Ex-WWE star addresses rumors that Triple H "buried" him

Chris Adonis, aka Chris Masters, has given his take on a controversial comment that Triple H once made during a WWE segment.

In 2006, Masters' physique changed after he entered rehab to deal with an opioid painkiller addiction. Shortly after returning to WWE, he said in a backstage skit that he was thinking of writing a nutrition book. Triple H, a comedic character at the time, replied, "What are you gonna call it? How to lose 50 pounds in four weeks?"

Many fans thought The Game was trying to "bury" Masters. However, in an interview on Chris Van Vliet's Insight podcast, the former WWE Superstar clarified that he had no problem with his co-worker's dig:

"Hunter, if you watch his history, he's very much a ball-buster," Masters said. "Even to HBK [Shawn Michaels], his best friend. I think it might have been more about the timing of it than anything just because of everything we had been through with you talk about Eddie [Guerrero] and Chris [Benoit], and we were under so much scrutiny. I came back from rehab and I was about 20 pounds lighter or whatever."

Eddie Guerrero suffered with a painkiller addiction during his time in WWE. The Hall of Famer passed away in 2005 at the age of 38 due to acute heart failure.

In 2007, wrestlers' painkiller use was a strongly debated topic again following Chris Benoit's double-murder and suicide. The toxicology report found that Benoit had opioids in his body when the tragedy occurred.

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Triple H helped Chris Masters in WWE

Masters reiterated that Triple H's comment was simply a joke, but he did admit that "it was probably a bad time to say it."

The 40-year-old also made it clear that reducing his use of steroids did not play a part in his sudden weight loss:

"Hunter has also been very helpful and supportive at points, so it's just one of those things where, at that point in time in my life, I had just gone through opioid addiction, so I can understand why I came back and people thought, 'Oh, he's off steroids. Look how light he is.' But I swear to everybody – I've told this story for the last 15 years – that wasn't the issue."

Masters added that his physical changes came after he altered his workout plan. During his stint in rehab, the former WWE Superstar lost weight by running two miles every morning on an empty stomach.

Do you think Triple H tried to "bury" Chris Masters? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Please credit Chris Van Vliet's Insight podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.