WWE President Nick Khan will be taking over most of Stephanie’s duties.
Triple H Update
Triple H has been on his own leave since September 2021, when he suffered a ‘cardiac vent’ that almost took his life.
Back in March, Triple H announced his retirement from active competition. During an interview with Stephen A. Smith for ESPN, he revealed he’s had a defibrillator pacemaker installed in his chest.
Kevin Owens doesn’t think he’d be where he’s at in his professional wrestling career without Triple H.
Owens was recently interviewed by TalkSport, and during the conversation, touched on “The Game’s” impact on his career. “KO” had nothing but praise for Triple H, saying he’s all about growing the industry and giving people a chance.
“I wouldn’t be here without him That’s all that comes to it. When you say full stop, that really is it. Nobody has done more for me than Triple H in my career.
“There was always this reputation about him, right? I always thought he was really good at what he did and to me, he always elevated the shows he was on and the people he was working with so I never really got that vibe of the reputation.
“I wasn’t surprised when I met him that he was a guy who was all about growing the industry and giving people a chance.
“He proved my assumptions right many times over the past few years and a lot of us – a lot of us – wouldn’t be here without him.”
Triple H was a big part of Owen’s first World Championship victory storyline. In August of 2016, Triple H turned on Seth Rollins to assist Kevin Owens in winning the Universal Championship.
It was Owens’ first World Title victory in WWE. Since, Owens has gone on to do a tremendous amount under the WWE banner. He’s a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a three-time United States Champion, and, as aforementioned, an ex-WWE Universal Champion.
Owens was also one-half of one of the most iconic segments in WrestleMania history. At WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, Texas, Owens welcomed WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin back to the ring.
“KO” and Austin competed in a No Holds Barred match to close out Night One of “The Show Of Shows.” The pair put on an extremely entertaining segment on “The KO Show,” which led to Owens challenging Austin to a match.
WWE superstar Drew McIntyre says he pitched to have a matchup with Triple H at this year’s WrestleMania 38.
The Scottish Warrior revealed during an interview with TalkSport that without the Game’s assistance he would not have returned to WWE back in 2017, a run that saw McIntyre become NXT champion, Raw tag champion, a Royal Rumble winner, and a two-time WWE champion.
“He’s the reason I’m back in WWE 100 percent. My mind was set at the time when I wasn’t going to re-sign with IMPACT that I’m going to Japan.”
McIntyre later elaborates on the pitch he made to face the Cerebral Assassin at the Showcase of the Immortals, stating that it’s unfortunate he had to retire for health reasons but is happy that he’s going to be okay for his family.
“I wanted a match (with Triple H). It’s unfortunate it won’t happen but I’m just glad he’s healthy for himself and his family. I pitched (a match) at every opportunity I could. How about us at WrestleMania? ‘What’s the story?’ [Triple H said] and I’d say ‘What’s the story? We’ll figure it out, but what about you and me at WrestleMania?!’ How awesome would that be.”
This wouldn’t have been the first time this duo stood across the ring from each other, but a proper singles-matchup at this point is off the table. McIntyre does recall in the interview the few times he got to share the ring with Triple H, and what a pro he is, even calling him a general in the ring.
“It was cool to go back and forth a little bit and you understand just how good he is, what a ring general he is. You can see watching, but you don’t know until you’re in there with them just how good. Just some interactions during an 8-man tag in Japan I could tell like ‘wow, he’s really frigging good.'”
McIntyre seems to be headed towards another showdown with Roman Reigns at WWE’s upcoming Clash at the Castle pay-per-view, their first major event in the U.K. in over three decades.
Triple H has taken to Twitter to pay homage to the 20-year anniversary of his good friend, Batista’s, WWE debut.
On May 9, 2002, Batista made his WWE TV debut on SmackDown as Deacon Batista, an enforcer for Reverend D-Von. Nobody knew at the time that Batista would go on to become one of the WWE’s biggest and most accomplished stars of all time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVukPxOXum/
Triple H, Batista’s longtime friend and former Evolution stablemate, has taken to Twitter to offer his reaction to the 20-year anniversary of Batista’s WWE debut.
“In the 20 years since @DaveBautista was first introduced to the @WWE Universe, he has never stopped growing and evolving. A main event player, multi-time champion and Hollywood star, one thing has stayed the same: he never stopped chasing his dreams. Congratulations Dave!”
