The WWE Universe witnessed a big title change last night during WWE’s NXT as The Velveteen Dream defeated Johnny Gargano for the North American Championship. Gargano would fail to retain the championship in his first defense.

Despite all the accolades, hype, and stellar performances over the years, this happens to be the first championship that Velveteen Dream has held in WWE.

However, the WWE Universe weren’t the only ones congratulating Dream on his win.

Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative, Triple H himself, was also eager to praise Dream’s performance.

Taking to Twitter, “The Game” wrote the following:

“Believing you are absolutely everything you say you are is necessary if you want to be a champion.
…backing it up is what ACTUALLY makes you one.
Congratulations to the NEW @WWENXT North American Champion, @VelveteenWWE. #DreamOVER”

Believing you are absolutely everything you say you are is necessary if you want to be a champion.
…backing it up is what ACTUALLY makes you one.
Congratulations to the NEW @WWENXT North American Champion, @VelveteenWWE. #DreamOVER pic.twitter.com/jntI4hw70J

— Triple H (@TripleH) February 21, 2019

Dream Over

Velveteen Dream has often been outspoken about being put onto the main roster. This extended to wearing tights that had “Call Me Up Vince” emblazoned on them. He has also drummed up interest by using social media, encouraging fans in the past to Tweet en masse at WWE demanding that he be called up to the main roster.

With this championship victory, however, it appears that the Dream may continue to be in NXT for the foreseeable future.

With D-Generation X being announced for WWE’s Hall Of Fame Class of 2019 and The Undertaker now taking appearance bookings outside the company, it appears that these legendary Superstars may finally be embracing the end of in-ring competition.

For one current RAW Superstar, it’s about time.

Elias, speaking to BBC Sounds’ Headliners show, discussed how the time of these established legends is done. He would put a fine point on his thoughts, stating that it was time for them to “Get out” in order to make space for the next generation, namely himself.

“Get Out Of Here, Man. Get Out!”

“There was a time when I respected The Undertaker, I respected Shawn Michaels, I respected Triple H, and now they just hang around,” Elias said. “They keep having these matches with each other. I just want them gone, so, any respect I did have for these guys is out the window.”

“The whole thing, The Brothers of Destruction, DX, any of that stuff, that was an Attitude Era thing. But you’re looking at the guy right now, so, step aside and it’s Elias’ time. Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Triple H, Kane, get out of here, man. Get out!”

The interview took place around the time for WWE’s controversial Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Despite this fact, it’s probably an opinion Elias still considers true.

H/T To Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Do you agree with Elias’ sentiments? Can you see Elias in the main event spot?

Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chyna, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn and X-Pac will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. All 6 will be inducted as members of the legendary DX faction. Two versions will be celebrated, the original and the “DX Army” version.

ESPN broke the story earlier today.

“I think it’s the most meaningful for us all to go in together and to be recognized together,” Tripe H told ESPN. “Because I think both groups were [just] as impactful.”

Triple H would continue to tell ESPN about how the faction formed.

“It’s a funny thing, because DX was something that, before Kevin [Nash] and Scott [Hall] left, at the time we all talked about using ‘The Kliq’ as it was — kind of morphing that into television, since it was so out there anyways,” said Levesque. “But things worked out the way they did — they left, and the timing was right.”

He mentioned Chyna’s involvement in the faction to ESPN as well.

“Shawn and I still wanted to do it. Vince saw the value in it, I guess, and finally let us go at it,” Levesque continued. “By that point in time I was looking for a heater, and we had brought Chyna.”

• New Video Shows How Much Chyna Missed Her Wrestling Family

Triple H Says Chyna Deserves To Be In The WWE Hall of Fame

Triple H also stated his belief Chyna deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and addressed previous statements he made on the matter.

“Look, people believe what they want to believe. When I said a few years ago on the Austin podcast, or show, or whatever you want to call it, there’s complexities around it,” said Triple H. “But absolutely, definitely deserves to be in there. It’d be tough to pick a female that was more impactful on the business. She did something that was completely so out of left field that it wasn’t even being considered when we first brought it up for her to come in. It wasn’t even a consideration… it wasn’t an easy thing, and against all odds she did all of that.”

He even continued to say Chyna likely should go into the Hall of Fame as an individual as well.

