His critics say he's too political, although they concede his dedication to the business. Why is Triple H driven to outperform all others? He is obsessed with being THE BEST.
Triple H has become the latest(and favorite) target of a certain segment of wrestling fans. Whenever it is possible, Triple H is blamed for anything that goes wrong in WWE, especially on the Raw side. That means that any self-respecting "smart" fan cannot openly express admiration for Triple H without including a number of qualifiers.
Wasnt some examples? Triple H outclassed Scott Steiner in his Raw title defense at the Royal Rumble...but that's because he hand picks opponents who make him look good. Triple H is the biggest and most prominently featured star on Raw...but that's because his girlfriend, Stephanie McMahon, is head of the WWE creative team. Triple H is the only persom with enough power to carry Raw...but that's because he ensures that mid-carders cannot elevate themselves to the top tier.
While all those knocks against Triple H might have an element of truth to them, it is imposible to believe that those accusations are completey true, unless you believe...Triple H is the most wickedly clever person in the history of pro wrestling...Vince McMahon would totally set aside his business sense to please a man who still won't marry his daughter...and Triple H is vastly overrated as a performer. Even if you agre with the first two assertions, even the most cynical smart fans still can't bring themselves to say Triple H isn't one of the most dependable superstars.
"Everyone accuses the guy on top for playing backstage politics, and that's just a fact," said Shawn Michaels, Triple H's fiercest rival in 2002. "I heard tose kinds of whispers all the time when I was WWF champion, so I'm not surpeised that Hunter is hearing that now. But the background chatter I used to hear is gone up a few decibals because of the Internet, and these days it's even worse because that tends to overwhelm what's actually going on in the ring."
"Look, I might get on the mic and blow off about Triple H and call him a jerk, which he is sometimes, but you will never hear me question his ability or commitment to this business. Fans should be happy some wrestlers are that dedicated."
Michaels raises a god point. If the Internet and newsletters had been prominent before the 1990s, wouldn't that have made life miserable for other former chapions? While it's true that INSIDE WRESTLING and it's sister publications were very critical of Hulk Hogan during his "Hulkamania" heyday, the level of cynicism is at an all-time high today. The Grand Wizard's allegations that Bob Backlund was a "Howdy Doody bootlicker" wuld have taken on a whole new meaning. What about Bruno Sammartino's seven-year reign as WWWF champ? Who the heck was he sleeping with?
Nevertheless, it's hard to make the case that Triple H has anything left to prove. Triple H has paid his dues in the WWE with the hogpen match against Henry Godwinn in 1995, his squash loss to the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania XII, and the fact that he alone paid for The Kliq's unauthorized show of unity at Madison Square Garden just before Scott Hall and Kevin Nash left for WCW. And, next to Steve Austin, Triple H's DeGeneration X probably had more to do with WWE's late-1990s resurgence than anyone.
Consider recent history. Raw and Smackdown ratings reached their peak in early 2000 when Triple H was one of the center-pieces of the WWE. Few other superstars have consistently delivered a greater number of high-quality pay-per-view matches than "The Game." And unlike other top superstas - including Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart - Helmsley has never walked out on WWE or badmouthed it.
No one can deny his work ethic, wither. Joanie Laurer said it was impossible, as Triple H's girlfriend, to seperate him from the business.
When Triple H suffered a torn quadriceps as he and Steve Austin battled Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho on the May 21, 2001, edition of Raw, he actually continued the match - even as Y2J placed him in the Walls of Jericho on top of a table. Kevin Nash fell down instantly and screamed in agony when he suffered a similar injury in 2002.
Triple H sustained a crushed trachea at Survivor Series when the Internet's golden boy, Rob Van Dam, jumped off a steel door in the "Elimination Chamber" and accidentally dropped his leg across Helmsley's throat. Triple H continued the match, losing the Raw title to Shawn Michaels, and spent the next twelve hours in his bloody ring gear, forbidden to move at the local hospital. When asked whether the injury was Van Dam's fault, Helmsley refused to place blame. Although the injury ekpt Triple H from competing during WWE's tour of India, he insisted on going on on the tour and at least cutting promos in the ring.
It's odd that someone who has displayed such professionalism has become the smart crowd's whipping boy. He represents a delimma for those kinds of fans. In their eyes, Triple H is the shrewdest behind-the-scenes manipulator since Hulk Hoagn. But, in the same breath, they must admit that Triple H is a pretty consistent in-ring performer.
"Every time I hear someone comparing Triple H to me, I consider it a true honor," commented 16-time world champion Ric Flair, who has served as Helmsleys advisor for the past few months. "When Triple H pays homage to me in th ering, whether it's with something he says, or something he does, I consider it the ultimate flattery. I watch him bring down the house on pay-per-view, and I just hope that I showed just a little bit of that dedication back in my day. Triple H is willing to bleed, sweat, and pay the price, and nobody can argue with that."