In the 20 years since @DaveBautista was first introduced to the @WWE Universe, he has never stopped growing and evolving. A main event player, multi-time champion and Hollywood star, one thing has stayed the same: he never stopped chasing his dreams. Congratulations Dave! #Proud
Throughout his time with WWE, Batista was able to rack up six World Title runs. He has shared the ring with some of the biggest performers in WWE history; such as John Cena, The Undertaker, Triple H, and so many more. Batista is also a four-time Tag Team Title winner and a two-time Royal Rumble winner.
Batista left WWE as a full-time performer in 2010, instead venturing off into the acting world. He certainly found some success in front of the camera, landing major roles in projects such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “The Guardians Of The Galaxy,” “Army Of The Dead,” “See,” and much more.
He also tried his hand in mixed martial arts (MMA), taking a pro MMA fight in 2012 at heavyweight. Batista actually won the fight via first round knockout under the CES MMA banner. It was “The Animal’s” first and only MMA fight to this day.
Batista has since returned to WWE a handful of times for short programs, including his latest against Triple H in 2019. Putting his career on the line against Triple H at WrestleMania 35, Batista was defeated and later announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
AEW star Shane ‘Swerve’ Strickland has said that Triple H refused to let him follow scripted word-for-word promos as part of WWE NXT.
Strickland joined WWE’s third brand in 2019, becoming a one-time NXT North American Champion, but was released weeks into his main-roster call up in November 2021.
Speaking on Talk is Jericho this week, Strickland discussed working with the Game, saying:
“We did Great American Bash and we [Strickland and Leon Ruff] had a blow-off match. That’s when Hit Row was introduced. I was cutting promos in the studio backstage and Triple H was like ‘Nope – take away the script. Don’t let him use the script anymore.’ So I was like ‘cool’.”
WWE’s policy is for promos to be written ahead of time by the creative team and for Superstars to recite these promos verbatim.
The company has been heavily criticized for this approach, with fans and wrestlers alike arguing that this stifles the creativity of the Superstars.
Triple H ran NXT until the show’s rebrand as NXT 2.0 in September 2021 and has recently been recovering from a cardiac event.
Strickland joined AEW at Revolution 2022 in March and most recently faced Darby Allin on last week’s Rampage in a losing effort.
In addition to WWE and AEW, Strickland has worked for Lucha Underground and MLW, and is a former World Heavyweight Champion of the latter.
W. Morrissey has reflected on the time Triple H was none too pleased with him over a promo that wasn’t in the script.
Morrissey performed as “Big Cass” under the WWE banner. He teamed with Enzo Amore and there was a time when the team received red hot crowd reactions. Eventually, the two were split and their WWE careers never quite took off like many were hoping.
W. Morrissey Leaves Triple H Fuming
During an appearance on The Sessions with Renee Paquette, W. Morrissey revealed that the decision he and Enzo made to sing a Frank Sinatra song at SummerSlam got them an earful from Triple H due to concerns of copyright (h/t Wrestling Inc).
“Creatively, it was just a new set of talent to work with, to do promos with. We got to do things with the New Day, which was awesome to kind of feed off of other tag teams and have fun with that. We did the one segment with the New Day overseas in the UK, and it’s just a totally different ballgame. NXT is, I guess it’s less worrisome, it’s less nervewracking, and it’s not as big of a deal. When you get to WWE, it’s kind of like everything you do is a big deal and it could have consequences. We messed up a few times.
“I can think of one time when we really messed up. We went off-script at Summerslam in Brooklyn and sang a Frank Sinatra song. You can’t sing or imitate things that are copyrighted. That was a stern talking too. He was furious, Hunter. We didn’t know. We didn’t know those sorts of things.
“I think everything is amplified and it’s so much bigger, and the magnitude of things you do and the consequences of the things you do are way bigger. That’s something that maybe, in the moment, I didn’t realize. But you’re on live television. If you mess up or do something that can cost the company, that’s on you. It’s way bigger, it comes with a lot more money and a lot more glory, whatever you want to call it, but you have to watch yourself a lot more.”
Morrissey currently works for Impact Wrestling. It has been heavily implied that Wardlow’s mystery opponent for the May 4 episode of AEW Dynamite will be Morrissey. Impact and AEW have worked together in the past, so this wouldn’t be surprising to many.
