Carlito has explained how a miscommunication stopped him from returning to WWE earlier.
The star was a mainstay of WWE TV from 2004 until he was released in 2013. While there, he became hugely popular by spitting “in the face of people who don’t want to be cool.”
During his decade in the company, he had reigns with the United States and Intercontinental Championships as well as two Tag Team Title runs with his brother, Primo.
Following his departure, Carlito made several appearances for the promotion, including guest starring on The Edge & Christian Show in 2018, and being a surprise entry in the 2021 Royal Rumble match.
On May 6th, 2023, Carlito was part of the San Juan Street Fight between Bad Bunny and Damian Priest at Backlash. During the match, he assisted the LWO in fending off the rest of The Judgment Day.
Soon after that match, there were rumours that the star had re-signed with WWE. This was proven to be the case at Fastlane when he was revealed as the mystery partner of Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar in their match against Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits.
“I thought I had heat with them, they thought they had heat with me” – Carlito on lack of communication between him and WWE
During a recent appearance on the Cheap Heat podcast, Carlito explained why he thinks his return could have come a lot sooner if both sides had communicated better.
“I just had this feeling that I would be back (in WWE) somehow. I don’t know how. The reason I think it took so long, I think there was miscommunication between both sides.
“I thought I had heat with them, they thought they had heat with me and there was just days we didn’t communicate. Sometimes, time goes by and you see things a different way and like I said, I always had love for WWE, I always wanted to be in WWE.
“It’s just, I needed a break. I didn’t need a 13-year break, but, because even when they would talk to me, they were kind of hesitant.”
The former US Champion believes the company thought he didn’t like them, while he thought they had no interest in signing him.
“They thought I was anti-WWE, you know what I mean? I’m like, no, it’s not that. I don’t do the go backstage and say hi to everyone… It looks like you’re looking for a job so I don’t do that, you know what I mean?
“My résumé is out there… I don’t wanna be anywhere where they don’t want me. So I was like, my résumé’s out there.
“If you want me, I’m here but, so I think they took that kind of just as he wants nothing to do with us so, I’m glad that we were finally able to sit down and air everything (out) and show there’s love on both sides I think.”
H/T to POST Wrestling for the above transcription.