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Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Veteran Breaks Silence On 'Demotion' Rumors
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE veteran Natalya is receiving widespread praise for her response to a fan on social media. The fan accused WWE of demoting the long-tenured superstar. Natalya has been a cornerstone of WWE's women's division for years. Now in her 25th year as a professional wrestler, she has expanded her presence beyond the main roster. Natalya's Recent Appearances Outside Of The Main Roster In addition to her work on Raw and SmackDown, Natalya has recently competed for other promotions. She has made appearances for the NWA and GCW. This trend continued with a recent appearance on the WWE EVOLVE brand. She saved the inaugural EVOLVE Women's Champion, Kali Armstrong, from an attack by Nikkita Lyons and Zayda Steel. This angle has led to a tag team match being scheduled for the next EVOLVE episode. The match will feature Natalya and Armstrong against Lyons and Steel. Natalya Responds To Fan's "Demotion" Claim Following the announcement of her EVOLVE appearance, a fan on social media suggested it was a demotion. The former Divas Champion quickly and firmly dismissed this idea. She explained that she was the one who requested the opportunity to compete on the show. Her goal is to face a wide variety of opponents. "I very specifically asked to compete on this show for many reasons. I want to wrestle against women from every corner of our industry. When you've been hungry, you can never be full. #EVOLVE," Natalya wrote. WWE Monday Night Raw at Rose Garden arena in Portland. WWE Monday Night Raw at Rose Garden arena in Portland. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A Veteran's Desire To Compete Natalya's response highlights her passion for competition. She is actively seeking out new challenges and opponents. This desire to constantly test her skills shows her dedication to the sport. It refutes any notion that working on different brands is a step down. Her last match on main roster programming was during the May 26 Main Event tapings. She was defeated in a singles match by Roxanne Perez. This came one week after Perez won a Money in the Bank qualifying match. That match also involved Natalya and Becky Lynch. WWE has a real chance to do something of note with Nataya should they give her the chance to go out and shine the way many fans think she can. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Veteran Breaks Silence On R-Truth Controversy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ron Killings announced his WWE release on X, causing confusion among fans and fellow wrestlers. R-Truth immediately trended on social media, with podcasters discussing what might have happened. After his June 1 release, "We want Truth" chants echoed during Raw and SmackDown episodes. Given the recent mass releases, fans thought seeing Truth again was unlikely. However, everything changed at the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event when the former United States Champion made a surprise appearance. Killings was then rebranded as Ron Killings and underwent a character change. He now has a darker persona compared to his usual jovial one. Killings addressed this transition on a recent episode of Raw. Natalya On The Ron Killings Controversy Killings' release left many WWE wrestlers puzzled. Veteran wrestler Natalya addressed the issue for the first time on the No Holds Barred podcast. "You know, when he put out that tweet last Sunday, when it all went down, I texted Truth right away. I was like, 'Truth, what's going on, like, this has gotta be like a storyline or a prank or something?'" "So, there was a series of events that happened, but he was so right in the way that it's the fans. It's not one of those things that every time somebody gets released that everybody can just scream and shout from the rooftops they want someone back." More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California "He's just somebody that's so beloved, and he's somebody that you just can't go 'goodbye.' I don't know all the particulars that happened, but I do love that he's basically crediting the fans. It gives our fans the feeling that they do have a voice." Natalya also predicted that Killings' return will allow him to tap into the greatest work he has ever done. She believes it will take him to a totally different realm in his career. The storyline connecting Killings' return remains a mystery. Upcoming weeks will surely reveal his progression, although many fans see this as Killing's last run with WWE due to his age, and are hoping to see the company use Killings the right way. Based off what they've done thus far, it's far to say that is happening. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Important Name Forced To Intervene In Bringing R-Truth Back To WWE
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On June 1, 2025, Ron "R-Truth" Killings announced on social media that WWE was not renewing his contract. The news sparked an immediate and widespread backlash from fans and talent alike, with the hashtag #WeWantTruth trending globally. Just days later, at Money in the Bank, Killings made a shocking return by attacking John Cena during the main event. This sudden reversal left many wondering if his departure had been a storyline all along. In the post-show press conference, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque added to the confusion. When asked about the situation, he simply stated, "All part of the show." However, Killings' own son, Christopher, quickly refuted that claim in a since-deleted social media post, calling the comment "cap." That means no. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A new report from Fightful Select has provided more evidence that the situation was not a planned storyline. A WWE higher-up confirmed the sequence of events, stating that Truth's initial departure was legitimate. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California According to the report, when WWE initially reached out to Killings for a return, he "didn't seem to entertain the calls." The dynamic changed only when WWE President Nick Khan personally took over the negotiations. It was noted that it is "rare that Nick Khan gets involved in negotiations." The higher-up emphasized that "this one was important to the company and locker room." Bringing Killings back was viewed internally as a "good sign that the roster and fan response being listened to overcame everything else." Unsurprisingly, the WWE roster is said to be "ecstatic" about his return. The report also states that when other talent asked Killings or WWE management directly, they were told the situation was not a work. This aligns with comments from people close to his family, who indicated the new deal was finalized very late in the week. The shift to using his real name, Ron Killings, is also part of the new direction. A source in WWE management noted that Killings "had indicated in the past that he wanted to have at least more of a serious run in-ring before ending his career." His value was clear, as promotions like TNA and GCW were immediately interested in booking him upon news of his availability. This leverage likely contributed to the urgency of WWE's efforts to re-sign him. