Triple H | |
|---|---|
 Levesque in 2025 at theWhite House | |
| Born | Paul Michael Levesque (1969-07-27)July 27, 1969 (age 56) Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–2022 (wrestling) 1998–2017 (acting) 2010–present (business) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Family | McMahon[a] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Hunter Hearst Helmsley Jean-Paul Lévesque Paul Levesque Paul "Triple H" Levesque Terra Risin' Terra Ryzing Terror Rising Triple H |
| Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 255 lb (116 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Boston, Massachusetts Greenwich, Connecticut Sainte-Mère-Église, France |
| Trained by | Killer Kowalski |
| Debut | March 24, 1992 |
| Retired | April 2, 2022 |
| Signature | |
 | |
Paul Michael Levesque (/ləˈvɛk/; born July 27, 1969), also known by thering nameTriple H, is an American business executive,professional wrestlingpromoter and retired wrestler. He is signed toWWE, where he serves as itschief content officer, head of creative, and is anexecutive producer.
Levesque began his wrestling career in 1992 under the ring nameTerra Ryzing, and gained his first mainstream exposure inWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994, becoming known asJean-Paul Levesque. In 1995, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and became known asHunter Hearst Helmsley, which was later shortened to Triple H. In WWF, he gained fame during theAttitude Era as a member ofThe Kliq andco-founder ofD-Generation X. Amongst other wrestling accomplishments, he is a14-time world champion in WWE, having won theWWF/WWE Championship nine times and theWorld Heavyweight Championship five times, a2-timeRoyal Rumble winner (2002,2016), the seventhTriple Crown winner, and secondGrand Slam winner. He has headlined multiple WWEpay-per-view events, including its flagship annual event,WrestleMania, seven times (16,18,20,21,22,25, and32). In 2022, he retired from working as an in-ring performer due to health concerns but remains active in an executive role.
Through his marriage toStephanie McMahon, he is a member of theMcMahon family, which held a controlling interest over WWE until its sale toEndeavor in 2023. Levesque has garnered praise for hisbehind-the-scenes work within the promotion,[citation needed] which includes creating the acclaimed developmental branchNXT, elevatingfemale wrestlers to the level of their male counterparts, and spearheading WWE's international expansion with concepts such asClash at the Castle andNXT UK. He was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame's2019 class as part ofD-Generation X and was inducted for his individual career in theclass of 2025. Outside of wrestling, he has done acting with roles inBlade: Trinity (2004) andThe Chaperone (2011).
Paul Michael Levesque was born inNashua, New Hampshire, on July 27, 1969.[2] He has a sister named Lynn.[3] His first experience of watching professional wrestling was seeing a match involvingChief Jay Strongbow as a young child, and he took up bodybuilding at the age of 14 because he wanted to look like the professional wrestlers he saw.[4] He graduated in 1987 fromNashua High School, where he played baseball and basketball.[5] He continued to enter bodybuilding competitions and won the 1988 Mr. Teenage New Hampshire competition at the age of 19.[3][6] While working as the manager of a gym in Nashua, he was introduced to champion powerlifter and professional wrestlerTed Arcidi, who was signed toWWE at the time. After numerous attempts, he persuaded Arcidi to introduce him to professional wrestlerKiller Kowalski, who ran a professional wrestling school inMalden, Massachusetts.[4][7]
In early 1990, Levesque began to train as a professional wrestler at Killer Kowalski's school in Malden.[5][8] His classmates included fellow future WWF wrestlersChyna, whom he would later date, andPerry Saturn. He made his professional debut under thering nameTerra Ryzing (a play on "terrorizing") in Kowalski'sInternational Wrestling Federation (IWF) on March 24, 1992, defeating Tony Roy.[9] In July 1992, he defeated Mad Dog Richard to win the IWF Heavyweight Championship.[10] Managed by John Rodeo, he wrestled for various promotions on the East Coastindependent circuit until 1993.[11]