Garcia is one of the members of the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. Jericho reportedly fought to have Garcia in his faction as the initial plan was to have him align with the Blackpool Combat Club. That report comes from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.
Tyson Fury has received some warm messages from WWE legends ahead of his showdown with Dillian Whyte.
Fury will put his WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Titles on the line against Dillian Whyte today (April 23). The action will be held inside Wembley Stadium in London, England.
(via Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
Tyson Fury Receives Good Luck Messages
Through WWE on BT Sport, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and The Undertaker have sent Tyson Fury some good vibes going into another title defense.
Some messages of good luck from WWE royalty ?@StephMcMahon has got US ready to run through walls!
Stephanie got things started, saying the buzz is giving her Summerslam 1992 chills all over again.
“Tyson, it’s Stephanie McMahon and of course, Triple H from WWE. You know, I remember the last time WWE had a big stadium event in Wembley and it was Summerslam 1992. But I’ll never forget what it felt like, the electricity. 94,000 strong there to see you in your homecoming knock the block off of Dillian Whyte.”
Triple H then used one of Fury’s favorite insults, calling Whyte a big “dosser.”
“‘Gypsy King.’ The true king of boxing returns home to Wembley. 94,000 people are gonna be there and we’ll be watching just like the rest of the world. Watching you blow the roof off of Wembley Stadium and knock that big dosser out.”
Finally, The Undertaker pulled out a Muhammad Ali quote to get the “Gypsy King” fired up.
“Hey, champ. The Undertaker here. It’s about that time again, my friend. You’re going to the big house, Wembley Stadium to put on a show. Remember, you are the ‘Gyspy King’ and it’s time to conquer another kingdom.
“Dillian Whyte, he ain’t got the skills to pay any kind of bills you’re about to bring towards him. Remember, my friend float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.
“Take care of business, Tyson. I’m still here just in case you need me to dig a hole to fill a soul. Alright my man, April 23rd take care of business and I’ll see you on the other side.”
There’s been a lot of speculation on what Tyson Fury will do after this fight. He initially said he would be retiring from pro boxing matches but he has appeared to walk those comments back.
Many have also speculated that a showdown inside the WWE ring with Drew McIntyre is a possibility. The two have teased sharing the squared circle.
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A lot of people were critical of WWE for rebranding NXT shortly after Triple H had to step away from his role due to his cardiac event. However, according to The Game himself, the overhaul was in the works before he took time off.
The former world champion recently had an interview with The Athletic. He discussed how NXT has gone through many different phases.
Discussing the brand’s revamp to NXT 2.0, Triple H explained that being put on TV and the pandemic completely altered the show. According to him, they were discussing bringing NXT back to its development roots even before he took time off:
“We were talking about this shift anyway. That’s where we were headed. It happened at a period of time where I had to leave for a bit. Luckily, Shawn (Michaels) had been doing it with me all that time, so it was a seamless thing.
I stepped out, did what I needed to do, but that team has killed it.” said Triple H, “They’ve really created a show where you can really say that’s the next generation of stars.”
Apart from this, the WWE EVP also talked about the rise of AEW, and NXT talents jumping ships to Tony Khan’s promotion. The King of Kings revealed that he stays in touch with almost all of them and claimed that he is happy for them.
Former WWE Champion AJ Styles is one of the company’s most exciting signings in history.
“The Phenomenal One” inked a deal with WWE back in 2016 after departing from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). For years prior there was a lot of chatter as to whether or not fans would get to see Styles, widely regarded as one of the most talented non-WWE performers in the world at the time, compete inside a WWE ring.
That was finally silenced on January 24 2016, when Styles made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble. Since, Styles has become one of the company’s biggest stars and now has over six years of experience with the company under his belt. Recently, Styles was interviewed by Wrestling Inc. to reflect on his WWE career.
During the interview, Styles revealed that it was actually Triple H who is responsible for getting him to WWE in the first place.
“Yeah, Triple H was here, and I am glad to see him, man,” AJ Styles said. “You’ve got to think, when I think about his retirement I am here because of him. Because he called me, that’s huge for me.”
Unfortunately for “The Game,” he was recently forced to call it a career due to health concerns. AJ Styles and Triple H never got to share the ring together as opponents in a television match, which is a shame considering they likely would’ve put on a tremendous program against each other.
