving that.”

The 24/7 Championship was retired in late 2022 in a decision by Triple H. The title’s end saw Nikki Cross (nearly) throw it in a trash can. 

R Truth has explained his ‘clap back’ against CM Punk over the former WWE champion’s remarks about their old match.

The wrestling veteran recently appeared on Premiere Live TV. He talked about things such as his childhood hero John Cena, his music career and more.

Speaking about his exchange with CM Punk over their match at Vengeance 2011, Truth claimed that he has no beef with the AEW champion:

“I’m still me at the end of the day. You don’t say no bullshit on me and I won’t come back. I am a clap backer. It depends. Sometimes I ignore shit, but I will clap back.

We cool. No beef with me and Punk.” claimed R Truth, “Me and Miz beat him because we were hotter than him at the time. Punk has gotten his push and all that shit, but we were hotter than him at the time. No beef,”

CM Punk teamed with Triple H to face Truth and The Miz in a tag match at Vengeance 2011. To many people’s surprise the team of Punk and H lost this bout.

In his infamous appearance at Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast, Punk had questioned this booking decision. R Truth had later responded to the AEW star saying that they were hotter than Punk at the time.

Quotes via Fightful

There is currently no sunset in sight for R-Truth but when he does hang up his wrestling boots, he would like to continue his involvement with WWE.

The former 24/7 champion has talked about his relationship with Vince McMahon and how he has gained the trust of the boss numerous times.

During his recent appearance on Out of Character podcast, Truth was asked if he would like to stick around the company after his retirement. Replying to it, he claimed that he is ready to take on anything Mr McMahon offers:

“Definitely. I definitely want to stick around and help with creative. Anything Vince would give me. He knows me, I’m easy going. I make it happen. You give it to me, I’ll build it and make it,”

Even at 49 years old, R-Truth continues to be one of the most prominent WWE stars who is always doing something interesting. So it doesn’t appear the talked retirement will be coming anytime soon.

The wrestling veteran also recently told the amazing story of how he got into the wrestling world when he originally wanted to be a rapper. He revealed how a couple of former wrestlers helped him get into WWE.

Thanks to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Many people now know R Truth as a wrestling star who also raps but it wasn’t how things started. Truth actually wanted to pursue a rapping career. However, a number of people with divine inspirations led him to become one of the most beloved professional wrestlers of this era.

The 49-year-old told the story of how he originally got into wrestling during his recent appearance on Ebro in the Morning. He was asked about his start in the business. Truth explained that he was introduced to it by Jack Crockett.

“This was given to me by a guy named Jack Crockett. I was doing Street things. We all know at that point in my career. So I’m like, keep making these mistakes and I’m still trying to get my music on. Well, long story short [I] got jammed up. And this was a time I feel like God gave me [to think] like ‘okay, it’s time for you to sit down and figure out what the hell you want to do exactly. You want to go this way? That way? What you’re gonna do?”

• R Truth Opens Up About His Struggles After WWE Release In 2002

R Truth’s First Meeting With Jack Crockett

R Truth met Jack Crockett while he was in jail. The brother of legendary promoter Jim Crockett was looking to get out of the wrestling business but he said that something was keeping him from leaving. Then when he met the high-flying star, he felt it was his opportunity to give back to the business:

“I met a guy named Jack Crockett. Jack Crockett was the guy that brought professional wrestling to the south. So, he said he never gave back before. And he said God told him to give back to me.  Me and him talk two times in jail. To give somebody your phone number, your information [in the short time was unbelievable]. He believed in me from that point. He’s like, ‘call me when you get out of jail.’ Now I thought he wanted me to cut his grass or something like that.

He offered me a job. He took me to three WCW shows and this is when Harlem Heat first started coming out. I’ve never been to a wrestling show in my life. Ric Flair music hit. He comes out. I’m like ‘Oh, shit.’ 15,000 people goes crazy. And I’m like, ‘Oh, damn.’ He’s like, ‘See? That could be you right there. All that rapping and dancing he was doing in there. You could come down rapping your own music that you want to do, get in the ring and then you can fight and mix all your moves together.”

• Backstage Reason Why Vince McMahon Features R-Truth On WWE TV So Often

How R Truth Got Signed By WWE

Though Crockett wasn’t the only person who helped R Truth in reaching his destination. He initially refused Jack’s offer but accepted it after getting to a place where he wanted to do something different. Once he made the decision to join wrestling, there were a number of other people who paved the way for the wrestling veteran to not only learn the craft but to get to where he belonged:

“Manny Fernandez, the Raging Bull, saw me wrestle, I think my third or fourth match. And he said ‘I’m gonna train you for free.’ He said I don’t know why but I just feel like I have to train you for free. He said to come back to me. Man, He trained me mentally, emotionally, spiritually. He just trained me to like, ‘this is a art but I wanted to teach you how to take care of yourself in the ring, take care of yourself around the ring. Just so you have ring awareness.’

Well after that, Wildside Rick Michaels, he said ‘bro, let me make a tape for you. You don’t belong here. You belong on WWF. You belong there.’ Rick Michaels and his dad made me a tape. I sent it in. I got a call from WWE within two weeks. Two weeks after that, I was going to meet Vince McMahon. Two weeks after that, I was under contract.”

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription.

This article has been edited for clarity.