In early 1994, Levesque signed a one-year contract withWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW).[3][12] In his first televised match, he debuted as avillain namedTerror Risin', defeatingKeith Cole. His ring name was soon modified toTerra Ryzing,[13] which he used until he was renamedJean-Paul Lévesque in mid-1994.[14][15] Thisgimmick referred to his real surname's French origins, and he was asked to speak with aFrench accent as he could not speakFrench.[16] He began using what would become his popular finishing maneuver, thePedigree, during this time.[4]
Lévesque had a brieffeud withAlex Wright that ended on December 27 atStarrcade[14] with Wrightpinning him.[17] Between late 1994 and early 1995, Lévesque briefly teamed with English wrestlerLord Steven Regal, whoseupper class British gimmick was similar to Lévesque's character; in real life, they became close friends, and Regal would serve as his right-hand man behind the scenes inWWE decades later.[15] The tag team was short-lived as Lévesque left for WWE (then WWF) in January 1995 after he and WCW could not come to terms on a new contract.[4][non-primary source needed]
In a modified version of his gimmick in WCW, Levesque started his WWF career as a "ConnecticutBlueblood".[16] According to Levesque,J. J. Dillon originally gave him the name of Reginald DuPont Helmsley, but Levesque asked for a name to play with the first letters and management ultimately agreed to his suggestion ofHunter Hearst Helmsley.[18] He appeared in tapedvignettes, in which he talked about how to use proper etiquette, up until his wrestling debut on the April 30, 1995, episode ofWrestling Challenge defeatingBuck Zumhofe.[19] Helmsley made his WWFpay-per-view debut on August 27 atSummerSlam, defeatingBob Holly.[20] Helmsley remained undefeated during the early months of his career, suffering his first pinfall at the hands ofThe Undertaker in aSurvivor Series match atthe namesake event. In the fall of 1995, Helmsley began a feud with hog farmerHenry O. Godwinn, whom he defeated in the infamousHog Pen match on December 17 atIn Your House 5: Seasons Beatings.[21]
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After being highly promoted in the first few months after his debut, his career stalled during 1996, starting off with a feud withDuke "The Dumpster" Droese following a loss during theFree for All at1996 Royal Rumble.[22][23] Up until that event, hisangle included appearing on television each week with a different female valet (which includedPlayboy PlaymatesShae Marks andTylyn John).[14] It was during this time that Helmsley suffered his first loss in singles competition in WWF, againstBret Hart on the March 4 episode ofRaw.Sable would become Helmsley's valet atWrestleMania XII on March 31 and after his loss toThe Ultimate Warrior,[24] as part of the storyline, he took his aggressions out on her. The debutingMarc Mero (her real-life husband) came to her rescue, starting a feud between the two wrestlers.[25]
On June 1, 1996, Hunter appeared on an episode ofSuperstars in a match againstMarty Garner.[26] When he attempted to perform thePedigree, Garner mistook the maneuver for adouble underhook suplex and tried to jump up with the move, causing him to land squarely on top of his head and suffer neck damage.[26] Garner reportedly sued the WWF, eventually settling out of court. However, in 2020, Garner affirmed there was no lawsuit.[27]
He was known backstage as a member ofThe Kliq (alongsideShawn Michaels,Kevin Nash,Sean Waltman, andScott Hall), a group known for influencing Vince McMahon and the WWF creative team.[22] It is widely believed that he was scheduled to win the1996 King of the Ring tournament, but the victory was instead awarded toStone Cold Steve Austin after the"Curtain Call" incident atMadison Square Garden, in which the Kliq members openly broke character in front of fans after a match to say goodbye to the departing Nash and Hall.[28] Despite the punishment, Helmsley did have success following the incident.Mr. Perfect became his manager and he won theIntercontinental Championship for the first time on October 21 by defeating Marc Mero.[25][28] When Mr. Perfect left the WWF, his departure was explained to be a result of Helmsley turning his back on his manager as soon as he won the Intercontinental Championship. Helmsley held the title for nearly four months beforedropping it toRocky Maivia onThursday Raw Thursday, a special episode ofRaw that aired on February 13, 1997.[29] For a very brief time, Helmsley was accompanied byMr. Hughes, who was his storyline bodyguard reminiscent ofTed DiBiase andVirgil.[30] After losing the title, he feuded withGoldust, defeating him on March 23 atWrestleMania 13.[31] During their feud,Chyna debuted as his new bodyguard.[32]