For now, Styles is currently busy in the midst of his feud with Edge and Damian Priest. As for Triple H, he will continue to help mold the WWE stars of tomorrow from backstage now that his in-ring career has come to an end.
Triple H says he’s happy for former NXT talent who have jumped to AEW. He keeps in touch with “almost all of them” and thinks the WWE machine gave them the tools to be successful “over there.”
Earlier this month, Triple H was interviewed by Chris Vannini for The Athletic. During their discussion, he spoke at length about AEW, including whether or not he views Tony Khan’s promotion as true competition for WWE.
A staggering number of former NXT performers now work for AEW. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, Andrade, Malakai Black, Keith Lee, Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe and William Regal are just some of the names on this list.
Triple H worked closely with all of them and he’s thankful for that opportunity.
“I like all those guys,” said Triple H. “They helped us get where we needed to get, and I’m thankful for it. The truth is there was a period of time where we were trying to build NXT. We built NXT. Then we were trying to build a brand that could get a television show and sustain it. All those names helped us get there.”
Ultimately, Vince McMahon decides who belongs on the main roster. Triple H says he’s happy for the NXT alumni who have moved on to AEW.
“If they have great gigs, I’m happy for them. I stay in touch with almost all of them. I like to think they came into us here, we taught them a lot, got them to (a higher level) where they learned how to do television, how to be professionals and all that to be successful there.”
Triple H says some of the people he worked with in NXT may come back to WWE at some point. Some may not and that’s ok.
The Adam Coles and Keith Lees of the world got NXT where it needed to go, at one time. However, Triple H says the show must go on. He likened today’s wrestling landscape to football. “People leave football teams, move to different teams all the time, and it’s great.”
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star and former NXT star Adam Cole has offered his comments on Triple H’s recent health scare.
“The Game” recently opened up about his near-death experience and also admitted that he is now retired from in-ring competition as a result of his health complications. Cole, who worked closely with Triple H in NXT over the years, offered his thoughts on the situation during an interview with Fightful.
Cole noted that he thinks the world of Triple H after the time they spent together at NXT, saying he learned a lot from him and considers him a mentor. He added that he was very disheartened to learn that Triple H was forced to retire due to his health concerns because he knows how much wrestling means to “The Game,” however, his health is what’s most important.
“So truth be told, with the way stuff has been going lately, I’m just happy he’s okay,” Cole said. “But yeah, I mean, everything that he’s given to the wrestling industry and the wrestling business will never be forgotten, whether it be his in ring career, or the countless amount of people he’s influenced within NXT and the countless people he’s taught within NXT. So I really do, I love Triple H. I admire the hell out of him, and I’m glad he’s alright.”
Adam Cole left WWE back in 2021 after his contract with the company expired. He later made his debut for AEW at their All Out pay-per-view (PPV). During his run with NXT, Cole became an NXT Triple Crown Champion, winning the promotion’s World Title, North American Title, and Tag Team Titles.
As for Triple H, the 13-time World Champion can hang his hat on a career that will surely go down as one of the greatest of all time. After helping shape the professional wrestling industry in the ring, he now helps shape it behind the curtain, playing a huge role in molding the stars of the future.
Matt Hardy enjoyed his time working with Triple H.
“The Game” announced to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he has retired from in-ring action. Triple H has a defibrillator in his chest due to heart failure. Fans got to witness 30 years of Hunter.
Matt Hardy Lauds Triple H Following Retirement Announcement
During an episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Matt detailed what made Triple H special inside the ring (h/t Wrestling Inc).
“It is what it is, we all have to retire one day. I remember I reached out to him after I heard about his condition, and spoke to him briefly. Obviously, I have known Paul for a very long time, and worked with him many, many times, and had good experiences with him.
“He’s incredible in the ring, one of the smoothest workers you’ll ever be in the ring with. Really smart, a student of the game, loves the business. Obviously, I love this insane sh*t, so I really bond with anybody who has that much of a love for it.”
Triple H got night two of WrestleMania 38 started by leaving his boots in the middle of the ring. He received a standing ovation from the crowd inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Kevin Owens has spoken out on Triple H’s retirement.
HHH revealed to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he has a defibrillator in his chest due to heart failure. As a result, he has officially retired from in-ring action.
