Mid 20th Century
148-712: Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper . He is signed to WWE , where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth . Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as K-Kwik from 1998 to 2002, forming a team with "Road Dogg" Jesse James , and winning the WWF Hardcore Championship twice. After his release in 2002, he joined Jeff Jarrett 's new promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). As Ron "The Truth" Killings , he headlined numerous pay-per-view (PPV) events and won
296-885: A Lethal Lockdown match . On the May 25 episode of Impact! , Killings defeated Monty Brown to qualify for a King of the Mountain match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary on June 18. At Slammiversary, however, Killings failed to win the championship. Killings then teamed with Lance Hoyt in the following months, even participating, but losing, in a Battle Royal at No Surrender . On November 19 at Genesis , Killings and his tag team partner Lance Hoyt defeated Austin Starr and Alex Shelley with Kevin Nash at ringside. He then took time off
444-600: A Skull Crushing Finale onto the stage. Following the event, Killings was suspended for 30 days for violating the Wellness Policy. On the December 26 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth returned to attack The Miz after The Miz lost to John Cena via countout, turning face once again in the process. This was followed by back-and-forth assaults on the two throughout January. At the Royal Rumble , R-Truth entered
592-435: A bona fide athletic contest or competition. Professional wrestling is not a combative sport. Wrestling constituting bona fide athletic contests and competitions, which may be professional or amateur combative sport, shall not be deemed professional wrestling under this Part. Professional wrestling as used in this Part shall not depend on whether the individual wrestlers are paid or have been paid for their performance in
740-417: A clapper loader , might be employed to load film, slate scenes , or maintain the camera report (a log of scenes , takes , rolls , photographic filters used, and other production data). A camera operator in a video production may be known by titles like television camera operator , video camera operator , or videographer , depending on the context and technology involved, usually operating
888-415: A performing art evolved from the common practice of match-fixing among American wrestlers in the 19th century, who later sought to make matches shorter, more entertaining, and less physically taxing. As the public gradually realized and accepted that matches were predetermined, wrestlers responded by increasingly adding melodrama, gimmickry, and outlandish stunt work to their performances to further enhance
1036-573: A professional video camera . As of 2016, there were approximately 59,300 television, video, and motion picture camera operators employed in the United States. Important camera operator skills include choreographing and framing shots , knowledge of and the ability to select appropriate camera lenses , and other equipment ( dollies , camera cranes , etc.) to portray dramatic scenes. The principles of dramatic storytelling and film editing fundamentals are also important skills. The camera operator
1184-415: A professional wrestling exhibition. All engagements of professional wrestling shall be referred to as exhibitions, and not as matches. In the industry's slang, a fixed match is referred to as a worked match, derived from the slang word for manipulation, as in "working the crowd". A shoot match is a genuine contest where both wrestlers fight to win and are therefore "straight shooters", which comes from
1332-409: A "3 Live Kru Challenge" which saw him face Konnan, James and Killings in three subsequent matches. Jarrett defeated Konnan in a strap match and James in a " trailer park trash match" ( hardcore match ), but lost to Killings in a " Ghetto Justice match". On May 19, Killings faced NWA World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles, Raven , and Chris Harris in a four-way title match. He won the bout, becoming
1480-458: A 53-time 24/7 Champion, and became the first of only twelve people to stay as champion for over 24 hours. Within the first month of its existence, the 24/7 Championship segments would become the highest viewed videos of both Raw and SmackDown online, garnering millions of views each. Also, R-Truth was voted by WWE fans as their favorite champion in June 2019. Over the course of the next year, he won
1628-413: A background in authentic wrestling no longer mattered. After this time, matches became more outlandish and gimmicky and any semblance professional wrestling had to catch wrestling faded. The personas of the wrestlers likewise grew more outlandish. Gorgeous George , who performed throughout the 1940s and 1950s, was the first wrestler whose entrance into the arena was accompanied by a theme song played over
SECTION 10
#17327979848391776-469: A carny term for a shooting gallery gun whose sights were not deliberately misaligned. Wrestling in the United States blossomed in popularity after the Civil War , with catch wrestling eventually becoming the most popular style. At first, professional wrestlers were genuine competitive fighters, but they struggled to draw audiences because Americans did not find real wrestling to be very entertaining, so
1924-519: A central authority. Nor could any of them stomach the idea of leaving the NWA themselves to compete directly with McMahon, for that would mean their territories would become fair game for the other NWA members. McMahon also had a creative flair for TV that his rivals lacked. For instance, the AWA's TV productions during the 1980s were amateurish, low-budget, and out-of-touch with contemporary culture, which lead to
2072-585: A champion that Curley put forth: Dick Shikat . The National Wrestling Association shut down in 1980. In 1948, a number of promoters from across the country came together to form the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The NWA recognized one "world champion", voted on by its members, but allowed member promoters to crown their own local champions in their territories. If a member poached wrestlers from another member, or held matches in another member's territory, they risked being ejected from
2220-520: A chance against United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura by pinning Carmella (since Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair had both got a chance against Carmella's title by defeating her in non–title matches); R-Truth was eventually granted a match against Nakamura, but lost. On the September 4 episode of SmackDown Live , Carmella finally agreed to manage R-Truth in his match against The Miz to avoid his wife Maryse 's interference. R-Truth eventually won
2368-423: A degree. Vince Russo, the boss of WCW in 2000, completely disregarded kayfabe by routinely discussing business matters and office politics in public, which alienated fans. I watch championship wrestling from Florida with wrestling commentator Gordon Solie . Is this all "fake"? If so, they deserve an Oscar . Camera operator A camera operator , or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman ,
2516-404: A distinct vernacular . It has achieved mainstream success and influence within popular culture , with many terms, tropes , and concepts being referenced in everyday language as well as in film , music , television , and video games . Likewise, numerous professional wrestlers have become national or international icons with recognition by the broader public. In the United States, wrestling
2664-410: A fee, a visitor could challenge the wrestler to a quick match. If the challenger defeated the champion in a short time frame, usually 15 minutes, he won a prize. To encourage challenges, the carnival operators staged rigged matches in which an accomplice posing as a visitor challenged the champion and won, giving the audience the impression that the champion was easy to beat. This practice taught wrestlers
2812-642: A feud between the two. In the following weeks, R-Truth mocked Barrett, wearing his royal crown and cape while referring to himself as "King What's Up". At the Money in the Bank pre-show, R-Truth defeated Barrett. At the Battleground pre-show, R-Truth faced Barrett in a "Battle for the Crown" match, where if Barrett lost, R-Truth would receive Barrett's crown, R-Truth failed to win the match, which ended their feud. At
