Triple Threat Theatre - Triple H

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat Theatre where we highlight the three best matches from a specific wrestler’s career.

This time around we are taking a look at the long career of Triple H, Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. A man who found himself early in his career as a lackey of sorts for the controversial group known as The Kliq. Triple H is a man whose career has had many different stages, from the goofy yet humorous D-Generation X member then leader. Following the successful run leading the Helmsley-McMahon regime, he would go onto have what many refer to as the Reign of Terror, where he was constantly at the top of the card and nigh-invincible from 2002 through 2005. He would remain atop the card for many years following until semi-retirement and an office position turned him into an internet favorite with his creation of the NXT brand. For many years NXT would produce the best professional wrestling not only in WWE, but the whole planet. Triple H’s career has had many phases, and many would attempt to convince you that he has had many five-star classics, but the truth is unless he were in the ring with someone who could help lift him to those lofty heights he would present many matches that had the ‘big-match’ feel but would end up ringing somewhat hollow. That isn’t to say he has not had many great matches as he has and today we look at the best of the best.

3) WWE SummerSlam 2002 – August 25, 2002 – Street Fight – Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels

Following his loss at WrestleMania 14 to Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels would enter retirement due to a career-ending back injury suffered at that year’s Royal Rumble. Michaels had many demons that he needed to deal with and over the course of the following 3 ½ years, he would find religion and start a family. This also led to rehabilitation and surgery that helped his back to a point where he felt he could have one more match to go out on his terms. He would tap his best friend Triple H for this match and the two helped build the feud beautifully with a proposed DX reunion that ended with Hunter turning his back on his best friend. The two put together one of the best street fights ever presented in WWE in a match that stood out on a card full of other ‘Match of the Year’ contenders including Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio and The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar. An absolute gem on a show loaded with them, this is one of the best matches of both men’s careers and would inspire HBK to continue wrestling for another eight years before his final retirement at WrestleMania 26. (Crown Jewel never happened and you can’t convince me otherwise!)

2) WWE WrestleMania XX – March 14, 2004 – Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship Match – Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit

Undoubtedly a controversial inclusion due to the actions that led to the end of Chris Benoit’s life, but this match, which was the crowning moment of his career, is simply one of the best triple threat matches in history. After Benoit won the 2004 Royal Rumble it seemed that WWE had finally seen in him what all hardcore wrestling fans knew since his days in Stampede Wrestling and ECW. He was the best-damned wrestler on the roster and deserved a run at the top. But WWE threw everyone a curveball by including Shawn Michaels into the match, seemingly in doubt that Benoit could carry the title. At the time these were arguably three of the best wrestlers on the roster and there was no doubt that they would put on a classic and that is what they did. According to Bruce Prichard on his Something To Wrestle podcast years later, both Triple H and Michaels wanted to be the one to put Benoit over as they both had immense respect and in this case it was Hunter who got the nod, eventually tapping out to the Crippler Crossface after a near 25-minute classic. If you can get past the obvious issues watching a Benoit match, this is a must-see and is likely Triple H’s finest WrestleMania moment even in defeat.

1) WWF Royal Rumble 2000 – January 23, 2000 – WWF Championship Street Fight – Triple H vs. Cactus Jack

There was a lot of doubt early in the main event WWF Championship run about Triple H. He had been paired with his future wife Stephanie McMahon in a pairing that made them the most hated duo in wrestling. At the time Mick Foley was looking to end his career on a high note and in a wonderful throwback to their earlier feud, Foley brought back the maniacal Cactus Jack to face off against the newly minted ‘guy.’ Hunter had been in the main event scene for a while, but this was the match that cemented him going forward, both in the eyes of the fans and by his own admission. An absolutely brutal battle between the two men involving barbed-wire and tacks and in one particularly brutal moment, Triple H would have a hole gouged in his leg following a suplex on a broken pallet. Much like Foley had done earlier in his career when he had his ear torn off, Triple H would continue the match as it was always his number one priority to ensure the match was finished. The best match in his career would also be the subject of a WWE Untold documentary on the WWE Network so be sure to check that one out as well.

Honorable Mentions:

WWE WrestleMania 28 – April 1, 2012 – End Of An Era Hell In A Cell – Triple H vs. Undertaker (Special Guest Referee Shawn Michaels)

WWE WrestleMania 30 – April 6, 2014 – Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan

WWF SummerSlam 1998 – August 30, 1998 – WWF Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match – Triple H vs. The Rock

WWF RAW IS WAR – WWF Tag Team Championship Match – Stone Cold Steve Austin & Triple H vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho