Editing R-Truth (section)

=== NWA: Total Nonstop Action / Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ===

==== NWA World Heavyweight Champion (2002–2003) ====
[[File:Killings en TNA.jpg|thumb|left|Killings at a TNA event]]
Killings signed with the [[Nashville, Tennessee]]-based [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling|NWA: Total Nonstop Action]] (NWA:TNA) promotion in June 2002, and appeared on the first weekly TNA [[pay-per-view]] on June 19 as K-Krush. Killings immediately established himself as a [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] by harassing [[NASCAR]] [[Auto racing|drivers]] [[Sterling Marlin]] and [[Hermie Sadler]] until he was attacked by [[Brian Christopher|Brian Lawler]]. Later that same evening, he participated in the Gauntlet for the Gold match, but was eliminated by [[Jerry Tuite|Malice]]. The following week, Killings lost to Christopher after Marlin and Sadler interfered in their match. On July 3, Killings and [[Jeff Jarrett]] defeated Christopher and [[Scott Hall]] after Christopher turned on Hall during the match, aligning himself with Killings and Jarrett. On July 10, Killings defeated Hermie Sadler in a [[squash match]]. The decision, however, was overturned after Killings continued to attack Sadler after he had been awarded the match.

On the July 17 TNA pay-per-view, Killings delivered an angry [[Promos (professional wrestling)|promo]] in which he implied that he had been held back as a result of his race. He then stated that he was to be referred to as "The Truth". Killings eventually began using his own name, referring to himself as Ron "The Truth" Killings. Killings defeated [[Ken Shamrock]] for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] at NWA-TNA 8 on August 7, thus becoming the first-ever, and to date only, recognized African-American NWA World Heavyweight Champion in history, and the fourth African American in professional wrestling history to win a World Heavyweight title.<ref name=SLAM/> He successfully defended the title in matches with [[Monty Brown]], [[Jerry Lynn]], [[Low Ki]], [[Curt Hennig]], and [[Scott Hall (wrestler)|Scott Hall]] before losing on November 20 to Jeff Jarrett who had the help of [[Vince Russo]].<ref name=SLAM/> As a result of Russo's involvement, Killings [[Turned heel|turned]] into a [[Face (professional wrestling)|face]]. In subsequent months, Killings feuded with [[Vince Russo#On-screen character (2002–2004)|Sports Entertainment Xtreme]] before turning into a heel once again by attacking Jarrett on March 19.<ref name=SLAM/> He later introduced [[Viscera (wrestler)|Nelson Knight]] as his [[Enforcer (professional wrestling)|bodyguard]].<ref name=SLAM/>

==== 3 Live Kru (2003–2005) ====
{{Main|3 Live Kru}}
Between May and June, Killings began teaming with [[Konnan]] and former WWE ally [[Brian Girard James|B.G. James]]. In July the trio formed a [[Professional wrestling stable|faction]] known as the [[3 Live Kru]].<ref name=SLAM/> The Kru first wrestled as a unit on August 13, 2003, defeating [[The Disciples of the New Church]] ([[Nick Cvjetkovich|Sinn]], [[Vampire Warrior]], and [[Crowbar (wrestler)|Devon Storm]]).<ref name=SLAM/> The Kru soon went after the [[NWA World Tag Team Championship]]. On November 26, the Kru defeated [[Simon Diamond]], [[Johnny Swinger]], and [[Disco Inferno (wrestler)|Glenn Gilberti]] in a six-man tag team match with the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship on the line.<ref name=SLAM/> The NWA World Tag Team Championship was held by all three members of the Kru as part of the [[The Fabulous Freebirds#Freebird Rule|Freebird Rule]] until January 28, 2004, when they were defeated by Redshirt Security ([[Kevin Northcutt]] and [[Joe E. Legend|Legend]]).

After several abortive attempts to regain the tag title, the Kru began supporting Killings' bid to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion. On June 9, NWA World Heavyweight Champion [[Jeff Jarrett]] took part in a "3 Live Kru Challenge" which saw him face Konnan, James and Killings in three subsequent matches. Jarrett defeated Konnan in a [[strap match]] and James in a "[[Trailer trash|trailer park trash]] match" ([[Hardcore wrestling|hardcore match]]), but lost to Killings in a "[[Ghetto]] Justice match". On May 19, Killings faced NWA World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles, [[Raven (wrestler)|Raven]], and [[Chris Harris (wrestler)|Chris Harris]] in a four-way title match. He won the bout, becoming a two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, after Jarrett hit Styles with a [[guitar]]. His reign lasted until June 2, when Jarrett defeated him in a [[King of the Mountain match]] which also included Harris, Styles, and Raven. The Kru went on to feud with Jarrett's [[Mercenary|mercenaries]], the Elite Guard ([[Chad Collyer]], [[Shawn Hernandez|Hotstuff Hernandez]], and [[Onyx (wrestler)|Onyx]]). On July 14, the 3 Live Kru, [[Dusty Rhodes]], and [[Larry Zbyszko]] defeated Jarrett, [[Ken Shamrock]], and the Elite Guard in a ten-man tag team match. The Kru began feuding with [[Team Canada (TNA)|Team Canada]] in August. At [[Victory Road (2004)|Victory Road]] on November 7, Konnan and James defeated Team Canada members [[Robert Roode|Bobby Roode]] and [[Eric Young (wrestler)|Eric Young]] for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After Konnan suffered an injury, Killings and James lost the title to Team Canada at [[Turning Point (2004 wrestling)|Turning Point]] on December 5.<ref name=SLAM/> Throughout early-2005, the Kru feuded with [[Matt Bentley|Michael Shane]] and [[Frankie Kazarian|Kazarian]], Team Canada, and [[The Naturals]].