Helmsley was being highlighted again in 1997, winning the1997 King of the Ring tournament by defeatingMankind in the finals.[28][33] Later that year, Shawn Michaels, Helmsley, Chyna andRick Rude formed D-Generation X (DX).[34][35] This stable became known forpushing the envelope, as Michaels and Helmsley made risqué promos—using the catchphrase "Suck It" and a "crotch chop" hand motion[36]—and sarcastically derided Bret Hart and Canada. By that point, Helmsley had all but dropped the "blueblood snob" gimmick, appearing in T-shirts and leather jackets. During this period, his ring name was shortened to simplyTriple H, though he was still called Helmsley from time to time and Hunter for the rest of his career.[28] Even after DX's feud withHart Foundation storyline ended, he continued to feud with the sole remaining Hart family memberOwen over theEuropean Championship, which Helmsley won by "defeating" Michaels after Michaels laid down for him on December 11, which aired on the December 22 episode ofRaw is War. Triple H lost the title to Hart afterThe Artist Formerly Known as Goldust competed against Hart in drag as Triple H on the January 22 episode ofRaw is War. Triple H defeated Hart to win his second European Championship on the March 16 episode ofRaw is War. AtWrestleMania XIV on March 29, Triple H defended the title against Hart in a rematch, with the stipulation that Chyna had to be handcuffed to then-CommissionerSgt. Slaughter. Triple H won after Chyna threw powder into Slaughter's eyes, momentarily "blinding" him and allowing her to interfere in the match.[citation needed]
After WrestleMania, Shawn Michaels was forced into temporary retirement due to alegitimate back injury sustained in January at theRoyal Rumble,[37] with Triple H taking over the leadership position in DX,[28] claiming that his now-former associate had "dropped the ball". He introduced the returningX-Pac the night after WrestleMania and joined forces withThe New Age Outlaws.[28][38] As 1998 went along, DX became more popular, turning the group fromvillains tofan favorites. During this time, he adopted an entrance gimmick of asking the crowd "Are you ready? I said, are you ready?", followed by a parody of rival promotion WCW's ring announcerMichael Buffer's famous catch-phrase, "Let's get ready to rumble", substituting the word "rumble" with the DX slogan, "suck it". Also during this time, Triple H began a feud with the leader of theNation of Domination and rising WWFvillain,The Rock.[6] This storyline rivalry eventually led to a feud over the Intercontinental Championship. As part of the feud, Triple H lost the European Championship to Rock's Nation teammateD-Lo Brown on the July 20 episode ofRaw is War. Triple H eventually defeated Rock in aladder match to win his second Intercontinental Championship on August 30 atSummerSlam.[6][39] He did not hold the title long, as he was sidelined with a legitimate knee injury.[6] When The Rock won theWWF Championship on November 15 atSurvivor Series,[40] the rivalry between the two continued, as DX foughtThe Corporation stable of which The Rock was the main star and Triple H received a shot at the WWF Championship on the January 25, 1999,Raw is War in an"I Quit" match, but the match ended when Triple H was forced to quit or see his aide Chynachokeslammed byKane.[6] This began a new angle for Triple H, as Chyna betrayed him by attacking him after the match and joining The Corporation.[6]
On March 28 atWrestleMania XV, Triple H lost to Kane after Chyna interfered on his behalf and she was thought to have rejoined DX.[6] Later on in the night, he betrayed his long-time friend and fellow DX member X-Pac by helpingShane McMahon retain the European Championship and joined The Corporation,[6] turningheel in the process. In April, he started to move away from his DX look, taping his fists for matches, sporting shorter wrestling trunks, and adopting a shorter hairstyle.[6] His gimmick changed as he fought to earn a WWF Championship opportunity.[6] After failed attempts at winning the championship, Triple H and Mankind challenged then WWF ChampionStone Cold Steve Austin to atriple threat match on August 22 atSummerSlam, which featuredJesse "The Body" Ventura as the special guest referee. Mankind won the match by pinning Austin.[41]
