If anything, the video packages airing on Raw and Confidential that detailed Booker's tough childhood in Houston and the robbery that landed him in prison seemed to provide more reasons why Booker, who had overcome so much in his life, deserved this one chance at greatness.
The crowd in Seattle cheered as Booker chopped and punched Triple-H, and sent him crashing to the mat with a high backdrop. The veteran kept the pressure on Triple-H, following him to the arena floor, throwing him into the ringpost, and delivering a series of roundhouse and spin kicks back inside the squared circle.
But Ric Flair's interference changed the equation. When Booker missed a sidekick and crotched himself on the top rope, Flair dropped him onto the metal steps and rolled him back inside the ring. That enabled the Raw champion to apply the Indian deathlock, which made it impossible for Booker to place weight on his leg for the rest of the match.
Booker made a last-ditch effort by nailing Triple-H with the Harlem hangover, but Flair placed Helmsley's foot on the rope to break the count. After 18minutes of action, an exhausted Triple-H caught Booker with the pedigree and scored the pinfall. Booker would have to wait for another chance at greatness.
25. Steiner Beats Raw Champ Triple H By DQ at Royal Rumble
Scott Steiner was considered one of wrestling's hottest free agents when WWE signed him in October 2002, and fans clearly were excited about his upcoming appearance at the Royal Rumble, so he must have been very surprised by the reaction he heard during his first televised match against Raw champion Triple-H. Only 10 minutes into the bout, the fans at Boston's FIeetCenter were starting to boo Steiner's repeated use of overhead suplexes, as well as his botched execution of a few of them.
His poor stamina, debilitating back and knee injuries, and apparent inability to carry a main-event match were turning the crowd against him. It became obvious the former WCW World champion shouldn't have been expected to wrestle longer than 10 minutes at this stage of his career ... and this Raw title bout went a full 18 minutes.
Aside from Ric Flair's interference on Triple-H's behalf, the ending of this match didn't endear Steiner or Helmsley to the fans, either. Triple-H grabbed his trusty sledgehammer and rammed it into Steiner's midsection, prompting the referee to disqualify the champion.
"Big Poppa Pump" was unable to recapture the crowd, not even when he put Triple-H in the Steiner recliner after the match. When Steiner dropped the Raw title belt across Helmsley's chest and raised his arms, the crowd booed more. He then climbed onto the second rope and flexed his muscles, which resulted in nothing but more boos.
With Steiner, WWE learned that star power wasn't enough to carry an important pay-per-view match. The fans expect those stars to deliver.
31. Kevin Nash Beats Raw Champ Triple H By DQ at Judgement Day
When Kevin Nash and Triple-H were part of The Kliq in the mid-1990s, Helmsley - a junior member - probably fantasized about besting Nash, a leader of the notorious backstage group. At Judgment Day, Triple-H got his chance, as he defended the WWE Raw title against "Big Daddy Cool."
Ric Flair, who was in Triple-H's corner, and Shawn Michaels, who was in Nash's corner, quickly became non-factors when those two brawled to the back before the opening bell. Nash began with his methodical assault, driving his knees into the champion's midsection near the turnbuckles. Helmsley went for the pedigree early, but made only a near-fall at the six-minute mark. It was clearly a mistake when Helmsley attempted a second pedigree, especially on a seven-footer like Nash. He sent Triple-H sailing with a back bodydrop over the top rope.
Then again, Nash clearly made a mistake by sending Triple-H to the outside."The Cerebral Assassin" grabbed his sledgehammer from under the apron. Back in the ring, the referee tried to grab it, but Helmsley rammed the official with it. Nash started punching Triple-H as the referee disqualified the champion after only seven minutes.
Like Scott Steiner at the Royal Rumble, Nash tried to save the mediocre bout with a postmatch attack. As in the Steiner match, fans booed as Nash jackknifed Helmsley in the ring and again through the announcers' table on the stage.
Although Helmsley-Nash didn't disappoint as badly as Helmsley-Steiner did, the crowd reaction had to force "The Game" to seriously reconsider his tactics ... and his choice of opponents.
37. WWE Raw Champion Triple H Defeats Steiner at No Way Out
Officials probably regretted that Triple-H's WWE Raw title defense against Scott Steiner at the Royal Rumble didn't result in a straight decision, because it seemed they had no choice but to book a rematch for No Way Out. Unfortunately for Steiner and Helmsley, the last place to try to save a lost cause is Montreal, where the fans show great respect for legends but won't tolerate what Jim Ross would call an "ugly bowling shoe" of a match.
Actually, the Helmsley-Steiner rematch was better than the first, mainly because it ran only 13 minutes instead of 20. But Montreal fans, based on the match at the Royal Rumble, already knew what to expect. They were merciless with their "Steiner sucks!" chants, although they cheered Hogan for an arguably worse performance later in the show.
As referee Earl Hebner withstood "You screwed Bret!" chants, Helmsley and Steiner made solid efforts. The former WCW World champion sent Triple-H bouncing over the top rope and off the ring apron, and later tossed him with a fallaway slam. Ric Flair, at ringside for Triple-H, broke the count and saved the game for "The Game."
Toward the end, "Big Poppa Pump" snared Triple-H in the Steiner recliner. Flair motioned for reinforcements, and Triple-H's fellow Evolution members, Randy Orton and Batista, rescued Helmsley from the hold. Steiner fought off Orton and Batista, but Triple-H nailed him with the Raw title belt. Yet that wasn't enough to keep Steiner down for the count. "The Game" had to plant him with the pedigree to score the pinfall.
He's a cheater. He tried to split Scott Steiner's head open with his sledgehammer during their match at the Royal Rumble, used his title belt to knock out Steiner during their rematch at No Way Out, utilized major interference from Ric Flair against Booker T during their match at WrestIeMania, and got himself disqualified in his match against Kevin Nash at Judgment Day by assaulting the referee. He doesn't play fair.
He's crude. In the weeks leading up to his WrestIeMania match with Booker T, Triple-H played the race card by calling Booker's hair "nappy" and by telling Booker that people like him don't wrestle for championships. Helmsley also said that Booker wasn't in his class and instead of being his opponent, he should be his limousine driver. Absolutely classless.
He utilizes gang warfare. Triple-H's Evolution group, which formed at the beginning of the year during his feud with Steiner, is nothing more than a clique designed to keep the Raw championship around his waist through intimidation and the occasional mugging.
He's endorsed. Watching Triple-H parade Ric Flair around with him week after week - just so Flair can tell us all how great Helmsley is - is damn depressing. What's worse is that their relationship has turned Flair, perhaps wrestling's greatest ever, into a glorified shill much of the time.
Despite all of the above, perhaps the biggest reason Triple-H was wrestling's most hated man was that he was wrestling's most successful man. Success breeds jealousy, and as we all know, jealousy breeds contempt.
From January through June, a lot of people were jealous of Triple-H.
20. Triple H vs Booker T - Wrestlemania XIX
"The Cerebral Assassin" wrestled a brilliant match, injuring Booker's knee and controlling the pace. Triple-H showed flashes of the technical proficiency - particularly his use of the Indian deathlock - and ruthless aggression that made him "The Game" in 2000. His offense was like neutral zone trap in the NHL - ugly but effective.