R-Truth to be written off WWE SmackDown again after 23-year veteran injures him next week? Exploring the possibility 

R-Truth made his return to WWE in the main event of the Money in the Bank PLE. Disillusioned by all that his childhood hero John Cena stood for, the fun-loving and goofy character has evolved into Ron "The Truth" Killings. However, the former WWE United States Champion is now in the bad graces of 23-year veteran Aleister Black.

Truth interfered with Black's business a few weeks ago on SmackDown, venting his frustrations out on The Dutch Destroyer's opponent on that show, Kit Wilson, when the 40-year-old was making his entrance. Backstage confrontations and in-ring physicality have followed suit, along with Damian Priest sticking up for the 53-year-old.

R-Truth is now set to face Aleister Black on next week's SmackDown, and while Black, as the name suggests, embodies a dark persona and a complex grasp on morality, he may fully turn heel next Friday after he defeats, destroys, and, perhaps, even injures R-Truth. Black has an incredibly captivating presence, and the "cool factor" makes him very popular among fans.

However, he has a mean streak that, if utilized strategically, can make him a detestable heel on SmackDown. Being in a feud with someone like R-Truth can only accentuate the heat he can draw from the WWE Universe. The 23-year veteran has the pedigree to be a legitimate world championship contender, and the storied history he has with Cody Rhodes may make him a very compelling opponent for The American Nightmare if the latter regains the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

As for Truth, though, it is unlikely for him to be put on the shelf and taken off TV again. Damian Priest would likely make the save for him, mitigating, to an extent, any major physical damage Killings may incur next week. This angle would, of course, be a stepping stone to a feud between Black and Priest, leading to a match, perhaps at SummerSlam.

---

Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black: How could that shape the future of SmackDown? And where does R-Truth now stand in WWE?

Beyond Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre, one of Priest or Black could potentially emerge as a strong contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship following SummerSlam. Black seems to be the better option for various reasons: his history with Cody Rhodes in AEW and how that might have led to Cody's AEW departure, as well as the fact that Black is now back in WWE and on a quest to go on the run he should have gotten six years in WWE or four years ago in AEW.

Damian Priest has previously been pushed into a world champion role, but his run as the World Heavyweight Champion, while not bad by any means, obviously and inevitably failed to generate the traction that Cody's victory and reign attracted. This argument could work against Priest being pushed into a major feud with Cody, but it could also be the catalyst for The Archer of Infamy's contention for the Undisputed WWE Title and be worked into the story in a meta way.

Nevertheless, whether R-Truth is injured and forced out of action or not, it is unlikely that he will be pushed near the top of the card again. In the short term, he is merely a plot device in the eventual Damian Priest-Aleister Black feud. In the long term, how he is presented going forward on SmackDown remains tricky, and how WWE views him as a talent is a discourse that should clarify itself over the summer.