Major feud to begin with despised heel on SmackDown? - 4 ways R-Truth could return to WWE after 303 days absence

Is R-Truth on his way back to WWE programming? That is the hope many fans have, after the former United States Champion teased a potential return recently on his TikTok account.

Truth is a 22-year veteran, who has worked for numerous wrestling promotions throughout his career, with the most notable being TNA Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He has held gold in both promotions.

Unfortunately, Truth suffered an injury last year. The wrestler, and rapper, competed in a match on NXT, against Grayson Waller, during the November 1st, 2022 edition of the show. He badly injured his leg when attempting a dive, and was forced to undergo surgery.

Thankfully, the comedic superstar is in good spirits, and his return seems to be coming sooner rather than later. If R-Truth does return in the near future, what might he do? The landscape of the company has certainly evolved over the past 10 months, which makes his comeback all the more intriguing. What might Truth do?

Below are four ways R-Truth could return to WWE after 303 days absence.

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#4. R-Truth could target Grayson Waller on WWE SmackDown

R-Truth and Grayson Waller

As noted, R-Truth was injured while appearing on NXT. It was in a bout with Grayson Waller that the unfortunate incident occurred. Needless to say, Truth has no greater motivation than to return, and see if he can beat the Australian as of yet.

While a WWE Superstar suffering an injury is always bad, it is especially a problem when done against somebody like Grayson. The cocky and annoying Australian mocked Truth on NXT television and social media after the injury took place.

If Truth is ready to return to the ring, his first order of business could be to battle Waller. While the initial bout happened on NXT, Grayson is now on the SmackDown brand. Since Truth is undrafted, a return to Friday nights certainly feels possible.

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#3. He could try his hand at commentary

Wade Barrett on commentary

An unfortunate reality of both pro wrestling, and life, is that time waits for nobody. R-Truth has had an incredible run in WWE, where he's held numerous championships. At the same time, he isn't getting any younger.

R-Truth is 51 years old. While he doesn't look it, there's a chance that this injury is a sign that his body can't quite move like it once did, nor take the bumps it used to. As a result, Truth may end up finding a different role in WWE instead of strictly that of an in-ring performer.

One such role for Truth could be that of a commentator. He is naturally charismatic and fun to listen to, so color commentary could be a role that suits him. While he shouldn't necessarily be thrown to the wolves on RAW or SmackDown, he could practice on Main Event or even NXT Level Up.

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#2. Truth could return to NXT to help the next generation

With Truth's age comes wisdom and a lot of experience. He first joined WWE back in 1999. He remained with the company until 2002. From there, he wrestled in TNA, until eventually returning to World Wrestling Entertainment in 2008.

In total, he has about 18 years worth of collective experience in WWE. Very few performers come close to reaching that amount of tenure. Needless to say, he has gained a lot of knowledge over that time, and has wrestled with some of the very best the business has ever had to offer.

R-Truth could hang around WWE NXT upon his return. He could have occasional matches and storylines, but above all else, pass on his knowledge and wisdom to the future of the industry. Very few stars are still around from when he broke in, so his insight is very valuable.

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#1. He could become a manager

There's definitely a chance that Truth won't be returning to the ring with any kind of regularity. If that's the case, it doesn't mean he has to be away from the camera. It also doesn't mean he necessarily has to do commentary, or even just commentary alone.

Truth could take an on-air role and become a manager in WWE. Right now, there are only a handful of people who serve this role. Mr. Stone on NXT, Paul Heyman on SmackDown, and MVP as a free agent are some of the only managers or manager-adjacent talents in the promotion.

R-Truth could help fill an underutilized niche. Given his charisma and connection to the crowd, it could also help somebody who either can't necessarily speak well on their own or need the rub. Could somebody like Shanky or Odyssey Jones end up with Truth in their corner?