The 7 greatest Triple H rivalries
Triple H has announced his official retirement from in-ring competition following a cardiac event last year. The Game has played a crucial part in shaping the history of both the WWE and the modern wrestling industry through his work with NXT and his elevation of young talent.
However, above all else, The King of Kings will forever be known for his intense rivalries in the ring. Whether it be friends turned enemies or the desire for championship gold, HHH has made bitter enemies out of some of the greatest WWE superstars in the company's history.
BREAKING: @TripleH announced his retirement from in-ring competition on @espn @firsttake with @stephenasmith. https://t.co/qnyw9NVtv4
With his in-ring career in the rearview mirror, it seems an ideal time to look back on all the memorable rivals The Game has encountered. If there is anyone who has a who's who of excellent feuds, it is the Cerebral Assassin. In this article, let's take a look at the seven greatest rivalries of Triple H's career.
#7. Triple H vs. Randy Orton
Triple H's last match - Randy Orton in a Street Fight on RAW
Last Live Event match - Teamed with Nakamura in Japan
Last PPV match - vs Randy Orton at Super Showdown
Last WrestleMania match - vs Batista https://t.co/RR07tCCXYF
During his "reign of terror", Triple H would do anything to keep his World Heavyweight Championship. He thus created the Evolution stable alongside Ric Flair.
The two men recruited two young upstarts in the business in Randy Orton and Batista. Orton was a second-generation superstar who developed very quickly under the tutelage of The Game and Flair.
However, his evolution came a lot faster than Hunter expected. Orton went on to become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history, and the very next night, The King of Kings and Evolution turned on him. This started the initial feud between the two, with The Game regaining the gold by beating Orton.
The two superstars would revisit this rivalry over the next few years. They first met on the opposite ends of a tag team feud with DX and Rated RKO, then rekindled their hostilities on the road to a WrestleMania 25 headliner.
The Legend Killer targeted the McMahon family and The Game invaded his home. Their interactions would end in Triple H's final televised match at Super Showdown '19.
#6. Triple H vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
Triple H vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in three stages of hell at No Way Out is one of my favorite matches of all time.
F it. Imma watch it right now. 🤷🏽♀️ #Wrestling https://t.co/J9STFnjl5X
One of the most intense rivalries of the Attitude Era involved HHH and Stone Cold Steve Austin. They first went at it in 1999 with The Game chasing The Rattlesnake's WWE Championship.
Although Hunter wasn't able to win his first WWE Championship in a triple threat bout at SummerSlam 1999, he would win it from Mankind the following night.
This put Austin on the chase with the two men meeting at No Mercy 1999. Hunter came out victorious, but the feud soon heated up even more when The Cerebral Assassin orchestrated Stone Cold being run over by a car.
When Austin returned, the rivalry went to 100 and led to a Three Stages of Hell match at No Way Out 2001. After this blowoff, the two men would partner to become the Two Men Power Trip.
#5. Triple H vs. Batista
I have yet to see a build as good as Batista vs Triple H for WM 21. Pure mastery it was. https://t.co/x8TeYjH48b
After Orton's ejection, the Evolution stable continued on with Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista. With many stars targeting The Game as World Heavyweight Champion, the pressure got to him and started making him hostile towards Batista.
The Animal became more and more frustrated as the weeks went on, but he also started picking up big-time wins, including the 2005 Royal Rumble Match.
With the choice in Batista's hands, the Cerebral Assassin attempted to manipulate him into picking the WWE title. However, The Animal was smarter and chose the World Heavyweight Championship.
Batista defeated Triple H to win the gold at WrestleMania 21. To further cement him at the top of the company, he went on to defeat his mentor two more times, including in an epic Hell In A Cell match.
#4. Triple H vs. The Undertaker
A look back at Triple H vs. Undertaker at #Wrestlemania 28.