“From that standpoint, absolutely 100 percent deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and should probably be more than once — as a group, but individually as well,” Levesque continued. “There’s more complexity to that than meets the eye, but here we are. I’m just happy that it’s here. I’m happy for her family, the people that she was close to, that hopefully this is super meaningful to them. I know it would be to her. It’s a great thing — very deserving.”

You can read the full interview with Triple H here.

The Revival won the RAW Tag Team Championships this past Monday night. The team were one of the highlights of the NXT brand during their time there, having blow away matches with the likes of DIY and American Alpha. Triple H took to Twitter to congratulate the team on their win, saying “Uncompromising in beliefs. Undying in passion. And unstoppable in their pursuit to be the best. Congratulations to @DashWilderWWE and @ScottDawsonWWE on becoming the NEW #Raw Tag Team Champions.”

Former Wyatt Family member Luke Harper is reportedly close to a return to WWE. PWInsider claimed that Harper was backstage for last night’s Smackdown in Toledo, OH. Harper did not appear on the programme and there’s no word on when he is likely to return to television. It is also unclear if he will be paired with Erick Rowan, his Bludgeon Brothers tag team partner. Rowan is currently working alongside WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, so there is a chance that Harper joins the team and they become a full stable. Harper has been off television since August 2018. Harper was seen with a cast on his left hand a few months ago, possibly indicating that he had surgery. He has been at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando recently working towards his in-ring return.

Uncompromising in beliefs…
Undying in passion…
and unstoppable in their pursuit to be the best.

Congratulations to @DashWilderWWE and @ScottDawsonWWE on becoming the NEW #Raw Tag Team Champions. #WeAreNXT #Forever #FTR pic.twitter.com/HDROhzdH8T

— Triple H (@TripleH) February 13, 2019

WWE legend Batista has a big choice in front of him. Does he return to WWE for a headline match at WrestleMania, or roll the dice and and join All Elite Wrestling?

According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, Batista is “deep in talks” with WWE about a featured role at WrestleMania. However, WWE is no longer the only game in town with deep pockets. Executives from AEW have also been courting the Guardians of the Galaxy star and he’s said to be on the fence about which way to go.

Batista’s most recent WWE television appearance was back in October. He appeared alongside his former Evolution teammates at SmackDown 1000. The Evolution reunion ended with a tense stare-down between Batista and Triple H, leading fans to believe WWE was planting the seed for a WrestleMania showdown.

• Batista Reveals the Advice Vince McMahon Gave Him Before Smackdown 1000

Triple H was injured at Crown Jewel the following month and underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. He recently revealed that his recovery is going well and he’s been cleared to train again. Triple H would presumably be healthy in time for April 7th, but it’s not a sure thing that WWE can get Batista on board.

Batista’s Choice: WWE or AEW?

Should Batista return home to WWE or lend his star power to the upstart competition?

In WWE, he’d most likely work against Triple H. This is a ‘farewell’ feud he has talked about for years. One final run with the company ensures he will be portrayed favorably in the future. On the flip side, Batista has been outspoken about WWE in recent years. He still loves professional wrestling, but can’t stand WWE writers. He’s gone so far as to say he would like to return to WWE, but only work non-televised shows, so he doesn’t have to deal with writers.

All Elite Wrestling offers Batista the same thing they can offer Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho and other big names: Big money, more creative freedom and a lighter schedule. With AEW looking to secure a television deal, Batista is another household name that could put their TV negotiations over the top.

• Matt Jackson Comments On If Batista Was Considered For All In

WWE recently announced that Becky Lynch had been ‘invited’ to WWE RAW this Monday by the McMahon family. Lynch was suspended by Stephanie McMahon on this past episode of RAW as she was unwilling to see a doctor for her knee injury sustained at the Royal Rumble.

Lynch attacked Stephanie on RAW and then confronted Triple H the very next night on Smackdown. After exchanging words with ‘The Game’ Lynch slapped Triple H before exiting the ring and leaving the arena. Becky has been on an incredible hot streak over the past few months, the self proclaimed ‘Man’ has become an anti hero ever since Summerslam last year. Lynch of course won the Women’s Royal Rumble back in January and chose to face Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania. The match will be contested for the RAW Women’s Championship. There are conflicting reports on Charlotte Flair’s involvement in the match, with the Smackdown Superstar being considered to make the bout a Triple Threat affair.