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Released WWE Star R-Truth Has Strong Interest From Top Promotion: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The recent WWE departure of beloved veteran R-Truth was reportedly a financial decision made by the company. According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, R-Truth's contract was so high that for the level they were using him they felt it made no sense to renew it. This news surprised some. He had literally just come off a program that led to a high-profile match with WWE Champ John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event. Meltzer reported that the news of his exit was met with significant unhappiness within the WWE locker room. There were a lot of wrestlers who were very unhappy because he was so popular with the talent. WWE fans also voiced their support, with chants for R-Truth on the June 2nd episode of Raw after his departure became public. The situation was reportedly handled carefully backstage. Meltzer noted, "Talent was reportedly told no R-Truth T-shirts on Raw, but Rhea Ripley was wearing one backstage and took it off before going on TV." INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: R-Truth attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Looking ahead, a return to a former home could be in the cards for R-Truth. Meltzer stated that those in TNA have already said that they want to make him an offer, and for that company, he'll come in fairly hot. This would mark a significant homecoming for the star. Truth had a historic run in TNA from 2002 to 2007 between his WWE stints. Wrestling as Ron "The Truth" Killings, he became a main event player in TNA. In August 2002, he made history by defeating Ken Shamrock to become the first-ever recognized African-American NWA World Heavyweight Champion. It was a title he would go on to hold a second time. During his TNA tenure, he also showcased his charisma as a founding member of the popular 3Live Kru faction alongside Konnan and B.G. James (formerly Road Dogg in WWE). TNA is where he also held tag team gold. His time in TNA featured a more serious and aggressive persona compared to the comedic character he later perfected in his second, lengthy WWE run. It would also give him a chance to return to WWE if he so wanted to do so one day as TNA and WWE have a working relationship. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Superstar Karrion Kross Addresses Logan Paul Criticism
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WrestleMania 41 was filled with plenty of exciting moments, including Joe Hendry making a surprise appearance, Dominik Mysterio running back to the ring after winning the Intercontinental Championship, and Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, and Bianca Belair absolutely tearing the house down. More Pro Wrestling: WWE Superstar Zoey Stark Receives Major Injury Update: Report However, one of the best moments of the weekend actually happened outside of the event itself, with WWE Superstar Karrion Kross cutting a deeply personal promo about his status within the company and criticizing Paul for taking a short cut to get to WrestleMania. Karrion Kross blurring the lines with an OUTSTANDING promo following WWE WrestleMania 41 👏😲 — WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) April 21, 2025 This has proven to be a massive success, garnering Kross praise from wrestlers and fans alike. Now, Kross is looking to set the record straight on what he meant in the promo. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, Netflix During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Kross addressed the promo and some of the comments that have followed since, letting fans know he wasn't complaining but "speaking up." "I don't think it's a broad group of people who have misconstrued it," Kross explained. "It's a very small group of people that feel like it falls under complaining. "It's not complaining. It's using your voice and speaking up and saying, 'Hey, I'm here. I'm here, I want to be here, I want to give you the best of what I have.' "l'll say this, I don't have a problem with Logan Paul... What I have a problem with is this idea within the system to reward the mainstream archetype, like Logan, with certain types of liberties and privileges that could be delegated to the people that have pretty much dedicated… — Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 21, 2025 Kross went on to explain that while he got a lot of love backstage, he did also get a bit of heat. He then went on to address his Logan Paul criticism. "I'll say this," Kross said. "I don't have a problem with Logan Paul. I think he's an amazing athlete and I think he's doing really good work. And a lot of people will be p----- I'm saying that. But it's true. I don't want to BS around that. "What I have a problem with is this idea within the system to reward the mainstream archetype, like Logan, with certain types of liberties and privileges that could be delegated to the people that have pretty much dedicated their entire lives and are here full time. I struggle with that, and I'm not the only one." More Pro Wrestling: AEW Star Pays Tribute to WWE Hall of Famer on Mount Everest Kross went on to explain that he is alright with people coming in and participate , "as long as I can hit them with a steel chair," before making his final point. "We, the collective – the talent, the wrestlers, the performers – we can go viral, too," Kross said with a smile. "I don't want there to be this idea, this dependency that other people from other lanes are the only ones that can do that. We can too." "I wanna show people what they want to see. I know what they want to see. And I proved that, that was the whole point. That's where that comes from, and those are my thoughts on them." Kross went on to say that he hopes Jey Uso successfully defends the World Heavyweight Championship against Paul because if he wins, "I don't know what the hell is going to happen." More Pro Wrestling: WWE Hall of Famer Says Rhea Ripley is a Modern Hulk Hogan For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