@TripleH | @undertaker https://t.co/XsNsUqMj0w
Triple H and The Undertaker faced each other at WrestleMania 17 in a wild brawl. Despite multiple bouts over the years, The Show of Shows became closely associated with their rivalry.
The Deadman and The Game met again at the event 10 years later. Both men returned at the same time in a fantastic segment, with neither saying a word.
Their war at WrestleMania 27 saw Taker win, but it was The Game who walked out on his feet with The Undertaker being stretchered out. This stuck with the Deadman and led to the "End Of An Era" Hell In A Cell Match the following year. They added to this by assigning Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee.
This Hell In A Cell showdown had drama, hatred and emotion throughout. Michaels, becoming frustrated after being attacked by Taker, nailed the Deadman with Sweet Chin Music. HHH then hit Taker with a Pedigree, and the resulting kick-out still stands as one of the best nearfalls in wrestling history.
In the end, Taker overcame and hit an emphatic Tombstone Piledriver to defeat The Game once and for all.
#3. Triple H vs. Mick Foley
Just a random thought..
But when I was younger.. Mick Foley vs Triple H at Royal Rumble 2000 was my favorite match for a couple years..
Looking back, I think that was a respectable favorite 🤔 https://t.co/vUXe4Lg4BV
Looking back on his career, Triple H owes a lot to Mick Foley for helping him get to the next level in WWE.
When The Game won the 1997 King of the Ring, it was over Mankind. This led to a crazy feud that culminated with a Steel Cage Match at SummerSlam 1997 and an iconic Street Fight at Madison Square Garden where Foley introduced the Cactus Jack character to the WWE Universe.
They rekindled their animosity at the tail end of 1999. The Cerebral Assassin beat Mankind to win his first WWE Championship. After Foley became the target of the McMahon-Helmsley regime, he was fired and later returned to challenge The Game for the WWE title.
Their legendary Street Fight at Royal Rumble 2000 stands as one of the greatest matches in the event's history. The following month, HHH ended Foley's career in a Hell In A Cell Match.
However, Mick Foley received one last chance at the gold and main-evented WrestleMania 2000 with The Game. Foley should be credited for elevating Triple H to main event status.
#2. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels
The feud that got me hooked on wrestling was Triple H vs Shawn Michaels so I gotta thank the lad for that. Happy trails. https://t.co/95m8033qmA
Sometimes best friends can become better enemies. HHH and HBK were part of The Kliq and then the founding members of D-Generation X.
Shawn Michaels helped The King of Kings gain the confidence to move to the next level of his development. When Michaels returned in 2002, The Game shocked the world by laying out his former best friend with a Pedigree.
This led to a non-sanctioned match at SummerSlam 2002. In what was one of the most memorable bouts in the event's history, Michaels won and then was immediately taken out by his former friend. HBK returned at Survivor Series and won the first Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight title.
Whether in a Three Stages of Hell or inside Hell In A Cell, these former friends shed blood and tore each other apart for the next three years. They eventually met in the main event of WrestleMania 20 for the top prize before reuniting. The story of Triple H and Shawn Michaels will be remembered for years to come.
#1. Triple H vs. The Rock
Rocky Maivia vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley @TheRock @TripleH https://t.co/HWGwxLlBLr
HHH and The Rock are direct examples of how to build a legendary rivalry from the bottom up. The two men came into the company known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Rocky Maivia respectively. The future Great One defeated Helmsley to win his first Intercontinental Championship in 1997.
A year later, the two had risen up the card and become the leaders of their own stables, with HHH heading up D-Generation X and Rocky leading The Nation. The battles between these factions led to a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1998 that took them both to the main event level.
When they met again in 1999, both men were trying to earn their way to the WWE Championship. Their feud escalated heading into 2000, with both battling for the WWE Championship and trading the title back and forth.
The Rock and Triple H can directly thank each other for raising each other's games to the top level in WWE. That's why their rivalry is the greatest of Triple H's career.