King of all Kings: Can Triple H be trusted in WWE management?

We all know his name. Apparently we all want to watch him. After thirteen years of non-stop pushes and thirteen times a world champion (And a pretty poor movie career) I can only be talking about one individual, “The King of Kings” Triple H. The former body building champion and workaholic to the WWE had been out of action ever since Sheamus ‘ended’ the career of “The Game” at the 2010 Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View in a return (and so much better) match from Wrestlemania XXVI. Since his departure the man who loves the limelight shining on himself has seemingly taken a backseat in the world of WWE. Maybe it’s his wife Stephanie finally handcuffing him to his family commitments, or maybe Triple H is ready to pack in his wrestling career. Either way, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of HHH in the ring or out of the ring more importantly.

The topic of Triple H is one of utmost importance. ‘The Game’ is an In Ring Issue for one reason alone amongst others. This man one could one day become WWE Chairman, and no I’m not joking.

At first sight, the thought of Triple H being fed French red grapes and fine 18^th century vintage wine in WWE Headquarters, sat courteously in the Chairman’s office using castoff jobbers such as Zack Ryder and Chavo Guerrero as butlers is a scary, and very blunt thought. I say this because after thirteen years of rocket-up-your-ass style pushes and endless title victories, it appears HHH is all out for himself when it comes to the WWE. Not only is he one of the faces of the company, but he is loved by millions for his antics with Shawn Michaels in DX, and his long, exhausting solo career which has seen him rise up to the very top of the food-chain, to the point where he is now related to the McMahon’s. We wrestling fans aren’t stupid. Hunter Hearst Helmsley has a distinct advantage over each and every single member of the WWE world, he can influence more than any wrestler could ever hope, and yes, the cold, calculating game could make or break careers.

Triple H’s current role is the ‘Senior Advisor’ to Vince McMahon (The Chairman of WWE for those unfamiliar). Triple H does a lot of work backstage at tapings, in particular grooming stars for their roles; he suggests storyline and even with his current storyline with The Undertaker, creates his own storyline, and of course he reports back to McMahon and gives him his views, opinions on who is doing well for the product, and who’s doing bad and much more. In short, many on internet forums, websites, news reels and magazines believe Triple H is being groomed to become WWE Chairman, a thought that many die hard wrestling fans are torn about.

One of the main advantages of having HHH as a backstage role is that he is one of the only veteran stars working for the company on a full time basis. Over the last few years the WWE have lost big name, seasoned talents like Shawn Michaels, Batista, Jeff Hardy, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesner, JBL and a few years before “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock to name just a few. It appears that among a current young and youthful locker-room Triple H is one of the only trusted backstage figure who knows how to get someone to the top of the WWE food chain (Even though everyone can’t sleep with the boss’s daughter). Triple H then has become even more vital, because in the last year in particular everyone watching the WWE product knows that there is a youth movement in progress. With high profile talents either leaving, jetting off to Hollywood, retiring, joining TNA or for their own reason, the WWE has had no option but to focus on younger talent like The Miz and Alberto Del Rio, who without a doubt are the future for Vince and Hunter. HHH is even more important though, because other seasoned veterans such as The Undertaker don’t work full time schedules, and those like The Big Show, Edge and even Rey Mysterio that do work full time simply don’t have enough leverage with management or backstage presence to command such respect as Triple H, and in turn effectively help or mentor young talent.

The main problem however though is many like myself believe that Triple H is nothing more than a showboating, career killing egomaniac on a path of needless and unrealistic torment, putting everybody under to his delight. That may not be the case, but after endless main event programmes, thirteen world titles, two European Championship runs, five reigns as Intercontinental Champion , and winning three sets of Tag Team titles, two with Shawn Michaels (HBK) and the other with Steve Austin. Triple H has won the 1997 King of the Ring during the time KOTR had prestige and people actually cared about it, and won the 2002 Royal Rumble. You’d think that with the endless pushes and triumphs in his seventeen year

Professional wrestling career, he would be more than the ‘King of Kings’, but rather emperor of the universe or at least God. In fact with all Triple H has achieved, he should be recognised as the greatest wrestler of all time, but somehow I don’t think many view him as the best ever, and I don’t think many hold him in high regard.

With his expert knowledge of the WWE, you’d think Triple H would be able to better and profit the company in the long run, but my fear is if Triple H was left to his own devices as WWE Chairman once Vince either steps down or pops his clogs that Hunter wouldn’t simply know how to do so. If Hunter wasn’t able to make the most of his pushes and his main event level status in WWE, how could he run the company with as much emphasis as Vince McMahon? Or one step further, how would HHH stop a slightly slipping wrestling promotion maintain profits and fans attention?

This brings me nicely onto my next point. After the youth movement of young stars such as Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, The Miz (To a small extent), Alberto Del Rio, Evan Bourne and the mega push of Dolph Ziggler, for me it all seems like a waste of time now, nothing more than filler television, especially in Wrestlemania season. Triple H returned to RAW on February 21^st, interrupting The Undertaker’s 2/21/11 comeback. Not only did this put the efforts of the young Wrestlemania hopefuls to one side, but it was the following week on February 28^th which really put the final nail in the coffin for young talent hopeful of a bright Wrestlemania filled future. Sheamus came out to interrupt Hunter, this led to Triple H completely and utterly annihilating Sheamus, eventually hitting his trademark “Pedigree” finisher through the RAW announce table. It was horrible to watch. How can we trust HHH in higher management, if all he is going to do is killing of the young, fresh, exciting talent such as Sheamus? It’s hard to believe the fans cheered for it. Now where is Sheamus? On the losing streak of his life, having to fight another brilliant, underutilised wrestler Daniel Bryan (Who has also been completely buried time and time again by the RAW booking team) for the United States Championship.

It appears that every time it hits Wrestlemania season, it’s almost like the hard work and effort by the younger stars is completely played down and underappreciated. Triple H and The Undertaker have WALKED into the main event Wrestlemania XXVII this year. Every year the WWE has gone back to the big name players just because WWE management know it’s a reliable source of information. For me, Wrestlemania should reflect the year just gone in the WWE, and they should focus on the stars that have been on your television screens for the past twelve months, and for the wrestlers, it should be a massive payday and bonus, a thank you for the past twelve months. But no, we get Triple H. We get The Undertaker. The fear is Triple H (If and when he becomes a higher WWE official) will keep to this Vince McMahon formula of pushing big, oversized talents as the main event players. Triple H naturally holds wrestlers back, it’s what he does, but just imagine the damage he could potentially cause with more power in management, it would be terrifying for young prospects hoping to forge a career in the WWE universe.

If WWE management and Triple H in particular don’t stop with this constant pushing of Hunter and other big names stars such as John Cena, then there simply won’t be a future for WWE, or the one that there will be will be bleak, and very, very grim. New worldwide megastars stars are hard to come by as fans have seen, but when they do, Triple H just can’t help poke his massive nose in their career and Pedigree them through an announce table. It goes without saying Triple H is truly the “King of Kings”, but my concern is that he will one day be the King of a one man empire, and he’ll only ‘The Game’ to blame.

Robert Austin

“In Ring Issues”