‘The Man’ has now responded to the McMahon’s offer. Lynch took to Twitter and wrote “The McMahon family have me all confused. For a bunch of people who keep telling me to go home, you sure invite me to your shows a lot. The Man will come around, I guess. See you Monday.”

The United Kingdom recently received the first WWE Performance Center outside of the United States. The announcement was made days prior to the NXT UK’s TakeOver debut, which took place in Blackpool.

WWE’s plans for global NXT expansion doesn’t end there, however. The end goal, it seems, is to curate a worldwide development system for WWE, with Performance Centers available across the planet. Each one would then create talent for that regions NXT brand, with potential crossover opportunities then available worldwide.

Speaking with The National in Abu Dhabi, WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative, Triple H, divulged a few locations WWE are keen to expand into.

“I can tell you there will be a performance center in India,” he shared. “There will be a performance center in the Middle East. There will, more than likely, be a performance center in Latin America. We will be replicating this process around the globe, all over.”

“I see that, as you said, the product is very big there [in the Middle East], very successful there, there’s a lot of people that have a very strong interest in it,” Triple said. “If we go in the Middle East and we start to recruit there and we see that all of a sudden there’s this massive interest, there’s [a] massive depth of people that we feel have the ability to succeed, then we would go there first, or quicker.”

What do you make of this? Will this feeder system eventually provide new talent for RAW and SmackDown Live? Will these NXT variations instead exist within their own bubble?

Triple H discussed the possibility of The Rock’s daughter, Simone, pursuing a WWE career last night on the post-NXT TakeOver: Phoenix media call. It seems he is optimistic she’ll choose sports entertainment as her career path.

“I know she has ‘the bug’ of the business. She caught the love of it from her father,” Triple H said at the post-NXT TakeOver: Phoenix media call. Simone Garcia Johnson is still only 17 years old, however.

“If it’s something that she wants to pursue – I know that he is big, like I am, on continuing education and doing everything the right way,” Triple H continued. “I know he believes it’s a wonderful business. I know he would be proud to have her be a part of (the business). Will you see more of her in the future? It would be hard not to see her in the future.”

• Simone Garcia Johnson discusses Hollywood and WWE

Simone Johnson Training At WWE Performance Center

Zelina Vega mentioned on Lillian Garcia’s podcast that Simone currently trains at the Performance Center.

“His daughter Simone and I have become so close,” Vega said. “She’s training now at the Performance Center. She’s like, ‘I want to learn from you.’ She said, ‘I knew that I wanted to start wrestling for sure when I saw you at “Raw” doing the movie (“Fighting with my Family”).'”

Multiple time WWE World Champion Triple H suffered an in-ring injury this past November. “The Game” teamed up with Shawn Michaels to defeat Kane and The Undertaker at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view (PPV). However, during the bout, Triple H suffered a torn pectoral muscle. The injury required surgery to repair it. He offered an update on his status during a recent media call.

Triple H revealed that he has recently been cleared to return to training. He was given the clearance a week ago, and has already stepped up the intensity:

“I just got cleared to actually start training,” said Triple H. “Anyone that’s had a serious injury knows the difference between rehabbing a couple of hours a day and actually training. The difference is trying to get better vs. actually bettering yourself.

“So, I just got clearance to start training and I’m excited about that as I sit here right now extremely sore from that training. It was one week ago I got the clearance so the training has already been stepped up. But I’m feeling good.”

Prior to Triple H’s injury, a match between himself and fellow Evolution stablemate Batista was being teased. “The Animal” has long wanted a retirement match with his good friend at WrestleMania. It was teased on the recent SmackDown 1000 special episode, which featured Evolution reuniting. However, that potential match-up was put in doubt after “The Game’s” injury in Saudi Arabia.

Now that Triple H is returning to training, perhaps the match isn’t unlikely after all. In fact, Batista Tweeted out the following just a few days ago:

https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1086462766901329921

Do you think a match between “The Game” and Batista will go down at WrestleMania this year?