Owens grew close to HHH during his time in NXT. The bond followed him all the way to the main roster when Triple H handed KO the WWE Universal Championship back in 2016.
Kevin Owens Wanted To Wrestle Triple H
Appearing on The Ringer‘s MackMania podcast, Kevin Owens lauded Triple H for doing so much for him in his career and revealed he wanted to wrestle “The Game.”
“Obviously, it sucks that he didn’t get to retire in the ring the way he should have but he’s obviously making the best decision for himself and his family. So, nobody can — that’s not a bad thing, that’s a good thing. I selfishly — he’s done more for me than anyone’s ever done in my career.
“I can say that safely and I always wanted to get in the ring with him. I always wanted to wrestle him. I got to team with him a few times, which was awesome. Never got to be on the opposite side of the ring and now I know I won’t get to.
“Honestly, people would ask me a lot about, ‘Well, who would you like to face at WrestleMania?’ My answers were always, I’d love to have a singles match with Sami Zayn, that happened last year. I’d love to be in the ring with Finn Balor at WrestleMania because next to Sami he’s the guy I’m the closest with, so I’d love to share that experience with him.
“And then obviously, I never thought it would be remotely possible but being in the ring with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at WrestleMania is incredible. Besides those three answers, if I could’ve had a dream WrestleMania match it would’ve been with Triple H.”
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The event took place inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas just hours before night one of WrestleMania 38. On the card, Tommaso Ciampa was pinned by Tony D’Angelo, seemingly marking the end of his NXT run and the start of a transition to the main roster.
As Ciampa was walking up the ramp after the match a familiar theme song played. Triple H made his way out and hugged Ciampa.
“The Game” recently announced his retirement from in-ring action during an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. The WWE Hall of Famer (as a member of DX) has a defibrillator in his chest as a result of heart failure.
Fightful had reported that Triple H surprised talent by showing up at a meeting before the WrestleMania festivities began.
Triple H made a very special appearance during a WWE talent meeting in Dallas, Texas this week. The report comes from Fightful, which notes that “The Game” was introduced by WWE Talent Relations head John Laurinaitis to kick off the meeting Thursday night. This was quite the treat for talent, as most hadn’t seen the WWE Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development since August.
The scene was said to be very emotional, with Hunter discussing his recent health struggles, which led to him making the decision to retire from in-ring competition for good. “The Game” then introduced WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan, who he described as a friend of over 10 years. Khan offered up some news to the talent regarding pay. Specifically that they will earn additional compensation on top of their Superstar contracts for any revenue generated via third-party platforms.
This includes the likes of services such as Cameo, autograph signings, scripted and un-scripted programming. The meeting was reportedly described as overwhelmingly positive by several Superstars, with one going as far as saying it was a great way to kick off the WrestleMania weekend.
As for Triple H, he has been steadily increasing his involvement in public appearances as WrestleMania 38 approaches this weekend. He was present for WWE tryouts in Frisco, Texas this past Thursday, and also appeared for The Undertaker’s life-size statue unveiling this week. The former WWE Champion had taken time away from the business after suffering a cardiac episode this past fall.
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has shared his thoughts on Triple H walking away from in-ring action.
Back in Sept. 2021, WWE issued a statement revealing that “The Game” suffered a “cardiac event” and was expected to make a full recovery. As it turns out, things are a lot more serious than WWE led the public to believe.
Hunter revealed to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he has a defibrillator in his chest and will never wrestle again. He also essentially said that he was on the brink of death.
Roman Reigns On Triple H’s Retirement
During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Roman Reigns said he’s always been fond of Triple H since his days in developmental (h/t 411Mania.com).
“H was very critical in this process to guide me along. Before I met Vince and built a relationship with him, it was Triple H, he was the one down there in developmental, helping guide talent along. He was the one that overlooked it.
“He was huge in guiding me along. I think he recognized [my] potential and he was always good to me. Early on, I was the type that was asking for raises. ‘Can I get some more money?’ ‘Yeah, go ahead.’
“Two months later. ‘Can I get some more money?’ ‘Yup.’ Then there’s a point where they are like, ‘No.’ I was like, ‘Can you ask Triple H?’ The next morning, you get more money. H has hooked me up and always looked over me. Inside and outside the ring, he’s the best.“
Wrestling fans got to witness 30 years of “The Game.” Hunter began his career back in March 1992 and ended it in March 2022.