2960-405: A legitimate sport. Firstly, wrestling was more entertaining when it was faked, whereas fakery did not make boxing any more entertaining. Secondly, in a rigged boxing match, the designated loser must take a real beating for his "defeat" to be convincing, but wrestling holds can be faked convincingly without inflicting injury. This meant that boxers were less willing to "take dives"; they wanted to have
3108-423: A losing effort. On April 26, R-Truth was drafted to Raw as part of the 2010 WWE draft . He began a feud with Ted DiBiase after DiBiase offered him a job as his personal assistant, which R-Truth declined with a slap. Two weeks later, during a match with William Regal , R-Truth was attacked by Carlito and Primo , who were paid off by DiBiase after the assault. R-Truth went on to wrestle and defeat DiBiase at Over
SECTION 20
#17327979848393256-742: A match against Gus Sonnenberg in January 1929. Bowser then broke away from the trust to form his own cartel, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), in September 1930, and he declared Sonnenberg to be the AWA champion. This AWA should not be confused with Wally Kadbo's AWA founded in 1960. Curley reacted to this move by convincing the National Boxing Association to form the National Wrestling Association , which in turn crowned
3404-432: A member of the stable, but this ended when the group attacked Truth in the ring on the December 11 episode of Raw . On the December 18 episode of Raw , Truth defeated McDonagh in a Loser Leaves Judgment Day Miracle on 34th Street Fight , but McDonagh was still considered a member of The Judgment Day. At Day 1 , Truth reunited with former tag team partner The Miz and defeated McDonagh and Mysterio in their first match as
3552-424: A more literal meaning in those places. A notable example is India's Pro Wrestling League . In numerous American states, professional wrestling is legally defined as a non-sport. For instance, New York defines professional wrestling as: Professional wrestling means an activity in which participants struggle hand-in-hand primarily for the purpose of providing entertainment to spectators and which does not comprise
3700-440: A new city, attendance was high because there was a waiting fanbase cultivated in advance by the cable TV shows. The NWA's traditional anti-competitive tricks were no match for this. The NWA attempted to centralize and create their own national cable television shows to counter McMahon's rogue promotion, but it failed in part because the members of the NWA, ever protective of their territories, could not stomach submitting themselves to
3848-612: A non-title match in a losing effort. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, R-Truth was attacked by Nia Jax during his entrance, who subsequently took his spot in the Men's Royal Rumble. As compensation for being attacked at the Royal Rumble, R-Truth received a United States Championship match on SmackDown , in which he defeated champion Shinsuke Nakamura with a surprise roll-up to capture his second United States Championship, in his first championship win since April 2012. Immediately after
3996-490: A non-title match. The following night on Raw SuperShow , they successfully defended the Tag Team Championship against The Prime Time Players ( Darren Young and Titus O'Neil ), and again at SummerSlam . At Night of Champions , R-Truth and Kingston lost the Tag Team Championship to the team of Kane and Daniel Bryan and failed to regain the titles from the new champions the following night on Raw . After
4144-425: A professional wrestler, but he was determined to focus on his music career. Killings spent two years working on his music career and then contacted Crockett once more and expressed an interest in becoming a wrestler. Crockett, by now the senior cameraman for World Championship Wrestling , took Killings to several WCW and Pro Wrestling Federation events, introducing him to wrestling personalities. Killings debuted in
4292-472: A six-man tag team match against The Diamonds in the Rough at Unbreakable on September 11. After Impact! premiered on Spike TV on October 1, Kip James entered the picture once more, but appeared to be helping 3LK this time. He refereed a Hockey Stick Fight at Genesis on November 13, which 3LK won. Kip James later joined the stable, which became known as the 4 Live Kru. On December 11 at Turning Point ,
4440-568: A song about "Little Jimmy" (referring to the children in attendance) and wearing a Confederate soldier's uniform, before apologizing for his actions. In the ensuing title match at Capitol Punishment , R-Truth was unsuccessful in winning the WWE Championship. On the August 22 episode of Raw , R-Truth and The Miz attacked Santino Marella before his match and then proceeded to cut a promo bashing Triple H about not using them properly. On
4588-453: A tag team match, due to interference from Kevin Nash . Later that same night they attacked John Cena during his WWE Championship match with Alberto Del Rio, costing him the match. On November 20 at Survivor Series , R-Truth and The Miz were defeated by Cena and The Rock . The following night on Raw SuperShow , Cena instigated an argument between R-Truth and The Miz, which ultimately led to the team's dissolution as The Miz attacked R-Truth with
R-Truth - Misplaced Pages Continue
4736-490: A tag team to no avail. At the Fastlane pay-per-view, Goldust came down to aid R-Truth at ringside in his match against Curtis Axel , inadvertently distracting R-Truth before Axel rolled him up for the win. After multiple attempts from Goldust, ending with R-Truth denying his request, R-Truth began to apologize and attempt to form a tag team with Goldust, with Goldust denying R-Truth. At WrestleMania 32 , R-Truth entered André
4884-428: A team since 2019. Over the next few weeks, Miz made several attempts to convince Truth that he was not a member of The Judgment Day, despite Truth's protests. At the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2024, Truth entered the men's Royal Rumble match at No. 24, lasting three minutes before being eliminated by Priest. On the following episode of Raw , Truth was attacked by The Judgment Day after they officially declared that he
5032-506: A two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, after Jarrett hit Styles with a guitar . His reign lasted until June 2, when Jarrett defeated him in a King of the Mountain match which also included Harris, Styles, and Raven. The Kru went on to feud with Jarrett's mercenaries , the Elite Guard ( Chad Collyer , Hotstuff Hernandez , and Onyx ). On July 14, the 3 Live Kru, Dusty Rhodes , and Larry Zbyszko defeated Jarrett, Ken Shamrock , and
5180-503: A typical American household only received four national channels by antenna, and ten to twelve local channels via UHF broadcasting . But cable television could carry a much larger selection of channels and therefore had room for niche interests. The WWF started with a show called All-American Wrestling airing on the USA Network in September 1983. McMahon's TV shows made his wrestlers national celebrities, so when he held matches in
5328-586: A victory for all the pain to which they subjected themselves. In the 1910s, promotional cartels for professional wrestling emerged in the East Coast (outside its traditional heartland in the Midwest ). These promoters sought to make long-term plans with their wrestlers, and to ensure their more charismatic and crowd-pleasing wrestlers received championships, further entrenching the desire for worked matches. The primary rationale for shoot matches at this point
5476-400: A young fan and his father on the May 30 episode of Raw , throwing a cup of soda in the father's face after a countout win over Cena. After Raw went off the air, the anonymous Raw General Manager scheduled a WWE Championship match between the two, on the condition that R-Truth apologize for his behavior the next week. On the June 6 episode of Raw , R-Truth made his way out to the ring, singing
5624-429: Is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew . The term "cameraman" does not necessarily imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmaking , the cinematographer or director of photography (DP or DoP) is responsible for bringing Director's vision to life on screen. The Cinematographer or Director of Photography handles all the technical aspects of visual storytelling and