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Triple H publicly commented on All Elite Wrestling during Wendesday’s media conference call to promote Saturday night’s NXT Takeover: Phoenix event.

At first, Triple H gave an exaggerated “What???” when ProWrestling.net editor Jason Powell asked him about AEW. He then followed up with a more serious, albeit generic remark.

“Clearly something we’ll keep an eye on,” Triple H said. “They are out there doing their business and we’ll do what’s right for our business and what’s right for our fans.”

• All Elite Wrestling LLC Files For Another New Trademark

Triple H then mentioned that WWE’s competition comes from all forms of entertainment, and not just sports entertainment. This sentiment echoes a recent statement by Netflix executives, who said they view popular video game Fortnite as a more direct competitor than rival production studio HBO.

Triple H On Today’s Conference Call

The 14x World Champion also commented on Andrade getting a chance to shine on Smackdown as of late.

“I’m thrilled. He’s an exceptional talent,” Triple H said regarding the former NXT Champion. “He’s a guy that every opportunity he’s knocked the ball out of the park.”

He made specific mention of Punishment Martinez, the War Raiders, Matt Riddle, and Bianca Belair as being Superstars currently “raising the bar” as well.

Triple H also commented on the ongoing situation involving Lars Sullivan.

“There’s a lot of speculation and stories about all people at all times,” Triple H said. “Lars is in a good place and nothing has really changed. We’re moving forward and you’ll know when you see it.”

NXT Takeover: Phoenix takes place Saturday, January 26th, 2019 from the Talking Stick Arena in Phoenix, AZ. 

Triple H, who oversees both WWE NXT and NXT UK, took part in a media scrum with various reporters after Saturday’s WWE NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool from the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England that aired on the WWE Network.

During this session, he discussed the decision to bring in former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor to work a match at the show. For those who may have missed the show, WWE did an angle where Jordan Devlin was originally scheduled to face Travis Banks but had Devlin attacked Banks prior to the contest and leaving him without an opponent. NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint walked out and announced that he had a backup opponent for him. This led to Balor coming out.

“It’s about launching a brand. He was extremely cool with it,” said Triple H. He continued by stating that having Balor on the show put a lot of eyeballs and puts a stamp on the brand for what it means to Balor.

He did admit that part of him hated taking the moment away from Banks but thinks it was the betterment of everybody and understands that Banks sees the bigger picture as NXT is all about everybody coming together as they’re working as a team. “It’s working for a greater good. It’s about the overall product and not the individual. That’s the way he took it.”

Triple H was present last night for WWE’s NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool event. It was only a few days ago that WWE opened their new state-of-the-art NXT UK Performance Center. This was done during a London press conference.

In a recent interview with Inside The Ropes, Triple H revealed a unique insight into how he views WWE’s “perceived” hierarchy and what that could mean for NXT talent.

“There are some talent here, that you might see come from the UK, that might move straight to Raw or SmackDown,” Triple H said.

“I think, right now, there’s sort of this perceived system of where it’s kinda – [1] Raw, [2] SmackDown, [3] NXT, [4] NXT UK. I don’t believe that, I believe that talent are talent and I believe they will sit where they sit. I believe you’ll see talent over the next few years start coming up to Raw and SmackDown, and I think you’ll see them move back over into NXT, or come back into the NXT UK system. I think talent will begin to evolve and rotate through territories, so to speak.”

NXT Globetrotters

Triple H thinks that “there will be some talent that will be incredibly successful, will be global names, will be global household names, that will probably never leave the NXT system because that’s their home base and that’s where they fit, and they’ll have incredibly successful, meaningful careers. And probably, over those careers, they’ll gravitate through different locations within the globe, maybe without never being on Raw or SmackDown, but that not being any lesser to their careers.”

This is an interesting take on the WWE’s plans towards a global NXT developmental system. Trying to eliminate the hierarchy and create a level playing field for Superstars to freely jump between brands could lead to some interesting feuds and brand allegiances in the future.

What do you think? Is this level playing field approach realistic, or will Raw and SmackDown always rank higher than their NXT counterparts?

Triple H and Chris Jericho have come a long way in their professional wrestling careers. Both men are former WWE Champions and first-ballot future Hall Of Famers. “Y2J” and “The Game” were major parts of WWE’s success in the Attitude Era. They briefly feuded with one another during that time and met inside the ring dozens of times in the decades following. At this point in their careers, Jericho and Triple H are in very different spots.