Last week, multi-time world champion Triple H officially retired from the squared circle. In an appearance on First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Triple H detailed his health struggle last year relating to issues with his heart, including a near-death experience.
Due to his condition and the fact that he now has a defibrillator, Triple H will no longer be able to participate in any wrestling matches moving forward. The news stunned some in the wrestling world, but pretty much universally, people reacted to the announcement by celebrating Triple H’s career.
After seeing the outpouring of support from the industry as a whole, as well as fans and family, Triple H took to social media on Sunday to react.
The post starts with a quote from author Louis L’Amour.
“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning.”
Triple H then wrote, “I am truly humbled by the texts, calls, posts and all the kind words. I’m grateful to each and everyone one of you. I wish I could respond to each of you, but I type so slow I’d never leave the house again. Please know how much they all mean to me. Stay healthy, be grateful for all you have and seize the day……. I know I am!”
During the interview with Smith, Triple H confirmed that he is back at the office working now though he has taken a step back in recent months. He mentioned he has been focusing on recruitment and development for the company, talking about the pending arrival of NCAA star Gable Stevenson, as well as the propect of opening more WWE Performance Centers in the future.
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After months of rumors and speculations, Triple H finally opened up about his cardiac event from last year during his appearance on Stephen A’s World. The Game announced his retirement from in-ring competition, leading to an outpouring of posts about his influence on the business from both WWE and AEW stars.
The interview made people wonder about the future of his current role with the company. Talking about it, Triple H claimed that his foot is not off the gas:
“No, my foot’s not off the gas, I suppose in some manner I’ve got to step back a little bit. I’m still in recovery and my endurance is not exactly quite what it used to be before. But right now I’m back, I’m at the office. I am fully focused on recruiting and developing of our talent in the future.”
The King Of Kings claimed that his focus is on finding potential future stars such as Gable Steveson. It’s about making sure WWE is a success for generations to come:
“It’s finding that, it’s creating that future. That’s the biggest focus for me and as we move forward from there, it’s making sure WWE is a success for generations to come.”
While many people saw it coming, the official announcement of Triple H’s retirement from in-ring competition still hit the wrestling world hard.
The whole of wrestling industry came together to thank The Game for his contributions to the business on the occasion. This included not only his friends but the many talents he helped bring the spotlight on during his time as the head of NXT.
Alexa Bliss noted that it was Triple H who came up with the idea for Alexa’s Playground. She thanked the former world champion for everything.
The man who came up with the concept of “Alexa’s playground” so talented in and out of the ring ??Thank you for everything @TripleH what an incredible in-ring career ?????? #ThankYouTripleHhttps://t.co/bfjgPsE6S9
— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) March 25, 2022
Rhea Ripley revealed that The King Of Kings was the reason she started watching WWE. The former NXT UK women’s champion also mentioned how he helped her get further in the business.
From being the reason I started watching @WWE, to the reason I made it further in this business. Thank you for everything @TripleH ?? pic.twitter.com/z29dZLNMKc
Mustafa Ali posted a photo of Triple H addressing a room full of Cruiserweight Classic talents. He noted how the WWE EVP gave chances to many dreamers.
He did a lot of things. One of the most incredible things he did is give a room full of dreamers a chance. Thank you @TripleHpic.twitter.com/tNlzOWo3te
The Miz thanked the wrestling veteran for the wealth of knowledge he has shared over the years. He also advised H to enjoy the extra time he will have with his daughters.
Triple H it was an honor to have shared the ring with you. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge you have given to me over the years. Enjoy the extra time you will now have with your girls. #ThankYouTripleHpic.twitter.com/GL5FsadoJJ
The names reacting to Triple H’s retirement also included Ric Flair, Miro, Adam Cole and many more. You can check out some of the reactions below:
Just Landed & Wanted To Finish My Thoughts. After Being Put Under In 4 Different Surgeries In 7 Weeks, I Totally Understand The Fear & Anxiety Of Being Put To Sleep & Not Waking Up. You’ve Had One Of The Greatest Careers! Your Legacy Will Live On Forever! Much Respect! @TripleHpic.twitter.com/soaX9UOZZC
I will forever cherish this moment from you! This simple gesture gave me confirmation that I was finally walking in my purpose. You changed my life. Thank you for giving me a chance, for believing in me, & for all of your contributions inside & outside of the ring! @TripleHpic.twitter.com/5416Azy1tx
Thanks for doing so much for the professional wrestling industry, @TripleH. Your passionate love for the biz shines through & I’m happy I was able to experience some special moments with you. All the best, Paul. pic.twitter.com/34IhNfzPKw
On Friday, Triple H announced his retirement from wrestling after dealing with viral pneumonia that led to cardiac issues which resulted in a defibrillator being put into his chest. He won’t be able to actively compete in the ring again.