5772-410: Is a true sport. Wrestlers would at all times flatly deny allegations that they fixed their matches, and they often remained in-character in public even when not performing. When in public, wrestlers would sometimes say the word kayfabe to each other as a coded signal that there were fans present and they needed to be in character. Professional wrestlers in the past strongly believed that if they admitted
5920-434: Is an open secret , with both wrestlers and spectators nonetheless maintaining the pretense that performances are bona fide competitions, which is likened to the suspension of disbelief employed when engaging with fiction . Professional wrestlers perform as characters and usually maintain a " gimmick " consisting of a specific persona , stage name , entrance theme , and other distinguishing traits. Matches are
6068-427: Is generally practiced in an amateur context. No professional league for competitive wrestling exists due to a lack of popularity. For example, Real Pro Wrestling , an American professional freestyle wrestling league, dissolved in 2007 after just two seasons. In other countries, such as Iran and India , wrestling enjoys widespread popularity as a genuine sport, and the phrase "professional wrestling" therefore has
R-Truth - Misplaced Pages Continue
6216-441: Is the head of the camera crew and light crew on the set. The DP may operate the camera themselves, or enlist the aid of a camera operator or second cameraman to operate it or set the controls. The first assistant cameraman (1st AC), also known as a focus puller , is responsible for maintenance of the camera, such as clearing dirt from the film gate and adjusting the follow focus . A second assistant cameraman (2nd AC), also known as
6364-412: The 2016 Royal Rumble match , R-Truth brought a ladder into the ring and climbing it, incorrectly believing the match to be the Money in the Bank ladder match . (This was part of a character trend where he was at least one PPV behind on everything.) Upon realizing his error, R-Truth was eliminated by Kane . In the following weeks on Raw and SmackDown , Goldust approached R-Truth and proposed they form
6512-562: The Money in the Bank event on June 19. On July 19, as part of the 2016 WWE draft , R-Truth, along with Goldust, was drafted to Raw brand. In November, The Golden Truth joined team Raw, but lost their spots a week later when R-Truth sold their spot to The Shining Stars for tickets to Puerto Rico. On the November 7 episode of Raw , The Shining Stars defeated The Golden Truth to join Team Raw. On April 2, 2017, R-Truth and Goldust competed in
6660-460: The NWA World Heavyweight Championship at NWA-TNA 8 on August 7, thus becoming the first-ever, and to date only, recognized African-American NWA World Heavyweight Champion in history, and the fourth African American in professional wrestling history to win a World Heavyweight title. He successfully defended the title in matches with Monty Brown , Jerry Lynn , Low Ki , Curt Hennig , and Scott Hall before losing on November 20 to Jeff Jarrett who had
6808-704: The NWA World Heavyweight Championship twice (being the first African-American titleholder) and the first African-American world champion in TNA history. He also formed 3 Live Kru with BG James (formerly Road Dogg) and Konnan and the trio held the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice. Killings established Team Pacman with football player Adam Jones and won the TNA World Tag Team Championship before leaving TNA in late 2007. Killings returned to WWE in 2008 and
6956-624: The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board that professional wrestling is not a real sport because its matches have predetermined outcomes. Shortly thereafter, New Jersey deregulated professional wrestling. The WWF then rebranded itself as a " sports entertainment " company. In the early years of the 20th century, the style of wrestling used in professional wrestling matches was catch wrestling . Promoters wanted their matches to look realistic and so preferred to recruit wrestlers with real grappling skills. In
7104-559: The Pro Wrestling Federation (PWF) in 1997 as a manager , then spent three years traveling and training with Manny Fernandez . In 1999, he debuted in NWA Wildside as K-Krush, where he was awarded the newly created NWA Wildside Television Championship on December 12. In 2002, he wrestled for Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) as K. Malik Shabaz. At the urging of Rick Michaels , Killings sent a promotional videotape to
7252-560: The SmackDown brand under the ring name R-Truth on August 29, as a face , defeating Kenny Dykstra . WWE completely ignored his past with the company and his Hardcore Championship reigns until January 2009 when WWE.com briefly acknowledged his appearance in the 2001 Royal Rumble. The K-Kwik character was acknowledged again at SummerSlam 2010 , when commentator Matt Striker made a passing reference to his past. At Cyber Sunday , he, along with Festus and Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP),
7400-575: The TNA World Tag Team Championship . At Bound for Glory , A.J. Styles and Tomko defeated him and Jones' replacement, Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed , for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. In December, he worked out a deal for his release from the company. In 2008, Killings re-signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and re-debuted on
7548-916: The World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He was signed to a two-year developmental contract in 1999 and under the ring name K-Kwik was assigned to Memphis Championship Wrestling , a WWF developmental territory . On April 12 in Robinsonville, Mississippi , he won a battle royal to claim the vacant Southern Heavyweight Championship . He lost the title to a masked Jerry Lawler on May 24 in Tunica, Mississippi , but reclaimed it from Joey Abs several months later in Memphis, Tennessee on August 19. His second reign ended on November 3, when he lost to Steve Bradley in Manila, Arkansas . K-Kwik
SECTION 50
#17327979848397696-557: The independent circuit , to internationally broadcast events at major arenas. The largest and most influential promotions are in the United States , Mexico , Japan , and northwest Europe (the United Kingdom , Germany/Austria and France ), which have each developed distinct styles, traditions, and subgenres within professional wrestling. Professional wrestling has developed its own culture and community , including
7844-431: The spectacle . By at least the early 20th century, professional wrestling had diverged from the competitive sport to become an artform and genre of sports entertainment . Professional wrestling is performed around the world through various " promotions ", which are roughly analogous to production companies or sports leagues . Promotions vary considerably in size, scope, and creative approach, ranging from local shows on
7992-578: The " 24/7 rule ". Later that night, Truth pinned previous champion Robert Roode in the arena's parking lot to win the title and become the first superstar to win both the Hardcore Championship and 24/7 Championship. The following weeks led to both Truth and Carmella regularly appearing on both Raw and SmackDown Live as part of the 24/7 rule and at more unconventional times and locations (filmed and published on WWE social media), where they would try to flee from other wrestlers wanting to win
8140-449: The "2Live Kru", although Killings repeatedly attempted to act as a mediator between James and Konnan. The two teams faced one another in a No Surrender rematch on August 14 at Sacrifice , with James appointed special guest referee by Director of Authority , Larry Zbyszko. James reaffirmed his loyalty to the Kru by attacking Kip, enabling Konnan to pin him and win the match. The 3 Live Kru won
8288-584: The 1920s, a group of wrestlers and promoters known as the Gold Dust Trio introduced moves which have since become staples of the mock combat of professional wrestling, such as body slams, suplexes , punches, finishing moves, and out-of-ring count-outs. By the early 1930s, most wrestlers had adopted personas to generate public interest. These personas could broadly be characterized as either faces (likeable) or heels (villainous). Native Americans, cowboys, and English aristocrats were staple characters in
