John Cena kicked off this past Monday’s episode of WWE RAW in Phoenix, directing his attention toward Ron Killings following the events of Money in the Bank. Despite the PHX Arena crowd’s loud chants for Killings, Cena was visibly incensed by the interference that cost his team their tag team match.
Cena’s address quickly turned into a sharp verbal assault on Killings. He belittled the veteran performer, labeling him a ‘lie,’ and further insulted him as ‘a sideshow comedian whose greatest achievement is pretending to be me.’ The crux of his argument came when he dismissed Killings’ recent surge in popularity, directly telling the audience: “R-Truth is a gimmick that you will spit out in a year from now, you will not care anything about.”
This new approach has already drawn praise, with Booker T stating on his podcast that Killings is worthy of a World Heavyweight Championship run.
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The crowd’s support for Killings in Phoenix mirrors the recent fan backlash that was instrumental in his return to WWE. Killings’ contract was initially not going to be renewed, but a strong negative reaction from fans, including persistent chants at live events, prompted the company to reverse its decision.
The conflict stems from the Money in the Bank premium live event, where Killings made a shocking return. During the final moments of the tag team match pitting Cena and Logan Paul against Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso, Killings appeared and struck Cena with his championship belt, which allowed Rhodes to hit the Cross Rhodes and secure the victory.
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