In the full interview with Stephen A. Smith on Stephen A’s World, Triple H revealed that there were plans in place for him to compete at WrestleMania 38. However, his health scare nixed those plans.
“I was already at a place in my career, as far as the in-ring goes, where I was comfortable being done and finished. If the right thing came along, I hadn’t really said much, but if the right thing came along and they wanted me to do it.”
He continued, “I had a conversation with Vince McMahon about doing something at WrestleMania this year in Dallas. We had talked about and there were plans for. Obviously, when this happened, it shut all that down. As far as the schedule, WWE is an intense place, it’s 24/7 and you’re running, running, running. It put things in perspective for me.”
Triple H did not give what the exact plans for WrestleMania 38 were. He did note that he is back in the office and now focused on recruitment. His endurance is not quite what it used to be before, but working his way there. He wants to make sure that WWE is a success for generations to come.
WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) has provided an update on his health and future after undergoing a “cardiac event” in late 2021.
The 14-time World Champion spoke with Stephen A. Smith for ESPN this week. A portion of the conversation aired on Friday’s episode of First Take.
Triple H said, “I had a viral pneumonia. My lungs were inflamed, as the next couple of days went on, it got increasingly worse, and my wife saw some blood and stuff that I was coughing up. I went and got checked, and it was coming from the viral pneumonia, but I had fluid in my lungs, fluid around my heart.”
Doctors performed a thorough examination, including an EKG. Ejection fraction is the way your heart pumps blood and 55-60 is considered a healthy range. Triple H was down to 30.
“I got a quick text message saying “Don’t take time, pack your bag and head to the emergency room… by the time i got to the emergency room, my ejection fraction got down to about 22, which… I was in heart failure, bad. By the next morning, they figured that out, by the time I was going in to get a heart catheter my ejection was down to 12. I was nose diving and sort of at the 1-yard line of.. where you don’t want to be, for your family and your future.”
https://youtu.be/o5N1AurWE3I
As a family man, Triple H got emotional talking about his medical emergency.
“Let me tell you, its 99% .. it gets real, we have three young girls, 15, 13 and 11. Suddenly I come home, I’m a little bit sick, and their dad who is strong, always, suddenly is in the hospital. I don’t know if they understood the consequences of it, but there’s moments in there where .. when they’re putting you out for stuff and you think, ‘Is this it? Do you wake up from this?’ That’s tough to swallow and makes you think differently… it makes you think differently about life. It doesn’t make you any less driven for the things that you do, but it certainly makes you appreciate the things that you have more, your friends, your family.”
Triple H then confirmed he will never wrestle again because he had a defibrillator pacemaker installed in his chest.
“For me, as far as in-ring, which I get a lot, I’m done. I will never wrestle again. I have a defibrillator in my chest, which .. It’s probably not a good idea for me to get zapped on life tv.”
Stephen A. Smith’s full interview with Triple H premieres Friday night on Stephen A’s World, which streams on ESPN+.
Chris Jericho made his WWE debut in 1999 and he instantly become a big star in the company. Jericho believes he could have even had his first WrestleMania main event within a year, if it wasn’t for Triple H. Y2J was interviewed on the latest episode of The Kurt Angle Show where they discussed the various stages of Jericho’s career.
During the talk, the AEW star claimed that he was originally supposed to be a part of the fatal four-way main event of WrestleMania 2000. He was going to be the fourth participant of the bout instead of Mick Foley:
“The original plan for that WrestleMania if you remember, it was a four-way title match with a McMahon in every corner. It was [The] Rock, Big Show, Triple H and Mick Foley. With Vince, Shane, Linda and Stephanie with whoever they were with. The original plan for that match was Hunter, Rock, Big Show and Jericho. And if you think that I’m just saying that because I heard rumors or someone told me, they actually made promotional pieces for the match.”