8436-400: The 1930s and 1940s. Before the age of television, some wrestlers played different personas depending on the region they were performing in. This eventually came to an end in the age of national television wrestling shows, which forced wrestlers to stick to one persona. Wrestlers also often used some sort of gimmick, such as a finishing move, eccentric mannerisms, or out-of-control behavior (in
8584-509: The 1990s, WCW became a credible rival to the WWF, but by end it suffered from a series of creative missteps that led to its failure and purchase by the WWF. One of its mistakes was that it diminished the glamor of its World Heavyweight Championship . Between January 2000 and March 2001, the title changed hands eighteen times, which sapped fan enthusiasm, particularly for the climactic pay-per-view matches. In professional wrestling, two factors decide
8732-704: The 4 Live Kru faced Team Canada in an eight-man tag match. In the course of the match, Konnan hit Kip and B.G. James with chair shots, enabling Bobby Roode to pin Kip. He then attempted to celebrate with Killings, who appeared shocked by Konnan's actions. Killings later told Konnan he was done with the Kru. Following the breakup of the 3 Live Kru , Killings began competing as a singles wrestler once more. He briefly aligned himself with Sting in March, teaming with Sting, A.J. Styles, and Rhino as "Sting's Warriors". At Lockdown on April 23, Sting's Warriors defeated Jarrett's Army in
8880-658: The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but failed to win. On the May 15 episode of Raw , during a promo, Goldust attacked R-Truth, ending The Golden Truth. On the June 26 episode of Raw , R-Truth and Goldust had a brawl before their match even started. R-Truth was defeated by Goldust in a singles match on the July 10 episode of Raw . On the August 28 episode of Raw , R-Truth competed in an Intercontinental Championship number one contender's Battle Royal, which
9028-472: The April 29 episode of Raw , Miz and Truth defeated Alpha Academy ( Otis & Akira Tozawa ) to retain their titles. On the May 20 episode of Raw , Miz and Truth retained tag titles against The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh). On the June 10 episode of Raw , Miz & Truth defeated Authors of Pain ( Akam & Rezar ) to successfully retain tag titles after a distraction from The New Day. On
SECTION 60
#17327979848399176-539: The April 30 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth and Kofi Kingston defeated Primo and Epico to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. At Over the Limit , R-Truth and Kingston successfully defended the title against Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger and then again in a rematch on the May 28 episode of Raw SuperShow . In the pre-show of Money in the Bank , R-Truth and Kingston defeated Hunico and Camacho in
9324-653: The Atlantic Athletic Corporation (AAC). The AAC shut down in 1960. In 1958, Omaha promoter and NWA member Joe Dusek recognized Verne Gagne as the world champion without the approval of the NWA. Gagne asked for a match against the recognized NWA champion Pat O'Connor. The NWA refused to honor the request, so Gagne and Minneapolis promoter Wally Karbo established the American Wrestling Association in 1960. This AWA should not be confused with Paul Bowser's AWA, which ceased operations just two months prior. Gagne's AWA operated out of Minnesota . Unlike
9472-570: The August 29 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth interfered in The Miz's match and both of them attacked CM Punk . On the September 5 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth and The Miz challenged Air Boom ( Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston ) to a match for the WWE Tag Team Championship at Night of Champions , but were disqualified after Miz assaulted a referee during the match. R-Truth and The Miz were subsequently fired by Triple H
9620-405: The Bank , he was quickly defeated by Lashley. Throughout 2021 and 2022, R-Truth continued to be present in segments for the 24/7 Championship until November 7, 2022, when the 24/7 Championship title was retired. As WWE 24/7 Champion, Truth had the most reigns at 53 and the longest combined reign at 425 days. In the later part of 2022, R-Truth made several guest appearances on episodes of NXT . On
9768-619: The Elite Guard in a ten-man tag team match. The Kru began feuding with Team Canada in August. At Victory Road on November 7, Konnan and James defeated Team Canada members Bobby Roode and Eric Young for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After Konnan suffered an injury, Killings and James lost the title to Team Canada at Turning Point on December 5. Throughout early-2005, the Kru feuded with Michael Shane and Kazarian , Team Canada, and The Naturals . Dissension arose after James' former tag team partner from
9916-484: The February 27 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth and Kingston failed to capture the WWE Tag Team Championship from Primo and Epico in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match, also involving Ziggler and Swagger. At WrestleMania XXVIII , R-Truth and Kingston were members of Team Teddy to face Team Johnny in a twelve-man tag team match to determine the general manager of both brands, which was eventually won by Team Johnny. On
10064-531: The Gauntlet for the Gold match, but was eliminated by Malice . The following week, Killings lost to Christopher after Marlin and Sadler interfered in their match. On July 3, Killings and Jeff Jarrett defeated Christopher and Scott Hall after Christopher turned on Hall during the match, aligning himself with Killings and Jarrett. On July 10, Killings defeated Hermie Sadler in a squash match . The decision, however,
10212-417: The Giant Memorial Battle Royal but was eliminated by Adam Rose and Heath Slater . For a number one contender's tag team title tournament, on the April 13 episode of SmackDown , he was scheduled to team with Goldust for the match but was replaced by Fandango due to a refusal to team with R-Truth by Goldust. A week later, R-Truth aligned himself with Tyler Breeze due to Goldust's alliance with Fandango. On
10360-408: The June 24 episode of Raw, Miz and Truth lost the titles to Bálor and McDonagh after interference from Carlito , Dominik, and Liv Morgan , ending their reign at 79 days. On the September 30 episode of Raw, The Miz kicked Truth and walked out on him causing the team to lose against The Authors of Pain disbanding the team in the process. Killings married Pamela Killings on April 7, 2011. Their daughter
10508-523: The Limit on May 23. The next night on Raw, R-Truth defeated The Miz to win the vacant United States Championship , giving him his first singles championship since returning to WWE. On the June 14 episode of Raw , R-Truth lost the United States Championship to The Miz in a fatal four-way match also featuring John Morrison and Zack Ryder . He invoked his rematch clause at Fatal 4-Way , but was unsuccessful. At SummerSlam , R-Truth
10656-522: The May 2 episode of Raw , Breeze defeated Goldust after interference by R-Truth. A week later on Raw , R-Truth defeated Fandango, with Breeze in R-Truth's corner. On the May 12 episode of SmackDown R-Truth and Breeze faced Goldust and Fandango. During the match, R-Truth and Goldust refused to fight each other. As a result, Breeze and Fandango attacked Goldust as Fandango allowed Breeze to pin Goldust for
10804-408: The NWA, at which point his territory became fair game for everyone. The NWA would blacklist wrestlers who worked for independent promoters or who publicly criticized an NWA promoter or who did not throw a match on command. If an independent promoter tried to establish himself in a certain area, the NWA would send their star performers to perform for the local NWA promoter to draw the customers away from
10952-408: The NWA, which only allowed faces to be champions, Gagne occasionally allowed heels to win the AWA championship so that they could serve as foils for him. In August 1983, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), a promotion in the north-east , withdrew from the NWA. Vince K. McMahon then took over as its boss. No longer bound by the territorial pact of the NWA, McMahon began expanding his promotion into
11100-511: The November 1 episode of NXT , he suffered an injury in a match against Grayson Waller , which was expected to leave him out of action for "a long time". After a year of absence due to injury, Truth returned at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 25, 2023, in a backstage segment with Alpha Academy and Pretty Deadly . Truth started a storyline with The Judgment Day ( Damian Priest , Rhea Ripley , Finn Bálor , "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio , and JD McDonagh ) in which Truth thought himself to be
