Appearing on Monday’s edition of the Right After Wrestling Sirius satellite radio show, former WWE superstar Carlito opened up about being depressed and trying to leave the company on numerous occasions before he was finally released due to his refusal to enter rehab for an alleged pain pill addiction.
On wanting to get the hell out of WWE: “I had been asking for my release for a long time. I tried to finish up my contract, which I think was up in August. I had been trying to leave for about three years. For the last year, I was just miserable. I wasn’t even myself. I was dying just to get away.â€
On being fired for a Wellness Policy infraction and refusing to go to rehab: “I wouldn’t say I got myself fired on purpose, but in that last year, I really didn’t care. They wanted me to go to rehab. My opinion was I didn’t need it. I’m not addicted to pills. I think what happened is I was depressed. I have scripts (for pain medication) legit reasons for using them. I think I was abusing them as anti-depressants instead. I remember other people not in WWE would tell me to go to rehab because it looks good on paper. I said, ‘One, I don’t want to keep my job. Two, I’m not going to admit to a problem I don’t have.’â€
On the grinding travel and not being utilized properly on television: “I was always grinding. I was always working. Mainly, my big problem was I thought they were f**king with me. I didn’t like the mind games and all the bulls*** they were putting me through. Maybe it was all in my head, but I just felt that’s what they were doing with me. I could never get a straight answer. I get sometimes you have to take a backseat, but how long am I supposed to sit in the back?â€
On dealing with the backstage politics and people’s claims that he was lazy: “I remember people would tell me to just play the game. I can’t just play the game. I can’t be fake. I love the business, I just don’t like the politics. I want to be able to help out and give back in somehow. In WWE, I wasn’t doing any of that. I also felt I was gypping the people (in WWE) putting in three-minute matches that didn’t mean anything. It just breaks your heart when you can give so much more.â€
It’s worth noting that in the same interview, Carlito did not rule out the possibility of going to TNA, though nothing appears imminent. Dixie Carter was most definitely interested in bringing him in at one point, but their priorities may have shifted given that they are spending less money to bring in big names these days.
