"If she wants to blame me, that's fine" – When Triple H addressed his separation from Chyna
One of the biggest off-screen wrestling stories of the early 2000s revolved around Triple H's love life. The Game dated his former WWE co-worker Chyna between 1996 and 2000 before beginning a relationship with Stephanie McMahon.
In 2002, WWE's Chief Content Officer appeared on TSN's Off The Record with Michael Landsberg ahead of his WrestleMania 18 match against Chris Jericho. He was happy to discuss several controversial topics, including his separation from Chyna.
During the interview, Landsberg played a clip of The Ninth Wonder of the World on his show three months earlier. She made the following comment about Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, dating Stephanie:
"It's not my position to judge," Chyna said. "People say, 'How do you feel about her taking Paul?' But you don't take anybody. You have to go willingly, and I don't blame Stephanie for that. I blame Paul."
Giving his immediate reaction to the remarks, Triple H claimed his relationship with Chyna had already fallen apart before he and Stephanie got together:
"I mean, yeah, if there's somebody to blame, if she wants to blame me, that's fine. Our relationship had taken a bad turn quite a bit before any of this ever happened. We were on a downswing a long time before that, and when you're around somebody 24 hours a day on the road, business-wise it's difficult. But also it's difficult relationship-wise outside of this business. This business is very tough on relationships."
Chyna,Triple H,Mike Tyson and WWF Championship Shawn Michaels back in March,1998.#DGenerationX https://t.co/UzxQbjCZhn
Triple H married Stephanie McMahon on October 25, 2003. They have three daughters together: Aurora Rose (born in 2006), Murphy Claire (born in 2008), and Vaughn Evelyn (born in 2010).
How Triple H views his relationship with Chyna
The 14-time WWE world champion had no problem taking the blame for his relationship with Chyna deteriorating. However, he felt that his ex-girlfriend struggled to accept they were drifting apart as a couple.
The Attitude Era's original Power Couple! Triple H and Chyna!🤘
#tripleh #thegame #cerebralassasin #kingofkings #chyna #9thwonder #dx #toosweet #powercouple https://t.co/AYNYD2FY4m
Triple H added that he only wished the best for Chyna, who left WWE four months before the interview was recorded:
"We had taken a bad swing prior to that. I think that she doesn't see that part of it and that's okay. If she blames me and she has a lot of anger, I understand that, but I wish her the best. Things just didn't work out between us, and that happens in life."
The King of Kings was asked why he began dating someone else in the same industry instead of a non-wrestling personality. At the time, he thought a partner outside of WWE would likely struggle to understand his schedule and dedication to the business.
What are your thoughts on The Game's 2002 remarks? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Off The Record and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.