11248-425: The November 29 episode of SmackDown , R-Truth and Woods began a feud with Brodus Clay after Clay took offense to Woods using his entrance music and The Funkadactyls as his managers earlier in the week on Raw . On the December 2 episode of Raw , R-Truth and Woods defeated Tons of Funk (Clay and Tensai ) in a rematch after Woods pinned Clay. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs , R-Truth defeated Clay after Clay
11396-603: The Ring tournament, defeating Stardust in the first round. The following night on the WWE Network , R-Truth lost to Bad News Barrett in the semi-finals. R-Truth defeated Stardust at Payback pre-show. R-Truth participated in the Elimination Chamber match for the vacant Intercontinental Championship, but was eliminated by Ryback , who later won the match. During the match, R-Truth eliminated King Barrett, starting
11544-540: The Royal Rumble Match at entry #3, but was eliminated by The Miz. R-Truth wrestled for the WWE Championship against CM Punk, Chris Jericho , Dolph Ziggler , Kofi Kingston and The Miz at Elimination Chamber . He was eliminated by defending champion CM Punk. R-Truth then began to contend for the WWE Tag Team Championship with Kofi Kingston and competing against Primo and Epico and Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger , which they both won and lost respectively. On
11692-581: The United States Championship from Cesaro and sustained an injury. He returned on the February 18, 2013 episode of Raw , saving Kofi Kingston from Damien Sandow . At Battleground , R-Truth unsuccessfully challenged Curtis Axel for the Intercontinental Championship . On the November 18 episode of Raw , R-Truth teamed with Xavier Woods , who he had teamed previously with in TNA, to defeat 3MB (Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal ), who were for that night called The Rhinestone Cowboys. On
11840-636: The WWE, Billy Gunn, joined TNA as "The New Age Outlaw" and began trying to convince James to reform their former tag team, the New Age Outlaws . Killings and Konnan feuded with The Outlaw and Monty Brown , with James's loyalties divided. Brown and The Outlaw, who had by now renamed himself "Kip James" as a psychological ploy, defeated Killings and Konnan at No Surrender on July 17, with James declining to help either team. Killings and Konnan became increasingly frustrated, at one point referring to themselves as
11988-480: The WWF in August 2001. Killings signed with the Nashville, Tennessee -based NWA: Total Nonstop Action (NWA:TNA) promotion in June 2002, and appeared on the first weekly TNA pay-per-view on June 19 as K-Krush. Killings immediately established himself as a heel by harassing NASCAR drivers Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler until he was attacked by Brian Lawler . Later that same evening, he participated in
12136-586: The active roster due to injury. Killings returned to action at Slammiversary , teaming with James Storm in a losing effort against Frank Wycheck and Jerry Lynn . On June 19, Killings tried to resign from TNA, intending to work for the Mexican AAA . Amidst more dissension backstage, however, TNA refused to release Killings. He returned to TNA on August 12 at Hard Justice , confronting football player Adam Jones . At No Surrender , Adam "Pacman" Jones and Ron Killings defeated Sting and Kurt Angle to win
12284-401: The arena's loudspeakers, his being Pomp and Circumstance . He also wore a costume: a robe and hairnet, which he removed after getting in the ring. He also had a pre-match ritual where his "butler" would spray the ring with perfume. In the 1980s, Vince McMahon made entrance songs, costumes, and rituals standard for his star wrestlers. For instance, McMahon's top star Hulk Hogan would delight
12432-418: The art of staging rigged matches and fostered a mentality that spectators were marks to be duped. The term kayfabe comes from carny slang. By the turn of the 20th century, most professional wrestling matches were "worked" and some journalists exposed the practice: American wrestlers are notorious for the amount of faking they do. It is because of this fact that suspicion attaches to so many bouts that
12580-561: The audience by tearing his shirt off before each match. The first major promoter cartel emerged on the East Coast, although up to that point, wrestling's heartland had been in the Midwest. Notable members of this cartel included Jack Curley , Lou Daro, Paul Bowser and Tom and Tony Packs. The promoters colluded to solve a number of problems that hurt their profits. Firstly, they could force their wrestlers to perform for less money. As
12728-424: The cartel grew, there were fewer independent promoters where independent wrestlers could find work, and many were forced to sign a contract with the cartel to receive steady work. The contracts forbade them from performing at independent venues. A wrestler who refused to play by the cartel's rules was barred from performing at its venues. A second goal of the wrestling cartels was to establish an authority to decide who
12876-418: The case of heels). The matches could also be gimmicky sometimes, with wrestlers fighting in mud and piles of tomatoes and so forth. The most successful and enduring gimmick to emerge from the 1930s were tag-team matches. Promoters noticed that matches slowed down as the wrestlers in the ring tired, so they gave them partners to relieve them. It also gave heels another way to misbehave by double-teaming. Towards
13024-423: The character in shows must be considered fictional, wholly separate from the life of the performer. This is similar to other entertainers who perform with a persona that shares their own name. Some wrestlers also incorporate elements of their real-life personalities into their characters, even if they and their in-ring persona have different names. Kayfabe is the practice of pretending that professional wrestling
13172-461: The commission. The Commission did on very rare occasions hand out such authorizations, such as for a championship match between Jim Londos and Jim Browning in June 1934. This decree did not apply to amateur wrestling, which the commission had no authority over. Wrestling fans widely suspected that professional wrestling was fake, but they did not care as long as it entertained. In 1933, a wrestling promoter named Jack Pfefer started talking about
13320-540: The current fashion of wrestling is the universal discussion as to the honesty of the matches. And certainly the most interesting phrase of this discussion is the unanimous agreement: "Who cares if they're fixed or not—the show is good." Newspapers tended to shun professional wrestling, as journalists saw its theatrical pretense to being a legitimate sport as untruthful. Eventually promoters resorted to publishing their own magazines in order to get press coverage and communicate with fans. The first professional wrestling magazine
13468-405: The end of the 1930s, faced with declining revenues, promoters chose to focus on grooming charismatic wrestlers with no regard for their skill because it was charisma that drew the crowds, and wrestlers who were both skilled at grappling and charismatic were hard to come by. Since most of the public by this time knew and accepted that professional wrestling was fake, realism was no longer paramount and
13616-420: The end of the gauntlet. The anonymous Raw General Manager stated that, due to interference from The Miz and Riley, R-Truth and Cena would both compete for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules in a steel cage match. On the April 18 episode of Raw , Morrison questioned R-Truth about his capability to compete in a match like this and challenged R-Truth to a match for his spot. Later that night, after Morrison won
13764-400: The end of the show. On the May 16 episode of Raw , R-Truth accused Mysterio of being a "thief" and stealing his chance at the WWE Championship. R-Truth then attacked a weakened Mysterio, who had just finished a match with Alberto Del Rio . R-Truth faced Mysterio at Over the Limit , where he was victorious. After subsequent episodes of ranting and raving over John Cena's popularity, he harassed