The following night onRaw Is War, Triple H defeated Mankind to win his first WWF Championship.[6] He dropped the WWF Championship to Mr. McMahon on the September 16, 1999, episode ofSmackDown! before regaining it on September 26 atUnforgiven in aSix-Pack Challenge that included Davey Boy Smith,Big Show, Kane, The Rock and Mankind. He defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin on October 17 atNo Mercy before dropping the title to Big Show on November 14 atSurvivor Series. Triple H then continued his feud with Mr. McMahon by marrying his daughterStephanie McMahon and defeating McMahon on December 12 atArmageddon. As a result of the feud, an angle with Triple H and Stephanie began which carried the WWF throughout the next seventeen months; together they were known as The McMahon-Helmsley Faction.[42]
By January 2000, Triple H had nicknamed himself "The Game" after stating he was above the top of the wrestling world (as in not merely the "best in the game" but in fact "the game" itself) and was nicknamed "The Cerebral Assassin" byJim Ross.[43] On the January 3 episode ofRaw Is War, Triple H defeated Big Show to win his third WWF Championship.[44]
Triple H feuded withMick Foley in early 2000. On January 23 at theRoyal Rumble, Triple H retained the WWF Championship in a Street Fight after performing twoPedigrees on Foley. The feud ended on February 27 atNo Way Out insideHell in a Cell, where Triple H retained the title and forced Foley to retire.[45] Triple H defeated The Rock, Mick Foley and Big Show in a Fatal 4-Way elimination match atWrestleMania 2000 on April 2 to retain the title,[46] but lost it on April 30 atBacklash to The Rock, ending his reign at 118 days.[47] Triple H regained it three weeks later, in anIron Man match against The Rock on May 21 atJudgment Day,[48] only to lose it back to The Rock on June 25 atKing of the Ring.[49] Triple H then entered a storyline withChris Jericho, who upset Triple H by defeating him for the WWF Championship on the April 17 episode ofRaw Is War before the title was returned to Triple H because of a fast count made by refereeEarl Hebner, and Jericho's reign is not recognized.[50] Their feud culminated in aLast Man Standing match atFully Loaded on July 23 which Triple H won.[51] Triple H feuded withKurt Angle, initially over the WWF Championship, but then as a love triangle between himself, Angle, and Stephanie.[52] Both Triple H and Angle wrestled for the WWF Championship against The Rock on August 27 atSummerSlam, but The Rock retained the title after Angle received alegitconcussion during abotchedPedigree on a commentary table by Triple H.[53][54] The feud culminated atUnforgiven on September 24, where Triple H defeated Angle with aPedigree after alow blow from McMahon.[49]
After a brief run as aface that saw Triple H defeatChris Benoit on October 22 atNo Mercy,[55] Triple H reverted to his heel persona and restarted his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin when it emerged that Triple H had paid offRikishi to run down Austin atSurvivor Series, causing him to take a year off.[56] While Triple H said he had done it in order to shield Austin from the WWF Championship and end his career in storyline, Austin's previous neck injuries started bothering him again in reality, forcing him to have surgery. AtSurvivor Series on November 19, Triple H and Austin had a match that ended when Triple H tried to trick Austin into coming into the parking lot to run him over again, only to have Austin lift his car up with a forklift and flip the car onto its roof 10 feet high.[57][58] A brutalThree Stages of Hell match between the two atNo Way Out on February 25, 2001, saw Triple H defeat Austin 2–1, thus ending their feud.[59] The Three Stages of Hell match received universal acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the most brutal and one of the best professional wrestling match of all times.[60][61] Triple H also feuded withThe Undertaker, whodefeated him on April 1 atWrestleMania X-Seven.[62] The night after WrestleMania, Triple H interfered in a steel cage match between Austin (who had just won the WWF Championship) and The Rock where he joined forces with Austin and double teamed on The Rock,[63] forming atag team calledThe Two-Man Power Trip. Triple H then defeated Chris Jericho for his third Intercontinental Championship on the April 5SmackDown!,[64] and won it for a fourth time two weeks later by defeatingJeff Hardy.[65] Triple H then became aworld tag team champion by winning theWWF Tag Team Championship for the first time atBacklash on April 29 when he and Austin defeatedKane and The Undertaker in a "Winner Take All" tag team match. As Triple H was still Intercontinental Champion, the win made him a double champion. In doing so, Triple H became the seventh Triple Crown winner and second Grand Slam winner in WWE history.[66]
