Latest news with #RonKillings
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The D'Amore Drop: Why wrestling fans get what they need, rather than what they think they want
The D'Amore Drop is a weekly guest column on Uncrowned written by Scott D'Amore, the Canadian professional wrestling promoter, executive producer, trainer and former wrestler best known for his long-standing role with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, where he served as head of creative. D'Amore is the current owner of leading Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling. I'm really enjoying what WWE's doing right now with Ron Killings — and not just because I've known Ronnie for well over two decades. Advertisement The dramatic, fourth-wall-breaking storyline that is unfolding right now wasn't even thought of two weeks ago. As you know, WWE decided not to renew Ronnie's contract, and the fans basically said, 'You made a mistake.' Loud and clear. To their credit, WWE listened, and now we are getting this gripping narrative that weaves reality into story. THIS is why I love professional wrestling! This business is a living, breathing beast. It's not a movie that gets written, rewritten, shot, edited, maybe reshot, maybe reedited and then released a year later. Wrestling happens in real time, every time. That instant feedback — cheers, boos, ticket sales, pay-per-view sales, merch, reactions online — you get it all as you are telling your story. You can't fall into fan-service — you have to give fans what they 'need' rather than what they think they 'want.' Otherwise, the most popular babyfaces would all be champions, fan-favorite tag teams would never break up, there'd be no real changes and the whole thing would die. Advertisement You have to trust the process and believe in your story enough to not panic and abandon it (which was the knock on Vince McMahon, especially later on), but also be humble enough to pivot. One example that comes to mind is when Eric Young went out and had an amazing performance to show the TNA powers that be that he shouldn't be let go from TNA's roster 20 years ago. To be clear — I wasn't in charge at this time, but what was supposed to be his final match was a tag match with "EY" and Bobby Roode vs. America's Most Wanted. But Eric went out there and stole the damn show. (And truthfully, the other three guys knew what was at stake and worked their asses off to put "EY" in a position to shine.) Advertisement After that performance — one of the best in company history — there was no way TNA could let him go. Eric didn't just save his job, he showed TNA that he should never have been in a position where we were even considering not having him part of our show. That's why I've always loved this business. Because it's unpredictable. Because it's alive. Because Ron Killings, at age 53, can go from being cut to being the most entertaining guy on the show — just like that. Seth Rollins is so awesome that the fans don't want to boo him. And that would be a big problem, considering he is clearly being positioned as WWE's top villain, but … Seth Rollins is *so* awesome he can make the fans boo him anyway. The whole main event on this past Monday's "WWE Raw," where Jey Uso won a Fatal 4-Way to set up a King of the Ring match vs. Cody Rhodes next week, clicked so well. Everyone in the match — Jey, Sheamus, Rusev and Bronson Reed — were given big moments, but so were LA Knight, Penta and Bron Breakker, who interfered throughout. Advertisement Then Seth Rollins came out — and everyone cheered and sang his song. He was about to attack Uso, who'd wrecked his plan for teammate Reed to be in the King of the Ring, when Cody Rhodes stepped between them. Seth sold it like he was enraged. He hyperventilated. Spittle flew out both corners of his mouth. The hatred he had his eyes for Cody … and then with just one look he told us that he'd decided: 'No, not here. Not one-on-one.' And he backed down from a fight with Cody — and the fans rained down boos. A masterclass! Seth's timing — knowing exactly the right moment to back down from a fight to lose the respect of the audience — reminded me of Bret Hart's heel turn at WrestleMania 13 all those years ago. Advertisement For younger fans, Bret had just beat Steve Austin in a match that set 'Stone Cold' up as the WWF's top babyface and, at the same time, was supposed to turn Bret up as the company's top villain. Only, the fans weren't booing Bret as he continued to attack Austin even after he'd won the match. Special referee Ken Shamrock pushed Bret off of Austin … and Bret made as if he was going to fight 'The World's Most Dangerous Man' … the fans thought they were going to see it … and then Bret ducked out of the ring, prompting the fans to boo him all the way back to the locker room. I'd already filed last week's column before I saw "AEW Dynamite," but what happened on June 11 — with Don Callis setting up Okada to attack Kenny Omega — was absolutely astonishing television. It was shocking on so many levels. Casual fans know Don was Kenny's manager, then turned on him and has been a thorn in his side since. Hardcores know that Don and Kenny are basically family in real life; Don's first manager when he wrestled was Kenny's uncle, the Golden Sheik, and Don has known Kenny since he was a boy. Don Callis (left) with Kenny Omega's uncle, The Golden Sheik. Don skipped chest day even in the '70s. (Photo via Scott D'Amore) Don sticking his nose in Kenny's business — the Okada match — made perfect sense, but it was the execution of it that was next level. Omega initially being all, 'You again? I am wise to your tricks,' and Don, the mastermind, smirking back, 'Well, you didn't see this coming,' with Okada attacking him from behind — it was gripping stuff. Advertisement