13912-602: The event, Team SmackDown defeated Team Raw. On the February 5, 2010 episode of SmackDown , after defeating Mike Knox , R-Truth qualified for an Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship at Elimination Chamber , which he was eliminated by CM Punk . At WrestleMania XXVI , R-Truth teamed with John Morrison to face ShoMiz ( Big Show and The Miz ) for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship in
14060-603: The facade of kayfabe as best as they could. In 1989, Vince McMahon testified before the New Jersey government that professional wrestling was not a true sport and therefore should be exempted from sports-related taxes. Many wrestlers and fans resented McMahon for this, but Lou Thesz accepted it as the smart move as it gave the industry more freedom to do as it pleased, and because by that point professional wrestling no longer attempted to appear real. The demise of WCW in 2001 provided some evidence that kayfabe still mattered to
14208-470: The first place. "Double-crosses", where a wrestler agreed to lose a match but nevertheless fought to win, remained a problem in the early cartel days. At times a promoter would even award a victorious double-crosser the title of champion to preserve the facade of sport. But promoters punished such wrestlers by blacklisting them, making it quite challenging to find work. Double-crossers could also be sued for breach of contract, such as Dick Shikat in 1936. In
14356-621: The following night on Raw SuperShow . At Hell in a Cell , R-Truth and The Miz attacked Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk, John Cena and referees after the WWE Championship match ended. After this, the entire WWE roster came out to find a way into the Hell in a Cell structure before police officers were able to get the door open and arrest them. On the October 10 episode of Raw SuperShow , R-Truth and The Miz were reinstated by John Laurinaitis . At Vengeance , R-Truth and The Miz defeated CM Punk and Triple H in
14504-599: The fourth season of NXT . As winners, R-Truth and Curtis won the right to challenge for the Tag Team Championship . On the April 11 episode of Raw , R-Truth became the number one contender for the WWE Championship along with John Cena via double disqualification after The Miz and Alex Riley attacked both of them during a number one contender's gauntlet match. R-Truth had previously defeated Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison prior to facing Cena at
14652-610: The game is not popular here. Nine out of ten bouts, it has been said, are pre-arranged affairs, and it would be no surprise if the ratio of fixed matches to honest ones was really so high. The wrestler Lou Thesz recalled that between 1915 and 1920, a series of exposés in the newspapers about the integrity of professional wrestling alienated a lot of fans, sending the industry "into a tailspin". But rather than perform more shoot matches, professional wrestlers instead committed themselves wholesale to fakery. Several reasons explain why professional wrestling became fake whereas boxing endured as
14800-460: The government. They pledged to stop allocating exclusive territories to its promoters, to stop blacklisting wrestlers who worked for outsider promoters, and to admit any promoter into the Alliance. The NWA would flout many of these promises, but its power was nonetheless weakened by the lawsuit. Paul Bowser's AWA joined the NWA in 1949. The AWA withdrew from the Alliance in 1957 and renamed itself
14948-399: The help of Vince Russo . As a result of Russo's involvement, Killings turned into a face . In subsequent months, Killings feuded with Sports Entertainment Xtreme before turning into a heel once again by attacking Jarrett on March 19. He later introduced Nelson Knight as his bodyguard . Between May and June, Killings began teaming with Konnan and former WWE ally B.G. James . In July
15096-526: The independent. By 1956, the NWA controlled 38 promotions within the United States, with more in Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. The NWA's monopolistic practices became so stifling that the independents appealed to the government for help. In October 1956 the US Attorney General's office filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NWA in an Iowa federal district court. The NWA settled with
15244-480: The industry was anything but a competitive sport. The first wrestling promoter to publicly admit to routinely fixing matches was Jack Pfefer . In 1933, he started talking about the industry's inner workings to the New York Daily Mirror , resulting in a huge exposé. The exposé neither surprised nor alienated most wrestling fans, although some promoters like Jack Curley were furious and tried to restore
15392-496: The industry's inner workings to the New York Daily Mirror , maintaining no pretense that wrestling was real and passing on planned results just before the matches took place. While fans were neither surprised nor alienated, traditionalists like Jack Curley were furious, and most promoters tried to maintain the facade of kayfabe as best they could. Not the least interesting of all the minor phenomena produced by
15540-549: The line. The NWA World Tag Team Championship was held by all three members of the Kru as part of the Freebird Rule until January 28, 2004, when they were defeated by Redshirt Security ( Kevin Northcutt and Legend ). After several abortive attempts to regain the tag title, the Kru began supporting Killings' bid to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion. On June 9, NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett took part in
15688-447: The match thanks to a distraction from Miz and Maryse's enemies Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella , which was also his first televised singles win since May 2016. Shortly after, Carmella started managing R-Truth and the two participated in season two of Mixed Match Challenge . Despite losing three matches before defeating Rusev and Lana to qualify into the playoffs, R-Truth and Carmella went on to defeat Jeff Hardy and Charlotte Flair in
15836-504: The match, R-Truth attacked Morrison, turning heel in the process. The following week on Raw , R-Truth stated that he was done entertaining the fans as popularity did not get him any titles. At Extreme Rules on May 1, R-Truth prevented Morrison from escaping the cage during the main event for the WWE Championship, ultimately costing him the title. On the May 9 episode of Raw , R-Truth revealed that his attack on Morrison had led to him being hospitalized before then attacking Rey Mysterio at
15984-423: The match, R-Truth was challenged by previous champion Rusev but retained the title with another roll-up. After the match, R-Truth was attacked by Nakamura and Rusev. On the February 26 episode of SmackDown , R-Truth issued an open challenge for his United States Championship, which was answered by Andrade and Rey Mysterio . He retained the title in a triple threat match. The following week, another open challenge
16132-498: The members of wrestling cartels as the champion drew big crowds wherever he performed, and this would occasionally lead to schisms. By 1925, this cartel had divided the country up into territories which were the exclusive domains of specific promoters. This system of territories endured until Vince McMahon drove the fragmented cartels out of the market in the 1980s. This cartel fractured in 1929 after one of its members, Paul Bowser , bribed Ed "Strangler" Lewis to lose his championship in
16280-409: The next few weeks, various wrestlers gained possession of the belt including R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan , Luke Harper and Stardust . Subsequently, a multiple-man ladder match for the title involving these wrestlers was scheduled for WrestleMania 31 . At the event, R-Truth was unsuccessful in winning the championship. On the April 27 episode of Raw , R-Truth took part in the 2015 King of
16428-625: The primary vehicle for advancing storylines, which typically center on interpersonal conflicts, or feuds , between heroic " faces " and villainous " heels ". A wrestling ring , akin to the platform used in boxing , serves as the main stage ; additional scenes may be recorded for television in backstage areas of the venue, in a format similar to reality television . Performers generally integrate authentic wrestling techniques and fighting styles with choreography , stunts , improvisation , and dramatic conventions designed to maximize entertainment value and audience engagement. Professional wrestling as