During the main event of the May 21, 2001, episode ofRaw Is War, Triple H suffered a legitimate and career-threatening injury.[14][67] He and Austin were defending the WWF Tag Team Championship against Chris Jericho andChris Benoit. At one point, Jericho had Austin trapped in theWalls of Jericho and Triple H ran in to break it up, but just as he did, he suffered a tear in his leftquadriceps muscle,[14][67] causing it to come completely off the bone.[3] Despite Triple H's inability to place any weight on his leg, Triple H was able to complete the match.[3] Triple H even allowed Jericho to put him in theWalls of Jericho, a move that places considerable stress on the quadriceps. The tear required an operation, which was performed byorthopedic surgeonDr. James Andrews. This injury brought an abrupt end to the McMahon-Helmsley Era, as the rigorousrehabilitation process kept Triple H out of action for over eight months,[3][14] completely missingThe Invasion storyline.[citation needed]
Triple H returned toRaw as a face on January 7, 2002, atMadison Square Garden.[3] He won theRoyal Rumble on January 20, receiving anUndisputed WWF Championship match on March 17 atWrestleMania X8,[68] where Triple H defeated Chris Jericho for the Undisputed WWF Championship.[14][68] After holding the title for a month, Triple H lost it toHollywood Hulk Hogan on April 21 atBacklash.[68] Triple H then became exclusive to theSmackDown! roster due to theWWF draft lottery and continued to feud with Jericho, culminating in a Hell in a Cell match on May 19 atJudgment Day, which Triple H won. On the June 6 episode ofSmackDown!, Triple H defeated Hogan in a #1 contender match for the WWE Undisputed Championship atKing of the Ring against The Undertaker, but was unsuccessful at King of the Ring on June 23.[citation needed]
In the interim, between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, the McMahon-Helmsley Faction was brought to an official on-screen conclusion. By the time he returned, Triple H's on-screen marriage to Stephanie McMahon was faltering, so Stephanie faked a pregnancy in order to get him back on her side.[69] When he learned that it was fake, he dumped her publicly onRaw when they were supposed to renew their wedding vows.[69] Stephanie aligned with Jericho afterward,[69] but she was forced to leave after losing a triple threat match on the March 25 episode ofRaw when she was pinned by Triple H.[70] The divorce, and thus the storyline, was finalized on July 21 atVengeance.[71]
Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels had made his return to WWE and joined theNew World Order (nWo). Michaels and Kevin Nash planned to bring Triple H over toRaw in order to put him into the group. Mr. McMahon disbanded the nWo following several backstage complications and brought inEric Bischoff as theRawgeneral manager. One of Bischoff's first intentions was to follow up on the nWo's plan and bring Triple H over to theRaw roster. Triple H moved to the Raw brand at Vengeance, reuniting with Michaels, but he turned on Michaels by performing aPedigree on him during what was supposed to be a DX reunion, turningheel once again. The following week, Triple H smashed Michaels' face into a car window to prove that Michaels was weak. These events led to the beginning of a long storyline rivalry between the former partners and an eventual "Unsanctioned Street Fight" on August 25 atSummerSlam, in which Michaels came out of retirement to win. Triple H then attacked him with asledgehammer and he was carried from the ring on a stretcher.[72]
Before September 2, 2002, WWE recognized only oneworld champion, the WWE Undisputed Champion, for both the Raw and SmackDown! brands. After SummerSlam, then WWE Undisputed ChampionBrock Lesnar became exclusive to the SmackDown! brand, leaving the Raw brand without a world champion. Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff then awarded Triple H theWorld Heavyweight Championship, represented by theBig Gold Belt (which previously had been used to represent theNWA World Heavyweight Championship andWCW World Heavyweight Championship), making him the first World Heavyweight Champion.[73] Triple H retained his title againstRob Van Dam on September 22 atUnforgiven whenRic Flair hit Van Dam with a sledgehammer.[citation needed]