You don't see blood much in modern wrestling, and you sure as hell don't see someone choking on it like they're suffering horrific internal injuries. But that's what AEW showed us: Kenny Omega coughing and gasping, looking seriously, dangerously hurt. The visual alone was enough to jolt fans into silence. Don Callis is the most effective heel manager of this era. As multi-talented as Paul Heyman is, when it comes to lighting a fire of hatred in fans' guts, no one stokes that inferno quite like Don. (Of course, he has a great head start, being very, very, very unlikable in real life.) Fans were already excited for another Omega vs. Okada match. Now? There's a whole new emotional charge baked into it. It's personal, it's venomous, it's heart-wrenching — and that's exactly what wrestling should be at its best. I can't wait for their match at AEW All In next month. No one gets the reaction that Bill Goldberg got on "WWE Raw" this week without being a very special performer. I am not here to put over his work rate, but anyone who denies the man's 'it' factor doesn't understand charisma. Advertisement It's been 28 years (!) since Goldberg's legendary 'streak' in WCW … and the fans still believe in him. I worked with Bill back in 1997 at WCW's Power Plant in Atlanta. The Power Plant was a training facility decades ahead of its time and I got a nice check for going down there and basically taking bumps for Bill in the practice ring. In typical WCW fashion, though, I only worked out with Bill a few times and I got paid for two weeks of sitting around drinking coffee. Bill's athleticism — especially his raw power — was incredible. And he had that focus of a real athlete who knew he had a great opportunity in front of him. I'll echo Bret Hart, though, in saying I'm not sure Bill knew how to control his raw power. Advertisement I was supposed to be an early number opponent for Bill, maybe No. 15, I can't remember, and be part of his legendary streak. But I had to go back to Canada for business and the match didn't happen, which was too bad. As WCW began to inflate the streak, claiming it grew to 170-0 when the real number was closer to 120-0, I joked with Mike Tenay that I was one of the phantom 50 matches Goldberg was supposed to have had. Bill turns 59 later this year and all signs are his match in Atlanta against Gunther will be his last. Gunther will shoulder much of the load, but whatever they do, I know Bill will go out with a bang. Inflating the streak was a real WCW misstep. Even casual fans realized they were cooking the books. A genuine 80-0 works far better than a fake 100-0. Advertisement In TNA, Mike Tenay had the idea to replicate Goldberg's streak for Samoa Joe … and he made sure it was 100% accurate. Staying with WCW, I've heard great things about Marc Raimondi's book on the nWo. Entitled 'Say Hello To The Bad Guys,' it covers the legendary WCW faction and their massive impact on pop culture. There have been many attempts to replicate the magic of the nWo, but it is impossible. The shockwave of Hulk Hogan's 1996 heel turn is something that is never going to be replicated — just look at how much bigger it was than even John Cena's heel turn. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were so effortlessly, uniquely cool … the nWo formula will never be replicated. And then Eric Bischoff and team were innovating at a crazy place — backstage segments, fights in the parking lot, breaking the fourth wall. Wrestling had never seen anything like it and no one will ever forget it. Advertisement As Marc mentions at the start of the book, if you wear a nWo hoodie or t-shirt, you're likely to get a complete stranger throwing up the 'Wolfpac' hand sign at you. The nWo captured the imagination of a generation — and never let go. For those fans, nWo is truly FOR LIFE! Congrats to my friends Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson — the iconic tag-team known as the Good Brothers — who signed a deal with Hulu (!) to stream their Lariato pro-wrestling promotion. Check out the Good Brothers taking on the Bullet Club War Dogs above.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Booker T Makes Bold Prediction Regarding R-Truth's WWE Return
Booker T believes WWE could go all in with R-Truth (Ron Killings) in the coming months. On the latest episode of The Hall of Fame Podcast, NXT commentator Booker T spoke about WWE bringing back R-Truth, who is now going by the name Ron Killings. Booker predicts the company could make a big move by making him the World Heavyweight Champion. Advertisement 'You know what I see? I see Ron Killings winning the World Heavyweight Championship,' Booker T said. 'How crazy would that be? You know what? It would shake up the whole world. It'll be the biggest thing since, you know, perhaps putting the title on Mick Foley, WCW, that night, you know, when everybody changed the channels to watch Mick Foley win… It could be unbelievable.' [H/T: There is a mystery spot in next week's Men's King of the Ring match on RAW. While WWE could put Truth in that spot, it's probably not the most likely choice. READ MORE: Ron Killings Confirms Report That Nick Khan Brought Him Back To WWE What do you make of Booker T's comments? Do you think WWE should put the World Heavyweight Championship on Ron Killings? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below. The post Booker T Makes Bold Prediction Regarding R-Truth's WWE Return appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
R-Truth Makes Surprising Change To His Look On WWE RAW