16576-717: The promotion's closing in 1991. In the spring of 1984, the WWF purchased Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW), which had been ailing for some time due to financial mismanagement and internal squabbles. In the deal, the WWF acquired the GCW's timeslot on TBS . McMahon agreed to keep showing Georgia wrestling matches in that timeslot, but he was unable to get his staff to Atlanta every Saturday to fulfill this obligation, so he sold GCW and its TBS timeslot to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). JCP started informally calling itself World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1988, Ted Turner bought JCP and formally renamed it World Championship Wrestling. During
16724-505: The quarter–finals and The Miz and Asuka in the semi–finals. In the finals of the Mixed Match Challenge, that took place on December 16 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs , R-Truth and Carmella defeated Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox , earning both the number 30 spots for their respective Royal Rumble matches at the Royal Rumble . On the January 8, 2019 episode of SmackDown , R-Truth faced WWE Champion Daniel Bryan in
16872-651: The second edition of Mixed Match Challenge . He then captured the United States Championship for a second time in 2019. Later that year, he won the newly instated WWE 24/7 Championship , and holds the record for the most reigns at 54 . At WrestleMania XL , in the six-pack ladder match he ultimately won the Raw Tag Team Championship with The Miz . Ronnie Aaron Killings was born on January 19, 1972, in Charlotte , North Carolina . To make extra money in his early 20s, Killings would sell cocaine on
17020-456: The show, R-Truth and Kingston dissolved their tag team. R-Truth began feuding with United States Champion Antonio Cesaro on the October 29 episode of Raw , after saving former tag partner Kofi Kingston from a post-match assault from Cesaro and The Miz. The following week, R-Truth teamed with Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara to defeat Cesaro and The Prime Time Players, with R-Truth pinning Cesaro for
17168-440: The stamina for an hours-long fight. Audiences also preferred short matches. Worked matches also carried less risk of injury, which meant shorter recovery. Altogether, worked matches proved more profitable than shoots. By the end of the 19th century, nearly all professional wrestling matches were worked. A major influence on professional wrestling was carnival culture. Wrestlers in the late 19th century worked in carnival shows. For
17316-538: The streets for extra income. From a young age, Killings had developed a love for hip hop and breakdancing and attended Harding University High School where he competed in football alongside future MLB second baseman Ray Durham . Killings also competed in track and field, and was talented at both sports, receiving various college scholarships, but turned them down to further pursue a career in music. Killings graduated high school at 18, but he also continued dealing drugs in order to help his music career financially and
17464-426: The territories of his former NWA peers, now his rivals. By the end of the 1980s, the WWF would become the sole national wrestling promotion in the U.S. This was in part made possible by the rapid spread of cable television in the 1980s. The national broadcast networks generally regarded professional wrestling as too niche an interest, and had not broadcast any national wrestling shows since the 1950s. Before cable TV,
17612-545: The title 52 times, also including to sports presenter Rob Stone , NBA player Enes Kanter , and race car driver Kyle Busch . As part of the 2019 draft , Truth was drafted to Raw , splitting him from Carmella, who remained on SmackDown . On February 27, 2020, at Super ShowDown , Truth competed in the gauntlet match for the Tuwaiq Trophy, where he defeated Bobby Lashley , Andrade , and Erick Rowan , but lost to AJ Styles following an assault from Rowan. At Money in
17760-400: The title's 24/7 rules. He defeated Raven for the title a second time on the following night, but once again he lost the title to Holly within the space of several hours. K-Kwik became somewhat of a background figure of " The Invasion " angle during the summer months, often seen in dressing rooms and watching television with other superstars during inter-promotional matches. He was released from
17908-401: The title. This led R-Truth to lose the title to multiple superstars such as Heath Slater , Cedric Alexander , Mike Kanellis , Shelton Benjamin , The Revival ( Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson ), twice to Jinder Mahal , three times each to Akira Tozawa , Drake Maverick , EC3 , Elias , seven times to Mojo Rawley , and usually regain it hours or even minutes later. Truth went on to become
18056-629: The titles, giving Truth his first WrestleMania win. On the April 15 episode of Raw , the Raw Tag Team Championship was renamed to the World Tag Team Championship and the team were presented new championship belts from chief content officer Triple H and Raw General Manager Adam Pearce . On the April 22 episode of Raw , Miz and Truth successfully defended their tag titles in their first title defense against #DIY ( Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa ). On
18204-519: The trial, witnesses testified that most of the "big matches" and all of the championship bouts were fixed. By the 1930s, with the exception of the occasional double-cross or business dispute, shoot matches were essentially nonexistent. In April 1930, the New York State Athletic Commission decreed that all professional wrestling matches held in the state had to be advertised as exhibitions unless certified as contests by
18352-489: The trio formed a faction known as the 3 Live Kru . The Kru first wrestled as a unit on August 13, 2003, defeating The Disciples of the New Church ( Sinn , Vampire Warrior , and Devon Storm ). The Kru soon went after the NWA World Tag Team Championship . On November 26, the Kru defeated Simon Diamond , Johnny Swinger , and Glenn Gilberti in a six-man tag team match with the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship on
18500-471: The truth, their audiences would desert them. Today's performers don't "protect" the industry like we did, but that's primarily because they've already exposed it by relying on silly or downright ludicrous characters and gimmicks to gain popularity with the fans. It was different in my day, when our product was presented as an authentic, competitive sport. We protected it because we believed it would collapse if we ever so much as implied publicly that it
18648-535: The way of proceedings: the "in-show" happenings, presented through the shows; and real-life happenings outside the work that have implications, such as performer contracts, legitimate injuries, etc. Because actual life events are often co-opted by writers for incorporation into storylines of performers, the lines between real life and fictional life are often blurred and become confused. Special discern must be taken with people who perform under their own name (such as Kurt Angle and his fictional persona ). The actions of
18796-470: The win. R-Truth attempted to rescue Goldust from the attack, only to get beaten down by the two along with him. The next week on Raw , R-Truth and Goldust debuted as The Golden Truth against Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) in a losing effort after R-Truth unintentionally kicked Goldust. Afterwards, Golden Truth started a losing streak, losing to the likes of Breezango and The Dudley Boyz . Golden Truth earned their first victory after defeating Breezango at
18944-515: The win. R-Truth faced Cesaro for the United States Championship on November 18 at Survivor Series , but was unsuccessful in winning the title. On the following episode of SmackDown , R-Truth defeated Cesaro in a non-title match. On the December 3 episode of Raw , R-Truth was again unsuccessful in capturing the United States Championship from Cesaro in fatal-four-way match, also involving Kofi Kingston and Wade Barrett . On December 16 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs , R-Truth failed again to capture
19092-420: The wrestlers quietly began faking their matches so that they could give their audiences a satisfying spectacle. Fixing matches was also convenient for scheduling. A real ("shoot") match could sometimes last hours, whereas a fixed ("worked") match can be made short, which was convenient for wrestlers on tour who needed to keep appointments or share venues. It also suited wrestlers who were aging and therefore lacked