In October, Triple H began a controversial feud with Kane, leading to a match atNo Mercy in which both Kane's Intercontinental Championship and Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship were at stake. In the weeks preceding the match, Triple H claimed that, several years earlier, Kane had anunrequited relationship with a woman named Katie Vick.[74] He went on to claim that, after Vick was killed in acar crash, Kane (the driver)raped her corpse.[74] Triple H later threatened to show video footage of Kane committing the act in question; the footage that finally aired showed Triple H (dressed as Kane) simulatingnecrophilia with amannequin in acasket;[74] Kane's tag team partner The Hurricane responded the following week by showing a video of Triple H (rather, someone wearing a Triple H series of masks) getting anenema. Theangle was very unpopular with fans,[75] and was de-emphasized before the title match. Triple H went on to defeat Kane at No Mercy on October 20,unifying the two titles.[76]
Triple H eventually lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Shawn Michaels in the firstElimination Chamber match on November 17 atSurvivor Series.[77] He defeated Van Dam on the December 2 episode ofRaw to earn a title shot atArmageddon with Michaels as thespecial guest referee. He regained the title from Michaels in aThree Stages of Hell match at Armageddon on December 15, winning 2–1.[77]
In February 2003, Triple H formed a stable known asEvolution with Ric Flair,Randy Orton, andBatista. The group was heavily pushed onRaw and the height of their dominance occurred afterArmageddon, where every member of Evolution left the event holding a title.[78] Triple H held the World Heavyweight Championship for most of 2003, successfully defending againstBooker T on March 30 atWrestleMania XIX in an angle with racist undertones.[79] He lost the title after 280 days on September 21 atUnforgiven toGoldberg, in a match with the stipulation that had Goldberg lost, he would have to retire.[80] After failing to win back the title from Goldberg in a rematch on November 16 atSurvivor Series, he finally regained the championship from Goldberg in a triple threat match atArmageddon on December 14, which also involved Kane. Triple H fought Shawn Michaels in a Last Man Standing match on January 25, 2004, at theRoyal Rumble to a doublecountout, so he retained the title as a result.[78] Triple H lost the championship to Chris Benoit on March 14 atWrestleMania XX in a triple threat match also involving Michaels.[81] Triple H was drafted to the SmackDown! brand on the March 22 episode ofRaw and failed to capture theWWE Championship fromEddie Guerrero.[82] Triple H was traded back toRaw without competing onSmackDown! and tried to reclaim the World Heavyweight title from Benoit in a WrestleMania rematch against Benoit and Michaels on April 18 atBacklash, but was unsuccessful.[81]
AtBad Blood on June 13, Triple H defeated Michaels in the longest Hell in a Cell match in history, ending their feud.[81] He failed to win the title from Benoit on July 11 atVengeance and on the July 26 episode ofRaw in a60-Minute Iron Man match after interference fromEugene, whom he defeated on August 15 atSummerSlam.[83] The following night onRaw, Triple H turned on his protège Randy Orton (who became the youngest world champion in WWE history at SummerSlam), expressing jealousy over Orton's title victory. He regained the championship from Orton on September 12 atUnforgiven. Following a triple threat World Heavyweight title defense against Benoit andEdge on the November 29 episode ofRaw, the World Heavyweight Championship becamevacant for the first time.[84] AtNew Year's Revolution on January 9, 2005, Triple H won an Elimination Chamber match to regain the World Heavyweight Championship after last eliminating Orton, then retained the title against him on January 30 at theRoyal Rumble to end their feud. That same night, his stablemate Batista won theRoyal Rumble match, earning a world title match atWrestleMania 21. Tension between the two began in the weeks leading up to the event as Triple H convinced Batista to challenge for theWWE Championship instead of his World Heavyweight Championship. On the February 21 episode ofRaw, Batista turned on Triple H and signed a contract to face him for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.[85] At WrestleMania on April 3, Triple H lost the championship to Batista,[86] and subsequently lost two rematches on May 1 atBacklash[87] and on June 26 atVengeance, where Batista became the first man to pin Triple H inside Hell in a Cell.[88] After Vengeance, Triple H took a hiatus from WWE due to suffering from minor neck problems.[89]