Dissension arose after James' former tag team partner from the WWE, Billy Gunn, joined TNA as "The New Age Outlaw" and began trying to convince James to reform their former tag team, the [[New Age Outlaws]]. Killings and Konnan feuded with The Outlaw and [[Monty Brown]], with James's loyalties divided. Brown and The Outlaw, who had by now renamed himself "Kip James" as a psychological ploy, defeated Killings and Konnan at [[No Surrender (2005)|No Surrender]] on July 17, with James declining to help either team. Killings and Konnan became increasingly frustrated, at one point referring to themselves as the "2Live Kru", although Killings repeatedly attempted to act as a mediator between James and Konnan. The two teams faced one another in a No Surrender rematch on August 14 at [[Sacrifice (2005)|Sacrifice]], with James appointed [[special guest referee]] by [[Professional wrestling authority figures|Director of Authority]], Larry Zbyszko. James reaffirmed his loyalty to the Kru by attacking Kip, enabling Konnan to pin him and win the match. The 3 Live Kru won a six-man tag team match against [[The Diamonds in the Rough]] at [[TNA Unbreakable (2005)|Unbreakable]] on September 11. After ''[[TNA Impact!|Impact!]]'' premiered on [[Spike (TV channel)|Spike TV]] on October 1, Kip James entered the picture once more, but appeared to be helping 3LK this time. He refereed a [[Professional wrestling match types#Object on a Pole match|Hockey Stick Fight]] at [[Genesis 2005|Genesis]] on November 13, which 3LK won. Kip James later joined the stable, which became known as the 4 Live Kru. On December 11 at [[TNA Turning Point 2005|Turning Point]], the 4 Live Kru faced Team Canada in an eight-man tag match. In the course of the match, Konnan hit Kip and B.G. James with chair shots, enabling Bobby Roode to pin Kip. He then attempted to celebrate with Killings, who appeared shocked by Konnan's actions. Killings later told Konnan he was done with the Kru.

==== Various tag teams (2005–2007) ====
Following the breakup of the [[3 Live Kru]], Killings began competing as a singles wrestler once more. He briefly aligned himself with [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] in March, teaming with Sting, A.J. Styles, and [[Rhino (wrestler)|Rhino]] as "Sting's Warriors". At [[TNA Lockdown (2006)|Lockdown]] on April 23, Sting's Warriors defeated [[Planet Jarrett|Jarrett's Army]] in a [[Lethal Lockdown match]]. On the May 25 episode of ''Impact!'', Killings defeated [[Monty Brown]] to qualify for a [[King of the Mountain match]] for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] at [[Slammiversary (2006)|Slammiversary]] on June 18. At Slammiversary, however, Killings failed to win the championship. Killings then teamed with [[Lance Hoyt]] in the following months, even participating, but losing, in a Battle Royal at [[No Surrender 2006|No Surrender]]. On November 19 at [[Genesis 2006|Genesis]], Killings and his tag team partner Lance Hoyt defeated [[Austin Aries|Austin Starr]] and [[Alex Shelley]] with [[Kevin Nash]] at ringside. He then took time off the active roster due to injury. Killings returned to action at [[Slammiversary (2007)|Slammiversary]], teaming with [[James Storm]] in a losing effort against [[Frank Wycheck]] and [[Jerry Lynn]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/tna/slam.html#2007|title=TNA Slammiversary|website=www.prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref>

On June 19, Killings tried to resign from TNA, intending to work for the Mexican [[Lucha Libre AAA World Wide|AAA]].<ref name="WO">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=19940|title=2 stars quit TNA before tonight's TV tapings|publisher=WrestlingObserver.com|access-date=August 13, 2007|date=June 19, 2007}}</ref> Amidst more dissension backstage, however, TNA refused to release Killings. He returned to TNA on August 12 at [[Hard Justice (2007)|Hard Justice]], confronting [[American football|football]] player [[Adam Jones (American football)|Adam Jones]].<ref name="Sokol">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/08/13/4414471.html|title=Bad booking mars Hard Justice|last=Sokol|first=Chris|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|access-date=August 13, 2007|date=June 13, 2007|archive-date=July 23, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723172427/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/08/13/4414471.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> At [[No Surrender 2007|No Surrender]], Adam "Pacman" Jones and Ron Killings defeated [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] and [[Kurt Angle]] to win the [[TNA World Tag Team Championship]].<ref name=SLAM/> At [[Bound for Glory (2007)|Bound for Glory]], [[A.J. Styles and Tomko]] defeated him and Jones' replacement, [[Xavier Woods|Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed]], for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. In December, he worked out a deal for his release from the company.<ref name=SLAM/>