19240-425: Was Wrestling As You Like It , which printed its first issue in 1946. These magazines were faithful to kayfabe . Before the advent of television, professional wrestling's fanbase largely consisted of children, the elderly, blue-collar workers and minorities. When television arose in the 1940s, professional wrestling got national exposure on prime-time television and gained widespread popularity. Professional wrestling
19388-633: Was a voting option to challenge United States Champion Shelton Benjamin for the title. He received 59% of the vote to get the match, but lost. On December 8, he won the Slammy Award for the Best Musical Performance . On the July 10, 2009 episode of SmackDown , R-Truth debuted a new prankster character known as Ricky, in a sleeveless T-shirt and a set of fake teeth trying to get into the Rabobank Arena . The character
19536-471: Was answered by Mysterio, Andrade, and Samoa Joe . In the ensuing fatal-four-way match, R-Truth lost the title to Joe, ending his reign at 35 days. In a rematch between the same four men at Fastlane , Joe retained the title. On the May 20 episode of Raw , WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley unveiled the new WWE 24/7 Championship , a title similar to the Hardcore Championship , which also uses
19684-404: Was arrested four different times, spending small amounts of time in jail before eventually spending 13 months incarcerated. Killings spoke in an interview with Lilian Garcia that after this incident, he was finished with that lifestyle. Jackie Crockett of the National Wrestling Alliance met Killings at a halfway house after Killings' release from prison, and tried to convince Killings to become
19832-514: Was born on November 15, 2014. Professional wrestling 1970s and 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s and 2020s Professional wrestling (often referred to as pro wrestling , or simply, wrestling ) is a form of athletic theater that combines mock combat with drama , with the premise that the performers are competitive wrestlers. Professional wrestling is distinguished by its scripted outcomes and emphasis on entertainment and showmanship . The staged nature of matches
19980-488: Was challenges from independent wrestlers. But a cartelized wrestler, if challenged, could credibly use his contractual obligations to his promoter as an excuse to refuse the challenge. Promotions would sometimes respond to challenges with "policemen": powerful wrestlers who lacked the charisma to become stars, but could defeat and often seriously injure any challenger in a shoot match. As the industry trend continued, there were fewer independent wrestlers to make such challenges in
20128-480: Was distracted by Tensai leaving after having enough of Clay's behavior. At Extreme Rules on May 4, 2014, R-Truth and Woods was defeated by Alexander Rusev in a 2-on-1 handicap match. After that loss, R-Truth and Woods' team quietly disbanded. At Royal Rumble on January 25, 2015, R-Truth entered the Royal Rumble match at number 2, but was eliminated by Bubba Ray Dudley . At Fastlane , Dean Ambrose stole Bad News Barrett 's Intercontinental Championship belt. Over
20276-489: Was involved in a D-Generation X (DX) quasi-reunion. At Survivor Series , K-Kwik teamed with former DX members Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, and Chyna to face The Radicalz in a Survivor Series match . K-Kwik was eliminated and the Radicalz went on to win the match. At Armageddon , K-Kwik and Road Dogg took part in a four-way tag team match for the Tag Team Championship , which was won by Edge and Christian . After Road Dogg
20424-515: Was not a member of the group, and Miz tried to save him, but both were beaten down by the stable. On the March 18 episode of Raw, Truth and Miz defeated Indus Sher ( Veer and Sanga ) to qualify for the six-pack ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL . On Night 1 of WrestleMania XL on April 6, Truth climbed the ladder and retrieved the Raw Tag Team Championship to win
20572-430: Was overturned after Killings continued to attack Sadler after he had been awarded the match. On the July 17 TNA pay-per-view, Killings delivered an angry promo in which he implied that he had been held back as a result of his race. He then stated that he was to be referred to as "The Truth". Killings eventually began using his own name, referring to himself as Ron "The Truth" Killings. Killings defeated Ken Shamrock for
20720-476: Was part of Team WWE, defeating The Nexus . On the October 11 episode of Raw , he defeated Ted DiBiase to qualify for Team Raw at Bragging Rights to face Team SmackDown. Team Raw lost the match for the second consecutive time. In December, R-Truth mentored Johnny Curtis in the NXT's fourth season . In January 2011, R-Truth competed in the 2011 Royal Rumble match, but was eliminated by CM Punk. On March 1, Curtis won
20868-571: Was previously considered a niche interest, but the TV networks at the time were short on content and thus were willing to try some wrestling shows. In the 1960s, however, the networks moved on to more mainstream interests such as baseball, and professional wrestling was dropped. The core audience then shrunk back to a profile similar to that of the 1930s. In 1989, Vince McMahon was looking to exempt his promotion (the World Wrestling Federation ) from sports licensing fees. To achieve this, he testified before
21016-523: Was renamed R-Truth, winning the WWE United States Championship , and the WWE Tag Team Championship (with Kofi Kingston ) over the next several years. He headlined multiple WWE pay-per-view events during the early 2010s, including matches for the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship . He was thereafter used in comedic roles and primarily wrestled on the undercard until 2018, when he teamed with Carmella to win
21164-415: Was something other than what it appeared to be. I'm not sure now the fear was ever justified given the fact that the industry is still in existence today, but the point is no one questioned the need then. "Protecting the business" in the face of criticism and skepticism was the first and most important rule a pro wrestler learned. No matter how aggressive or informed the questioner, you never admitted
21312-455: Was soon scrapped and R-Truth began a feud with the debuting Drew McIntyre on the August 28 episode of SmackDown . This feud set up a match at Hell in a Cell , which he lost. On the October 23 episode of SmackDown , R-Truth, Finlay , Matt Hardy and The Hart Dynasty defeated JTG , Eric Escobar , Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre in a five-on-four handicap match to qualify as the representatives of Team SmackDown at Bragging Rights . At
21460-404: Was suspended in December and eventually released on January 26, 2001, K-Kwik became a singles competitor and a successful mainstay on Jakked . He took part in the 2001 Royal Rumble , but was eliminated by Big Show . K-Kwik then began competing in the hardcore division . He defeated Raven for the Hardcore Championship on February 3, but lost the title to Crash Holly that same evening under
21608-417: Was the "world champion". Before the cartels, there were multiple wrestlers in the U.S. simultaneously calling themselves the "world champion", and this sapped public enthusiasm for professional wrestling. Likewise, the cartel could agree on a common set of match rules that the fans could keep track of. The issue over who got to be the champion and who controlled said champion was a major point of contention among
21756-400: Was then promoted to the main roster and put in a tag team with Road Dogg . He debuted on the November 13, 2000 episode of Raw is War , attacking William Regal during a match against Road Dogg. K-Kwik and Road Dogg began rapping together, performing a song called "Gettin' Rowdy" as they approached the ring. Upon the return of Road Dogg's former partner Billy Gunn later that month, K-Kwik
21904-487: Was won by Jeff Hardy . In October, reports suggested R-Truth suffered an arm injury during a match against Elias at a live event . R-Truth reportedly underwent surgery on October 26. On April 17, 2018, R-Truth was moved to SmackDown brand as part of the Superstar Shake-up . During the summer, R-Truth involved himself in angles with then SmackDown Women's Champion Carmella , claiming that he would have got
#838161