Jericho has been doing a lot of work with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), fresh off a run as IWGP Intercontinental Champion. He recently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and will be one of several big names joining the startup promotion’s roster. Triple H is currently one of WWE’s top executives. He’s the frontman of the company’s developmental brand, NXT.

“The Game” occasionally performs inside the ring from time-to-time on special occasions as well. Recently, Jericho took to his Instagram and posted an old photo of himself and Triple H. Jericho called his former in-ring foe a “true brother” through the good times and bad. Check out the photo and caption here:

“Here’s to a true brother, through good times and bad! @tripleh…much respect! #goodbrother @wwe”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bshr4iLlbEP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading

What do you make of Jericho’s comments on his relationship with Triple H?

Triple H Praises WWE NXT UK Champion

WWE aired the episode of WWE NXT UK that was taped several months ago that featured Rhea Ripley winning the WWE NXT UK Women’s Title, which marks the first-ever champion in the history of the title.

After the episode, Triple H took to his official Instagram account where he posted a backstage handshake photo with Ripley and the title. He also wrote the following in the caption, “The first standard bearer of the #NXTUK Women’s Division. Hard-working, uncompromising, and dedicated to making a mark for her and this brand. Congratulations @rehearipley_WWE.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqvXfPPD5qR/

Finn Balor Pokes Fun At Baron Corbin

Former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor decided to have some fun with Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre on social media when he posted this photo of them on a film poster in order to mock them all to continue their recent feud, which you can see here:

??????? pic.twitter.com/MaL7znwQLs

— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) November 30, 2018

As seen on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Milwaukee, WI at the Fiserv Forum on the USA Network, Corbin and McIntyre beat Balor in a handicap match that ended up serving as the main event of the show and was beaten down after the match was over by the heels.

Triple H Offers Pete Dunne Update

Triple H offered an update on WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne after wrestling in the headliner of NXT TakeOver: WarGames II. If you recall, Dunne had been pulled from a few appearances due to an undisclosed injury.

At one point, it was described as severe. “The Game” stated on the post-takeover media call that the WWE star had been working through a broken bone in his foot and as a result, needed to take a few weeks off from in-ring action to heal but he’s good to go now.

Cody On NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

Cody Rhodes kept an eye on the NXT TakeOver: WarGames event in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on the WWE Network and even took to Twitter after the show, tweeted about his dad, the late WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes. For those who may not know, the pro wrestling legend was the one who came up with the original War Games concept. The former ROH World Heavyweight Champion tweeted out the following:

“So proud of Dad. Tonight a group of exceptional atheletes entertained a full house in Los Angeles, in a match inspired by his vision. So glad people enjoyed it. It feels cool being one of those out there that rememeber. #NXTTakeOver.”

So proud of Dad. Tonight a group of exceptional atheletes entertained a full house in Los Angeles, in a match inspired by his vision. So glad people enjoyed it.

It feels cool being one of those out there that rememeber. #NXTTakeOver

— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) November 18, 2018

Triple H appeared after last night’s NXT Takeover event for his usual media conference. The ‘Game’ make some interesting points regarding the NXT UK brand and even teased a big announcement coming next week.

The COO of WWE stated that “Right now, as far as shows, we are focusing on the UK right now. You’ll see a lot of involvement in them obviously around WrestleMania weekend, whether that be via Axxess and creating content.” There were several UK based stars that appeared at Axxess last year, including Zack Gibson.

Triple H also alluded to news for the start of 2019, stating that “as we come into the beginning of the year, you’re going to see that brand begin to grow again. We’ll have a big announcement coming up.” It was also confirmed that the announcement will be imminent; “we have shows in Liverpool next week. It is hard to keep track, they are coming fast and furious. When we are in Liverpool, we’ll be making a big announcement about the first quarter of the year.”

