5 reasons why Triple H needed to rehire past WWE stars
The look, feel, and overall direction of WWE has shifted dramatically over the past several months. Several allegations were levied towards Vincent Kennedy McMahon over the summer, which ultimately led to him retiring from his role as WWE Chairman.
Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan became the new co-CEOs while Stephanie also became the Chairwoman after Vince's exit. Meanwhile, Triple H became the Chief Content Officer and Head of Creative who also oversees talent relations and development. Essentially, Triple H runs the show.
Since taking over the creative direction of the company, Triple H has rehired numerous stars who have either willfully left World Wrestling Entertainment or were terminated by the promotion.
While most fans are excited by the influx of returns, some wonder if it has been too much. Arguments can certainly be made that too many returns could pose issues, but there are several key reasons as to why the roster shakeups aren't just beneficial to the company, but are necessary.
Below are 5 reasons why Triple H needed to rehire past WWE stars.
#5. WWE has cut dozens, if not hundreds, of wrestlers over the past few years
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The most obvious reason why WWE and Triple H needed to rehire so many past stars was releases. During Vince McMahon's tenure as WWE Chairman, releases were fairly common. With that being said, they really amped up beginning in 2020.
Once the Covid-19 pandemic hit, World Wrestling Entertainment started to cut a large number of both wrestlers and staff. They positioned the layoffs as budget cuts related to the pandemic despite the company hitting record-high profits. Dozens, if not hundreds, of superstars have been released from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT over the past few years.
Whether it was major stars like Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, solid hands who could help shape the card, or stars with legitimate main event potential, the company ruthlessly let go of so many talents. With such a depleted roster, Triple H needed to rehire many of these names, especially when considering the amount of wrestling content the promotion produces each week.
#4. The company relied too heavily on rematches in the Vince McMahon era
A major criticism WWE has faced, especially in the previous regime, was the overuse of rematches. It became a cliche. The champion would lose his title and receive an automatic rematch. The challenger would lose but managed to get another bout at the next Premium Live Event. Weekly TV featured rematches from week to week.
While rematches aren't inherently bad, and they're often the foundation for great rivalries, if they're overused, they're offputting and downright boring. WWE overused them. This became a bigger issue when factoring in the many releases. Suddenly, the same roster wrestled each other over and over.
Triple H needs new blood on the roster to avoid having repetitive rematches at every turn. Given that when he took control of the promotion, there were very few fresh matches left, the new blood shakes up the card and allows for rarely-seen and even never-before-seen bouts.
#3. Many NXT stars aren't ready for the main roster
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WWE NXT is the promotion's developmental territory. The NXT television show airs on the USA Network each week and the brand also has their Level Up show available on streaming platforms. The goal of NXT is to build the stars of tomorrow.
While NXT's goal is to build future stars, the process doesn't happen overnight. It takes time for some wrestlers to "get it" and some never do. Simply put, green talent training and performing aren't necessarily ready for the big time on RAW and SmackDown.
Once again, past budget cuts have caused problems in this avenue. Many of the wrestlers WWE NXT were building to become main roster stars were released. Others quit due to Triple H losing control of developmental and talent relations during Vince McMahon's regime. Regardless of the reasoning, many NXT stars left the company and there's not a huge pool of immediate main-roster-worthy callups available yet.
#2. Triple H trusts the superstars he rehired
Trust is a key part of almost any aspect of life, especially business. If you don't trust those you do business with, things can become messy. If you can't rely on them, work becomes difficult. This is especially true in the complicated world of professional wrestling.
The bulk of the wrestlers WWE has brought back over the past few months who had either left the company or were released spent time on NXT. They are considered to be "Triple H guys & girls". The Game helped develop them and he formed a bond with them.
It only makes sense for Triple H to want to stack up the roster with wrestlers he knows and trusts to deliver what's expected of them. They are talent who he's seen first-hand and Triple H knows they're professional. His faith in the performers he brought back helps The Game move the company forward.
#1. WWE needs to earn back both trust and goodwill from the fans and the wrestlers
Vince McMahon is the most influential person in professional wrestling history, certainly of the television and streaming era. His impact could never be denied. Despite the many great things he achieved, not every move was universally loved.
Many talents believe that McMahon mistreated them, especially with the aforementioned budget cuts. Several stars were convinced to sign new, expensive contracts with the company only to be cut months later. The wrestlers were scorned and the fans knew about it, which turned many away from the promotion.
Triple H rehiring so many wrestlers accomplishes several goals. It helps to make things right from their release. If the company has a better atmosphere, that will spread through the word-of-mouth of happy wrestlers who have had issues with the promotion in the past. Fans seeing their favorites brought back and treated better will help eliminate the hard feelings created by the McMahon-era budget cuts.
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