Chris Jericho showed a press kit for WrestleMania 2000 which featured his photo with the other three participants. He also recalled seeing a billboard on Sunset Boulevard with the same picture. However, he thinks that Vince McMahon didn’t believe in him enough at the time to put him in the spot:
“I think Vince just didn’t have the belief in me, I guess to put me in that spot yet. So he brought Mick back. That was after Mick had retired. I think Mick told me that Vince offered him enough money to pay his kids’ college educations. So he came back.”
“There Was A lot Of Politics At That Time” Says Chris Jericho
Interestingly enough, Jericho believes that his heat with Triple H during the early days might have cost him the opportunity. He mentioned how he is cool with The Game now but it wasn’t always the case:
“There was a lot a lot of politics at that time. When I say this, it’s not from a bitter point of view or an angry point of view. It’s just the way it was. So to come in, there was a lot of legit heat between Hunter and myself. [It] Involved China, [It] involved a little bit X Pac as well. But Hunter and I just didn’t like each other and I think Hunter had such a pull at the time, such power that if he didn’t like me of course, [he could have gotten me removed]. Even if he’s not going out of his way to bury me to Vince, I am sure every time my name came up he would be like ‘ugh, that guy? come on.’
It’s just kind of the way the business worked at the time. So I think that might have had a lot to do with it. [Hunter probably said] ‘You don’t want Jericho, is that a big enough name? Bring back Foley or see if Austin’s available.’ Or whatever it may be. That kind of [was] one of the reasons. Once again, I’m not saying that I’ve heard this. I just can tell. I can read the room for the past that we had. We’re really cool now but at the time we just fucking didn’t like each other, [it] just didn’t work.”
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription.
Lisette Pineda, Manager of Global Talent Strategy and Development for WWE, recently left the company. The news was first reported by PWInsider.
Pineda worked closely with Paul Levesque (Triple H), with some describing her role as his “top executive assistant.”
Levesque has yet to return to working full-time since suffering a ‘cardiac event’ last year. There is no timeframe for him to return, but Pineda’s release indicates it won’t be any time soon.
Levesque has made very few public appearances over the past few months. Back in November, he was spotted touring the building that will serve as WWE’s new headquarters.
In January, he appeared on NBC’s Nightly News to discuss WWE’s NIL (“Next In Line”) program and the company’s initiative to recruit collegiate athletes.
Lisette Pineda’s departure has led to speculation about Levesque’s future with WWE. PWInsider’s report states:
“Many who used to be in constant communication with him haven’t spoken with him in some time and there’s no indication he’s anywhere close to stepping back into his former roles for the company.”
Pineda had been with WWE for two years. According to her LinkedIn page, she previously spent 6 years at Goldman-Sachs.
WWE is looking to do things outside the box this year for WrestleMania 38 in hopes of boosting ticket sales to the two-night event in Arlington, Texas.
Vince McMahon is being rumored for a match of some kind with Pat McAfee, and Stone Cold Steve Austin is reportedly considering a return to the ring to face Kevin Owens. This would be Austin’s first match since 2003.
However, don’t expect to see Triple H in the ring this year despite all of the names from the past who are returning. Triple H experienced a scary health issue this past September, characterized at the time as a cardiac event, and a return to the ring this year is not in the cards.
“No, Triple H would be a terrible idea,” Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlingNews.co). “His heart situation is, he can’t. I don’t want to say never because that’s because that’s unfair because maybe he can do something but that would be a horrible idea for him and that’s not gonna happen this year. There’s no way.”
Triple H has remained mostly out of the spotlight since his health situation. He’s reportedly no longer involved in a major way at NXT, with Shawn Michaels now taking over his previous duties with that brand.
“I’ve now stepped out of the physical coaching aspect and into the Vice President of Talent Development and focusing more on television, the live show, and creative,” Michaels said. “The talent pool has gotten very big. To me, the biggest advantage of all of that is the freshness, the newness. When I went from a tag team to a single competitor, I wasn’t given a cookie-cutter ‘this is your character, this is what you’re gonna do.’”
The matches which have been confirmed so far for WrestleMania 38 are:
WWE Universal Championship vs. WWE Championship Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar (c)
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship (Main Event for Night One) Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
WWE Raw Women’s Championship Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bianca Belair
Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz and Logan Paul
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