Carlito has offered his read on his WWE release earlier this year, telling Insight with Chris Van Vliet that the company’s decision not to renew his deal was not a surprise, and that Triple H’s lack of personal connection to his character was the underlying factor across his second WWE run.
Carlito’s WWE contract expired earlier this year, with the company choosing not to renew. He had been working as part of The Judgment Day at the time of his release.
“No, because my contract expired. They could have renewed it, but like, I never went to them. They never came to me, so we never spoke or anything. I was ready for whatever. And yeah, so I kind of shot myself in the foot, because I signed the shorter deal than the usual. So, I guess I bet against myself.”
“I signed for two years. They wanted me for three and I signed for two, because well, I didn’t think it was gonna go as good as it did. So, you know, I mean, that’s why I said I bet against myself, and I would have got an extra year, and then my contract would expire, but so you know, ended up losing a year, but that’s all right.”
Carlito stated that he thinks he has never been one of Triple H’s favorite.
“I’ve never been Hunter’s favorite. I don’t think he gets Carlito or the character, so it is what it is. So yeah, I was gonna make whatever I did work, you know what I mean. And so, yeah, so Judgment Day came by, and I was fun for me.”
Carlito talked about his disappointment with the manner of his exit.
“It’s like two weeks left. I just wish they would have let me written me off somehow. Yeah, you know, I mean, so that’s that’s my only, that’s the only thing that I didn’t like, is you know, like I’m a professional, bro, like you know, getting not being the WWE is not the end of the world, you know, so I was like gladly come in and you don’t want my services, just I would write me off, and you know, that’s kind of right off in the sunset.”
He mentionedthe broader pattern of how he found out his contract would not be renewed.
“Like, this was two weeks before my contract was about to expire, I think it was, they had nothing for me on Raw or something. Because there’s a Judgment Day group text, and I gave it this, this, this, and it was like, ‘Hey, what about what am I doing?’ Somebody else called me, forgot who, but yeah. So I was like, ‘All right.'”
Carlito recalled his post-release approach as immediate.
“I just started taking bookings as I get right back on the grind. That’s the best time is when you’re fresh off from the company. So, yeah, you know, I wanted to take a break from everything, but that’s the worst time. You know, you got to go right to work, so that’s what I did. I hit the ground running and been running ever since.”
He left the door open for a future WWE return.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll pop up again somewhere, you know? I mean, some kind of legends thing or something. Who knows? I got a couple of ideas of just random appearances.”
If you use quotes from this article, please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet and include a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
