3 WWE Superstars who should have retired Triple H properly
14-time WWE Champion Triple H announced his retirement from in-ring competition on March 25, 2022. Appearing on Stephen. A. Smith's ESPN show, The Game revealed that he could never compete in a match again due to a genetic heart defect.
The Cerebral Assassin leaves behind an illustrious career in which he won 14 world titles, two Royal Rumbles, one King Of The Ring and many other accolades. The King of Kings had almost nothing left to prove as a superstar, having built one of the most accomplished careers in the company's history.
The one thing that fans will be left yearning for is a proper retirement angle which could have sent off the former Evolution, DX and Authority leader as he deserved.
BREAKING: @TripleH announced his retirement from in-ring competition on @espn @firsttake with @stephenasmith. https://t.co/qnyw9NVtv4
A number of competitors could have had the honor of giving the Cerebral Assassin, whose last televised match came against old rival Randy Orton, a fitting final match. Since HHH has invested the latter part of his career into developing new stars, he most likely would have preferred to go out putting over a younger, less established star than the 14-time world champion Apex Predator.
Here are three superstars that could have been a fitting opponent for The Game's final ride.
#3: Bron Breakker retiring Triple H would have been a huge endorsement of WWE NXT 2.0 and the young superstar himself
Bron Breakker Destroys Old NXT Logo En Route To #WWE NXT Title Win wrestlinginc.com/news/2022/01/v…
Bron Breakker is the face of WWE's rebrand of NXT from the Black and Gold brand to its 2.0 version. The Big Bad Booty Nephew represents a shift from the indie veteran-based recruitment policy of the old version to a product focused on younger homegrown stars.
Of course, the Black and Gold era of NXT was the brainchild of Triple H. Who better than the King of Kings himself to make its last stand against the man who spearheads its successor?
Being put over by a bonafide future Hall of Famer like HHH would be an incredible notch on the prodigious Breakker's belt, legitimizing him as a threat able to put down not just the best on the brand, but one of the greatest of all time. This is a distinction he would have carried with him onto the main roster.
#2: Kevin Owens should have been the man to retire his WWE mentor Triple H
#OnThisDayInWWE 5 years ago, @FightOwensFight won the WWE Universal Championship when @TripleH shockingly turned on @WWERollins
The look on Owens' face!
#WWERaw https://t.co/3CLWCF6RdH
Kevin Owens is one of the best WWE NXT champions of all time. The Prizefighter's time as leader of the black and gold brand saw legendary feuds with the likes of Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe.
It also featured an iconic main roster feud with then-US champion John Cena, whom Owens defeated on his debut. KO was one of HHH's best generals in NXT, with their bond continuing on the main roster. The Game played a pivotal part in Owens' Universal Championship win by attacking Seth Rollins.
Similar to the Cerebral Assassin's mentor-turned-rival storyline with the Visionary, the Prizefighter would have been the perfect former protege to send the 14-time champion into retirement by defeating him.
#1: Retiring Triple H would have been a milestone in Cody Rhodes' impending WWE return
Big entrance for Cody Rhodes at #AEWDON! Cody takes a sledgehammer and destroys the Triple H-esque throne on the stage! #AEW https://t.co/Mdq6MqtETU
Over Cody Rhodes' three-year AEW career, he took multiple shots at WWE. Some of his bolder, more obvious jabs were directed at the man seen as his direct counterpart, Triple H. Who can forget when the American Nightmare smashed a throne shaped like the King of Kings' iconic logo with a sledgehammer (another weapon associated with the Game) at the first Double Or Nothing pay-per-view?
With Rhodes' impending return to his former promotion all but confirmed, one of the most anticipated feuds he could have had was against the man he antagonized so much during his time away.
Retiring the Cerebral Assassin would have instantly established Rhodes as the new sheriff in town, and sent an emphatic message from the American Nightmare to the rest of the roster.