State of the Brand

Triple H also commented on the health of the fledging brand, saying that “the brand has been wonderfully successful. It took us a while to get it rolling, we wanted it to be right,” The Game continued by stating that “we had a few glitches on our side regarding the timing of it all, but now that it is up and running, Wednesday has been this massive destination site on the Network for NXT UK, NXT itself and 205 Live. The traffic has been amazing, the response to NXT UK is amazing, people love the show. It has the same gritty feel as NXT, yet feels wholly unique. It feels, while still in the same vain of what you love, slightly different, and that was the goal. I’m obviously not happy with everything about it, but we’ll change that. You’ll see that happen towards the beginning of the year.”

Credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription 

Velveteen Dream had a memorable match with Tommaso Ciampa at the NXT TakeOver: Wargames pay-per-view where he challenged Ciampa for his NXT Championship. Dream laid it all out there and it looked like he was going to win the title last night.

After the event, a TakeOver post-show interview was conducted where Triple H spoke to Cathy Kelley and gave opinions about the superstars performances’ at the show.

Speaking of Velveteen Dream, Triple H said that he is unbelievable and it is scary that he is at this level at just 23 years of age.

“Here is where I sit with Velveteen Dream. Unbelievable. Everything about him is not to be believed that how good he is and then I remember he is only 23 years old. 23 years old, to take the champion with as much experience as he has, Tommaso Ciampa, to take him to that limit.

To make a little mistake and to lose in what could have gone either way at 23 years old. To have the whole world thinking this is yours at 23, it is scary how good he will be.

It is scary to think how dominant on every level that he will be. If he is not there now in a few years, you know, it is crazy to think that.”

Velveteen Dream is an amazing performer and we can’t help but agree with Triple H that it is surprising to see how talented he is at his age and how crazy he will be in a few years.

You can check out the results from NXT TakeOver: Wargames here.

Triple H has opened up on recently undergoing surgery to repair a torn right pectoral muscle after suffering the injury at WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view event where he and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels beat Kane and The Undertaker in a tag team match.

The operation was done by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama with the belief that he will be out anywhere from 5-9 months. It’s an unfortunate injury due to the rumors going around that he could face Batista at WrestleMania 35 Obviously, this injury may have put these potential plans in jeopardy.

During a media conference call on Wednesday to promote this Saturday’s WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames event in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on the WWE Network, Triple H gave an update on his recovery.

“I had surgery a week ago yesterday (Tuesday, November 6). Everything is feeling good. In an immobilizer and on the road to recovery. It’s just rehab, rehab, rehab and I will be back but that does not stop this machine from rolling on and its business as usual. I will be headed to L.A. (Thursday) to begin preparations for what is a very exciting NXT TakeOver.”

H/T to Brian Fritz of Sporting News for the quotes.

Triple H took part in a media conference call on Wednesday to promote this Saturday’s NXT TakeOver: WarGames II event in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center on the WWE Network where he spoke with several media members about various topics.

One media reporter asked about what they learned from bringing back the WarGames match last year. Triple H stated that it was three different groups involved in last year’s show and that Saturday’s version will have a traditional side with two teams and a straighter format. He stated that he was thrilled with last year as he thought they took an amazing concept and modernized it slightly for today. He brought up how there was some debate about the roof on the cage and it’s limiting for talent but believes that last year proved that it can be a very exciting format that can showcase the talent and all of their abilities.

“I’m really excited for it. I’m more excited about the things we did right last year that showcased talent in a way that was extremely positive. I think everybody, for the most part, walked away from that night with a positive experience of War Games and I think they will again this year. I’m looking forward to making this into a franchise and a brand for NXT and WWE going forward.”

Triple H also spoke about the future of TakeOver specials regarding how many they want to do and the length of the shows increasing heading into 2019. Triple H brought up how it ’s supply and demand. He stated if the demand increases or, as such that they potentially do more of them as he’s not a big fan of giving more to give more.

He thinks that they’re in a sweet spot with the length of shows right now as he wants to leave people excited about the show and once it’s near the end, the fans are looking forward to more as opposed to being so burnt out and it feels like a long event.

“We’ll see where it goes. I do envision us probably doing some things in the UK with the brand there and doing some larger events there but we’ll see what that magic number is as we move forward.”

H/T to Brian Fritz of Sporting News for the quotes.

Sean Waltman discussed the return of D-Generation X and Triple H undergoing surgery this week on the the latest episode of his X-Pac 12360 podcast.

