Triple H addresses R-Truth WWE contract ordeal: ‘He was never fired’
To promote the new season of “WWE: Unreal,” Netflix has released a sneak peek with Paul “Triple H” Levesque addressing R-Truth’s contract saga from 2025.
Season two of the “Unreal” docuseries arrives on Netflix tomorrow (January 20). One of the focal points will be WWE’s controversial decision to not renew Truth’s contract last year, which sparked fan outcry and ultimately led to Truth being brought back without ever having officially departed WWE.
In the “Unreal” clip, Levesque frames WWE’s decision to not renew as one that was made because communication had broken down between the two sides in contract negotiations. Levesque says that, by making the decision they did, WWE was hoping Truth might change his mind and engage them on a new deal. Instead, Truth took to social media and said he was being released.
“We got to a point in Truth’s run where his contract was coming up,” Levesque says in the clip. “When you are dealing with contracts and money and you’re very far apart in 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. Your contract is at the end. We’re not going to renew.’ 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 and said he was fired — which, he was never fired, contrary to prior belief. He was never not under contract with us.”
Brief comments from Truth and Brian “Road Dogg” James are also included in the clip. Truth says that, when he was informed of WWE’s decision, he felt like he was being released. James — who is good friends with Truth and is his former tag team partner — called WWE’s decision heartbreaking but believes it made perfect business sense considering that Truth is in his 50s.
The outcry from fans, along with Truth receiving significant support from his colleagues, led to WWE reversing course and signing Truth to a new long-term contract. WWE President Nick Khan played a significant role in making the deal happen.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.