Original Plans For Botched WWE Title Change Revealed

WWE

R-Truth has revealed what actually happened during his botched WWE US Championship win in 2019, revealing the original plans for the match.

While Truth has held numerous championships in WWE, no reign had a more confusing start than his second US Championship run.

Truth challenged for Shinsuke Nakamura’s gold on the January 29, 2019 edition of SmackDown. After seven minutes of action, Truth caught Nakamura with an inside cradle pin.

While Nakamura got out of the pin and continued to wrestle Truth, referee Mike Chioda called for the bell, pointing out that he had counted the three-count, and awarding Truth the US Title.

You can watch this US Title match below this news story.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Truth said that he was always going to win the US Title in this match.

Noting that Mike Chioda just did his job, Truth noted:

“That was crazy. If I could remember this correctly, we had maybe another two or three more spots to go to, and that was it.

“I was going to get it anyway, but there’s a strict rule, if you don’t kick out at three (and the referee doesn’t count the pinfall) referees gonna get fined. You don’t want that.

“(Mike) Chioda just did his job, Shinsuke didn’t kick out and we’re like, oh s**t, sorry. That was it, that was a wrap. He did his job.”

This US Championship reign lasted 35 days, with R Truth eventually dropping the gold to Samoa Joe in a fourway match on the March 5 SmackDown episode.

Funnily enough, Shinsuke Nakamura is the current US Champion, defeating LA Knight for the gold in November.

Nakamura returned to Japan for a big crossover match on January 1, which you can read more about right here.

R-Truth on what actually happened during his confusing US Championship win in January 2019:

"That was crazy. If I could remember this correctly, we had maybe another two or three more spots to go to, and that was it.

"I was going to get it anyway, but there’s a strict rule, if… pic.twitter.com/hb1fA3ZoIV

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) January 2, 2025

Transcription via Chris Van Vliet.

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• champion
• R-Truth
• botch
• wwe

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