While the return of DX and Shawn Michaels’ return to the ring for the first time in eight years held promise of a nice bit of nostalgia, the match between DX and The Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel fell apart when Triple H tore his pectoral muscle, which required surgery. Waltman experienced a similar injury during his career and was impressed that his longtime friend finished the match.

“What a beast,” said Waltman. “I know what that feels like. They still finished the match. None of us could tell if they subtracted or anything,” he said. “It didn’t look like that much changed after the injury.”

Waltman also had high praise for Michaels, who stepped back in the ring at 53 years old.

“Shawn went out there like a boss and held that match together. He looked better than anyone in that match. The guy who hasn’t had a match in the better part of a decade. Not slighting Paul, because Paul always looks great out there, but Shawn was just a pleasure to watch,” Waltman said.

“Shawn Michaels does not go out there, even for that kind of money, and embarrass himself. And he covered some stuff out there. There were some botches.”

Waltman also discusses why wrestlers have long hair, the upcoming Survivor Series card, and interviews Kevin Sullivan, all on this week’s X-Pac 12360.

The full episode can be heard below.

When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

On Tuesday, Triple H underwent surgery to repair a torn right pectoral muscle. The injury took place at last week’s WWE Crown Jewel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium.

During the main event featuring DX vs. The Undertaker and Kane, it’s believed that Triple H suffered the pectoral tear during a spot when he was thrown outside the ring.

“The Game” announced the news in a tweet that was posted on his official Twitter account. The operation was successfully completed by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

Triple H tweeted a post-op photo with the caption, “Out of surgery, happy to report all is well. Thanks to excellent medical care of Dr. Dugas and his team and all the well wishes, messages, tweets, and texts I got over the weekend. Road to recovery starts… NOW. #GameTime.”

Out of surgery, happy to report all is well. Thanks to excellent medical care of Dr. Dugas and his team and all the well wishes, messages, tweets, and texts I got over the weekend.
Road to recovery starts… NOW. #GameTime pic.twitter.com/cfEmocnDxi

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 6, 2018

As of this writing, there’s no official word yet on when Triple H could be back in the ring to compete again but the expected timeline is that he’ll be on the sidelines from 5-9 months.

It’s an unfortunate injury due to the rumors going around that he could face Batista at WrestleMania 35 on Sunday, April 7, 2019 in East Rutherford, NJ at MetLife Stadium. Obviously, this injury may have put these potential plans in jeopardy.

We wish Triple H a speedy recovery.

An NXT house show scheduled for next week in San Jose has been changed to a TV taping. The abrupt change with only 10 days before the show is an interesting development considering the taping will take place just two days before Takeover: Wargames on November 17th.

NXT announced the change earlier today through their social media channels:

The stakes for the November 15th live event just got raised. #NXTSanJose has just been confirmed as a TV Taping. Tickets are still available NOW! https://t.co/GNTncYqenF

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 5, 2018

“The stakes for the November 15th live event just got raised. #NXTSanJose has just been confirmed as a TV Taping. Tickets are still available NOW!”

NXT Takeover: WarGames and NXT San Jose TV Tapings

A few matches have been confirmed for Takeover: WarGames so far on NXT programming.

1. NXT World Championship
   Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs Velveteen Dream
2. WarGames Match
   The Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Adam Cole) vs War Raiders, Ricochet, and Pete Dunne
3. Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano

Triple H spoke with ESPN earlier this year and mentioned he’s on the fence regarding NXT going longer than 1-hour.

“There are times when I look at NXT and part of me loves the hour format because everybody’s got busy lives,” Triple H said. “By the time you get to Wednesday … if you’re a huge fan, by the time you get to Wednesday, you’ve watched five hours of WWE, and then you’re watching NXT. And that’s if you didn’t watch ‘205 Live.’ There’s a lot out there. The great thing is they’re all slightly different, so there’s a little bit of something for everybody. I run into things, for me, when we’re scripting out weekly episodes of NXT, [where] it’s like, ‘Oh, man, I’d really like to debut this person, or do this thing with this new character, or help get a persona going or something [else], and I don’t have the room to do it. There’s a fine line between that and leaving them wanting more, so it’s a balance.”

