Mark Henry Says WWE Didn’t “Want That Smoke” After Releasing R-Truth

R-Truth made his unexpected return during the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event, just a week after he was let go. This was because the entire wrestling world blasted WWE for their decision until he was brought back and now Mark Henry made it clear that WWE didn’t “want that smoke.”

While speaking to SHAK Wrestling, Mark Henry talked about how WWE let R-Truth go but then brought him back because fans were really upset. He said it wasn’t about backstage politics or old ways of thinking it was about listening to the fans.

Henry noted that the fans clearly chose R-Truth. They love him, enjoy watching him, and were not happy when it seemed like he was gone. In wrestling, fans know what they want, and if they don’t get it, they’ll look elsewhere.

“My opinion is that it’s a feudal argument, and I don’t go by what’s feudal. I want the live comment—and the live comment is this: the fans chose Truth. They love him. They respect him. They’re entertained by him. And when he said he was gone, people were like, ‘No!’ That’s the world of pro wrestling. We want what we want. We love what we love. And if you’re not going to give us what we want, we’re going to go somewhere else and get it.”

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The World’s Strongest Man said WWE didn’t want the backlash. They didn’t want fans saying things like, “How can you let go of the guy who was number one in T-shirt sales?” Just a week before, R-Truth had a match with the champion and got just as big of a crowd reaction.

Henry stated that even though he only wrestled a few times the year before, every time he came to the ring, the crowd cheered loud for him. Mark Henry said no other wrestler had that kind of reaction this year.

The WWE Hall of Famer then explained that when fans support someone like that, it makes them a big deal, whether they wrestle every week or not. R-Truth could just show up, make a funny mistake and still entertain people. That kind of talent adds value to the show, and getting rid of it doesn’t make sense.

“WWE didn’t want that smoke. They didn’t want the fans saying, ‘This is a guy that was number one in T-shirt sales—you’re going to get rid of him?’ This is a guy who, just the week before, had a match against your champion and got just as big a reaction walking to the ring. This is a guy that had, what, three matches the year prior—and still, when he stepped into the ring, everyone in the building cheered him. I dare you to name another wrestler that happened to this year. I’ll wait—because it didn’t.

When the fans choose you, you’re a made man. You’re a made woman. And Truth is one of those made people. Even if he doesn’t wrestle every night, he can walk in the frame and say, ‘Oh man, I’m ready for my match. Who is it?’ And someone tells him, ‘Truth, you’re on SmackDown. This is Raw.’ Or, ‘You’re on Raw. This is SmackDown.’ ‘Oh, my bad!’ And just like that, you’ve got an entertainment segment that adds value to the show. And you’re gonna get rid of that?”

Henry also said wrestling is all about feelings and connection. Even though people might joke about grown men talking about emotions, it’s true in wrestling. How fans see you really matters, as Henry added that Vince McMahon used to say, “Perception is reality.” In this case, fans didn’t want to lose R-Truth, and WWE made the smart move by keeping him.

“Those are the emotional things in wrestling. Wrestling is a business based on feeling. And I know—we’re big old grown men talking about feelings. But how did Vince McMahon always say it? ‘Perception is reality.’ You have to learn how people view you. How people see you is what you want to give them.

The fans loved what Truth gave. And they were p***** off they were going to lose it. WWE did the right thing.”

This comes after we have reported that the backstage frustration over R-Truth’s WWE exit has finally cooled down. Regardless, Truth is now back on WWE programming and a major part of television and that’s all fans really wanted in the end.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.