5 Current WWE Superstars whose careers were directly influenced by Triple H
Triple H is one of the biggest superstars in WWE history. He represented a larger-than-life character, and although a small period of his run in the mid-2000s was controversial, there is no denying the impact he has had.
In terms of in-ring tenure, The Game outlasted nearly all of his peers in The Attitude Era. But his influence extends far beyond that. He has held a backstage role for years now, slowly and quietly transitioning out of his in-ring career to focus on being a top WWE executive.
While health issues have limited The Game's presence in recent months, he has been the focus of the wrestling world lately following the drastic overhaul of NXT. WWE has clearly made moves to completely shift away from what he built. Most notably, the company released several members of his hand-picked staff.
But we're not going to focus on that. Instead, to highlight Triple H's influence, let's take a look at five current WWE superstars whose careers were directly influenced by The Cerebral Assassin.
#5. Seth Rollins - Triple H was monumental in his rise in WWE
"@TripleH's kingdom is burning, and @WWERollins is holding the torch!" - @WWEGraves #WrestleMania #HHHvsRollins https://t.co/dhsYv1N8uW
It's hard to argue that behind Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins is WWE's second-biggest star of this generation. Few performers have reached the levels that Rollins has, and when Reigns was forced to take several months off late in 2018, WWE chose Rollins to be RAW's top star. He won the Royal Rumble in 2019 and subsequently dethroned Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35.
Throughout Rollins' rapid rise, dating back to his NXT days, Triple H was perhaps the main catalyst in making The Visionary into the star he is today. Most fans may only think of his direct influence with Rollins through their on-screen work together. But behind the scenes, Triple H was always one of the biggest names who pushed for Rollins.
The former champion has admitted on numerous occasions over the impatience he had during his developmental days. Already a big name on the independent scene, Rollins felt like he was ready for the big time, and his entitled behavior got him in trouble.
Despite these attitude issues, The Game took him directly under his wing, and the on-screen relationship they had during The Authority storyline was merely an extension of their behind-the-scenes bond.
Tonight @WWENXT goes live on the USA Network. I’m so proud to have played a small role in creating a brand that has flourished into something beyond all of our wildest dreams. Let the games begin. @TripleH @WWE #dream https://t.co/gBzDAJvgRQ
The 14-time World Champion also turned on Rollins, which led to the latter's babyface run that saw him enjoy plenty of success and popularity between the summer of 2016 and late 2019.
Had it not been for his faith in Rollins, Triple H would never have faced him at WrestleMania and lost to the young star. This outcome speaks of his vision for the future and his trust in Rollins' ability to be a main-eventer in WWE for years to come. By now, it's safe to say his judgment was spot-on.