Triple H suffered an unfortunate injury during his tag team match up against The Undertaker and Kane at WWE’s Crown Jewel event, this past Friday.

The injury, believed to be related to his pec, is thought to have occurred as Hunter took a Harley Race-esque bump to the outside.

Because of this, it appears that Triple H will require surgery. News broke shortly after Crown Jewel had finished that he flew straight to Birmingham, Alabama.

A torn pectoral muscle usually requires six months to heal and rehab, if all things go smoothly. If not, then rehabilitation and healing could take as long as a year for full recovery.

With Wrestlemania 35 just five months away, there is a very real chance that Triple H simply won’t be fit to compete against Batista.

SmackDown 1000

WWE planted seeds for what they hoped would become a major feud at SmackDown’s recent 1000th episode celebration.

Batista’s flippant comments towards Triple H during the Evolution section of the show teased the start of their storyline.

Because of the injury, there is concern within the WWE that the match will no longer happen. Batista, to his credit, is thought to be determined with competing at Wrestlemania 35.

This decision would force the WWE into finding a suitable replacement for The Animal sooner rather than later.

Bruce Prichard reveaed the origin of the term “worked himself into a shoot” on the latest episode of his Something To Wrestle podcast. On Episode 125, titled “When Hunter Met Stephanie,” delved into the on and off screen relationship between Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

During the 2+ hour deep-dive discussion, Bruce’s co-host Conrad Thompson asked when Stephanie and Hunter became a real-life item. While the actual timeline remains fuzzy, Bruce tells all of what he knew and when.

While answering Conrad, Bruce tells the story of when he first heard the term “worked himself into a shoot”, a phrase that has become part of the wrestling lexicon. Whether it be the legendary Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels feud, or a bizarre tweet from Hulk Hogan, wrestling fans are familiar with the term. But where did it start?

https://twitter.com/HulkHogan/status/125437560418865152

“Worked Himself Into A Shoot”

According to Prichard, the term was coined by none other than WWE CEO Vince McMahon.

“Gerry Brisco and I have this thing… We used to see two people hanging out together, and catch them on the road sometimes hanging out together, and you’d go, ‘Oh, boy, that’s going to turn into a couple right there,'” Prichard said.

“We used to have a term for it. Well, actually, it’s Vince’s term. The first time I heard Vince use it was when Hunter and Chyna had gotten together. And Vince said ‘I think he’s worked himself into a shoot’. So we used the same term here. They had to kiss and be husband and wife on screen, and we said ‘If he’s not careful, he’s going to work himself into a shoot here,'” Prichard said.

And there you have it.

For a detailed snapshot of one of the more infamous angles from the Attitude Era, you can check out the full episode below.

When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

When did you first hear the phrase, “Worked himself into a shoot”?

Triple H Gives High Praise To 205 Live Star

Buddy Murphy beat Cedric Alexander to win the Cruiserweight Title at the WWE Super Show-Down pay-per-view event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia on the WWE Network.

As a result of this win, it marked the first reign as WWE Cruiserweight Champion for Murphy and his first title win on the main roster. Murphy reinvented himself when placed on the 205 Live brand that features all cruiserweight stars after a successful run in NXT.

Triple H recently gave him some high praise on Twitter by writing the following, “A former @WWENXT Tag Team Champion, @WWE_Murphy came to #205Live with one goal in mind…show everyone he was a force in a @WWE ring who could succeed on his own…and at #WWESSD, in front of 70,000 people in his hometown of @Melbourne, Australia, he did just that.”

A former @WWENXT Tag Team Champion, @WWE_Murphy came to #205Live with one goal in mind…show everyone he was a force in a @WWE ring who could succeed on his own…and at #WWESSD, in front of 70,000 people in his hometown of @Melbourne, Australia, he did just that. pic.twitter.com/FASsBR79DL

— Triple H (@TripleH) October 30, 2018

Vince McMahon Makes The ‘Variety 500’

WWE CEO & Chairman Vince McMahon made Variety’s “Variety 500” list of 2018, which puts him among the likes of Jeff Bezos, Drake, and 497 moguls and influencers. He was last seen on WWE television at SmackDown 1000 where he appeared in a segment with Stephanie and Shane McMahon as well as Carmella and R-Truth.