Carlito has broken his silence following his WWE departure, offering a candid look at what he says was a surprisingly positive final run with the company. In a recent interview on Busted Open Radio, the former Intercontinental Champion reflected on his most recent two-year stint, comparing it to his original time with WWE, and detailing both his satisfaction with the current locker room culture and disappointment over his creative exit.

Carlito described his return as “weird in a good way,” saying, “It was weird, showing up to work happy.” He credited the improvement to a more relaxed atmosphere backstage and the influence of outside competition. “All the tension and all the old school bullshit… people walking around on eggshells, you know, because it was the only game in town,” he explained. “Now that, you know, with AEW being around too, it’s helped… I think Hunter has done a good job, too, of just cleaning all that crap out.”

Although he enjoyed the environment, Carlito admitted he was not surprised when WWE chose not to renew his contract. He had signed a two-year deal and feels it exceeded expectations. However, he voiced frustration about not getting a proper ending to his storyline with The Judgment Day. “They could have told me, and I would have… at least let me finish out the story for the for the Judgment Day,” he said. “I think it’s a disrespect to the fans that… they somebody just dropped storylines.”

Carlito revealed that the comedic twist he brought to his role in the group came from his own creativity. “That was… all my ideas,” he said. “I took literally nothing and I made something with it.” According to Carlito, the creative team gave him more freedom as his ideas continued to land each week.

As for his relationship with Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Carlito offered an honest take. “I’m not getting pushed and and Hunter is not a fan of Carlito,” he said, though he added that Levesque likely liked him personally. He acknowledged that he never expected to be a focal point due to his age, but still described the run as better than anticipated.

Looking ahead, Carlito confirmed that the next phase of his career is already in motion. “Yeah, I still got a bunch of emails I gotta get back to,” he shared. “So people, you know, be patient with me. I gotta do my own calendar again.”

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