If Triple H has adopted Hogan's backstage political prowess and some of Flair's in-ring ability, then there's a third dimension to make the package complete. Even more than Hogan and Flair, Triple H is obsessed with earning universal respect from his peers. That's what a;ways drived him to make the next match better than his last. He probably adopted that from Bret Hart, whose concern with a lasting legacy gave him a similar drive to succeed. Afetr all, Hart was WWE's top star when Helmsley joined the company.
"Triple H might be criticized a lot, but there are plenty of young guys out there who try to copy him," noted Lita, the color commentator for Sunday Night Heat. "He has created much of his legacy already because every bodybuilder and muscle-bound guy who sends a tape to WWE is probably doing his best Triple H inpersonation. If Triple H sent in a tape all those years ago, and I don't know if he did or not, he would have done his best to act like Ric Flair. It's just the way it goes. I think every wrestler wants to be a role model."
By that measure, Triple H might have become immortal already. He is :The Game," and that's why fans tend to blame him for WWE' successes and failures. They called him the industry's most valuable player when WWE was doing well. Now they're accusing him of hogging the spotlight when business is down. It's a pressure that Triple H must continue to endure.
It's the price of being a wrestling immortal.
Paul Levesque didn't become an accidental superstar, nor was he born into the business. And, as of this writing, he hadn't yet married into it. His journey to WWE's pinnacle has bee a slow and steady one. Here are the 15 steps he has taken to become the biggest star on Raw.
1. Young Levesque trained with fellow body builder Ted Arcic, who had a breif stint with WWE. In addition to winning several regional bodybuiling championships, Levesque - already a big wrestling fan - became more familiar with the business theough his association with Arcidi.
2. He was introduced to legendary heel Killer Kowalski, who owned a wrestling school in Malden, Massachusettes. Kowalski taught him how to wrestle and, just as important, how to swagger.
3. As Terra Ryzing, he debuted against Tony Roy in Kowalski's IWF in March 1992. Four months later, he beat Mad Dog Richard for the IWF title in his first shot at the championship.
4.Still with the Terra Ryzing moniker, he defeated Keith Cole in his WCW debut on February 1, 1994. WCW changed his name to Jean-Paul Levesque, and his most notable matches were against Johnny B. Badd (Marc Mero), Larry Zbyszko, and Alex Wright.
5. Levesque retained the blue blood persona he developed in WCW when he joined the WWF in mid-1995. The WWF changed his name to Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He defeated other mid-card competition, but didn't win any break-through matches.
6. Helmsley defeated Marc mero for the Intercontinental title in 1996, and the heel feuded with emerging fan favorites such as Goldust and Rocky Maivia (The Rock). He introduced Chyna as his bodyguard at that year's WrestleMania.
7. He became the 1997 King of the Ring by defeating Ahmed Johnson in the semifinals and Mankind (Mick Foley) in the final. Chyna's interference was the determining factor in both victories.
8. Shawn Michaels joined forces with helmsley and Chyna in the fall of 1997 to create DeGeneration X, and dubbed Helmsley "Triple H." After Michaels was sent into retirement in 1998 due to a back injury, Helmsley proclaimed himself the new leader of DX and recruited the New Age Outlaws and, later, X-Pac.
9. Triple H attacked X-Pac during his match against Europen champion Shane McMahon at Wrestlemania XV and joined Chyna in Vince McMahon's Corporation. Triple H then went on a rampage, claiming he was no more a "student of the game" but the "whole damn game."
10. He beat Mankind for his first WWF World title on the August 23, 1999 Edition of Raw. Mankind had pinned Steve Austin for the World title in a three-way match also involving Triple H at Summer Slam the previous night. Special referee Jesse netura refused to count Triple H's pin over Mankind because of Chyna's interference.
11. Stephanie McMahon shockingly joined Triple H to celebrate his no-disqualification victory over her father, Vince, at Armaggedon 1999. This ushed in the "McMahon-Helmsley Era."
12. In 2000, World Champion Triple H became the first heel to win a WrestleMania main event. He beat The Rock, Mankind, and The Big Show to emerge victorious in what was billed as a fatal four-way.
13. After spending eight months on the sidelines due to a torn quardriceps muscle, and with overwhelming fan support, Triple H won the 2002 Royal Rumble. He last eliminated Kurt Angle for his first Rumble victory.
14. He defeated Chris Jericho to become the second WWF undisputed champion at WrestleMania X8. While The Rock-Hogan match over-shadowed this main event, the title win made Triple H's comeback complete.
15. General Manager Eric Bischoff crowned Triple H the first WWE Raw champion on September 2, 2002. triple H, who had recently jumped from Smackdown, was immediately established as the brand's new star.