Following his shocking return over the weekend, R-Truth appeared tonight on WWE RAW and changed his entire look. During tonight's show, Truth interrupted Michael Cole and Wade Barrett at the desk, and stood on it. As the crowd cheered him, he took to the mic. He said everybody loves R-Truth, but R-Truth can be too funny, too nice, and too forgiving. Not him, though, he said. He feels different and alive, and said he had a message to anyone who thinks he's a sideshow and gimmick. In a stunning moment, he then pulled out a pair of scissors, and cut off his iconic dreadlocks. Holding them in his hand, he then said the truth has set him free, and he's now Ron Killings, and to put some respect on his name. In a separate backstage segment, Killings could be seen walking through the halls with his hair in his hands. He seemed to reference the character of R-Truth, and said he was 'driving' now, and that he was Ron Killings. READ MORE: WWE Raw Results: Review, Grades, Card For June 9 What do you think? Are you excited about Ron Killings' new look? What do you think about him cutting his hair and getting rid of his name? Let us know in the comments below. The post R-Truth Makes Surprising Change To His Look On WWE RAW appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Metro Boomin Wants to Create New Theme Song for Ron Killings
Metro Boomin wants to create a new theme for WWE Superstar Ron Killings. Ron Killings, also known as R-Truth, made a shocking comeback at WWE Money in the Bank. He interfered in the main event, attacked his childhood hero John Cena, and cost Cena and his partner Logan Paul their tag team match against Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. Advertisement Metro Boomin, clearly moved by the moment, reacted on Twitter/X. 'I real life shed a tear at this moment,' he wrote, posting a picture of Killings' return. During his return on WWE RAW, Killings took things even further. He stood on the commentary table and cut a powerful promo. He thanked fans for supporting R-Truth but revealed he was done with the jokes. 'R-Truth can be too funny all the time. R-Truth can be too nice, and he's too forgiving,' he said. In a dramatic moment, he pulled out scissors, cut off his iconic hair, and declared, 'R-Truth. The truth has set me free. I am Ron Killings. I am the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Now put some respect on my name.' With Ron Killings making a bold statement, Metro Boomin was already emotional about his return. He has now asked WWE and Triple H to let him create a brand-new entrance theme for Killings. He wrote, 'Please let's do the new @RonKillings theme @WWE @TripleH I beg' Despite his request, Ron Killings doesn't think he will switch his theme, and for good reason. He responded right away, thanking Metro Boomin and calling himself a big fan. However, he made it clear he wants to keep his current theme, saying it's instantly recognizable to fans. Advertisement Read More: Here's How R-Truth's WWE Return Came Together; Was His Release A Work? The post Metro Boomin Wants to Create New Theme Song for Ron Killings appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE Hall of Famer predicts Ron Killings could win World Championship
Image via WWE In a surprising twist on WWE programming, veteran performer R-Truth - now reintroducing himself as Ron Killings, has undergone a dramatic character shift that's caught the attention of fans and Hall of Famers alike. After returning at Money in the Bank 2025, Killings attacked John Cena, declared himself a new man on Raw, and made headlines by cutting off his trademark braids in front of a live audience. This rebirth isn't just cosmetic. WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, speaking on his "Hall of Fame" podcast, made a bold prediction that Ron Killings could capture the World Heavyweight Championship, drawing parallels to one of WWE's most iconic underdog triumphs. R-Truth Returns! WWE Shocker + UFC 316 Showdown 'I see Ron Killings winning the World Heavyweight Championship. That's what I see. Put the title on him. It would be the biggest thing since, perhaps, putting the title on Mick Foley,' Booker said. Can WWE's funniest man become its champion? Fans have long associated R-Truth with humor and charisma, but his wrestling résumé speaks volumes. A two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Killings showed serious chops in TNA Wrestling before becoming WWE's go-to entertainer in backstage skits and 24/7 title antics. Now, with this stark transformation into a more serious character, WWE seems to be planting seeds for a late-career resurgence. His cryptic post-attack promo and the crowd's reaction hint at something more than a nostalgia act. The wrestling world is buzzing, with social media users voicing support for a potential title run. One fan wrote, 'If Cody could finish his story, then R-Truth could finish his.' Others hailed Killings' TNA reign as proof he can carry a top title with credibility. Still, skeptics remain. Some pointed to Killings' age and injury history as potential hurdles. But even critics acknowledged a midcard title run could be in the cards. Killings has credited the fans for his return. In a heartfelt tweet, he wrote: 'Y'all brought me back!! They heard, listened, felt, and understood… I AM Ron KILLINGS. I AM THE TRUTH. THE WHOLE TRUTH. AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.' He also thanked Triple H and Nick Khan for giving him the chance to step into this new chapter. His Raw promo, an emotional declaration of identity and control - marked a career reset. From comic relief to a man demanding respect, Killings is now positioning himself as a serious contender. Whether or not a world title reign follows, the support from fans and legends like Booker T has already turned this return into a meaningful moment. Ron Killings may just be entering the most powerful chapter of his career yet. Also Read: Ron Killings chooses legacy over change, declines Metro Boomin's WWE proposal