After a four-month hiatus, Triple H returned toRaw on October 3, where he and Flair defeatedChris Masters andCarlito. After the match, Triple H turned on Flair by attacking him with a sledgehammer, sparking a feud between the duo.[90] Flair defeated Triple H in asteel cage match on November 1 atTaboo Tuesday for Flair'sIntercontinental Championship.[91] Subsequently, Triple H defeated Flair in a non-title Last Man Standing match on November 27 atSurvivor Series to end their feud.[91]
Triple H failed to win theRoyal Rumble match on January 29, 2006, at theRoyal Rumble, but another championship opportunity arose for him in theRoad to WrestleMania Tournament, which he won, granting him a match for theWWE Championship atWrestleMania 22 on April 2, where he lost to championJohn Cena viasubmission.[92] On April 30 atBacklash, Triple H was involved in another WWE Championship match, fighting Edge and Cena in a triple threat match, where he lost again. Angered at his loss, a bloodied Triple H used his sledgehammer to attack both Edge and Cena and then performed a number of DX crotch chops.[93] Triple H unsuccessfully attempted to win the WWE title from Cena on numerous occasions, blaming his shortcomings on Vince McMahon, which eventually led to a feud between the McMahons and Triple H.[citation needed]
Shawn Michaels returned on the June 12 episode ofRaw and reunited with Triple H to re-form D-Generation X, turning Triple Hface for the first time since 2002.[94] DX defeatedThe Spirit Squad on June 25 atVengeance in a 5-on-2 handicap match.[95] They continued their feud with Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon and The Spirit Squad for several weeks. They then defeated The Spirit Squad again on the July 15, 2006, episode ofSaturday Night's Main Event XXXIII in a 5-on-2 elimination match. They then again defeated the McMahons on August 20 atSummerSlam, withstanding the attack of several wrestlers who assaulted them before the match as directed by Mr. McMahon.[93] AtUnforgiven on September 17, DX defeated the McMahons andECW World ChampionBig Show in a 3-on-2 handicap Hell in a Cell match. During the match, DX embarrassed Vince by shoving his face in between Big Show's buttocks, and DX won when Triple H broke a sledgehammer over the shoulders of Mr. McMahon after Michaels performedSweet Chin Music on him.[96]
AtCyber Sunday on November 5, during DX's feud withRated-RKO (Edge andRandy Orton), special guest referee Eric Bischoff allowed the illegal use of a weapon to give Rated-RKO the win.[96] On November 26 atSurvivor Series, DX got their revenge when their team defeated Edge and Orton's team in a clean sweep during theirfive-on-five elimination match.[97] AtNew Year's Revolution on January 7, 2007, DX and Rated-RKO fought to a no contest after Triple H suffered a legitimate torn right quadriceps (similar to the one he suffered in 2001 in his other leg) 15 minutes into the match.[98][99] Surgery was successfully performed two days later by Dr. James Andrews.[98]
AtSummerSlam on August 26, he defeatedKing Booker in his return match.[100] On October 7 atNo Mercy, Triple H was originally scheduled to faceUmaga in a singles match. At the start of the night, Triple H challenged newly named WWE Champion Randy Orton, reigniting their feud that had been interrupted following his injury. Triple H won the match, winning his eleventh world championship and sixth WWE Championship,[101] then defended his title against Umaga in his regularly scheduled match after Mr. McMahon declared the match to be for the WWE title.[102] After that, McMahon gave Orton a rematch against Triple H in a Last Man Standing match in the main event, and Triple H lost after anRKO on a broadcast table.[102] Triple H's title reign at No Mercy is the fifth shortest reign in WWE history, only lasting through the duration of the event.[102] After winning theRaw Elimination Chamber match on February 17, 2008, atNo Way Out, Triple H gained a WWE Championship match by outlasting five other men, last eliminatingJeff Hardy after aPedigree on a steel chair.[103] AtWrestleMania XXIV on March 30, Orton retained the title in a triple threat match afterpunting Triple H and pinning John Cena following Triple H'sPedigree on Cena.[104] On April 27 atBacklash, Triple H won the title in a fatal four-way elimination match against Orton, Cena, andJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield, tying the record for most WWE Championship reigns with The Rock.[105] Triple H retained the title against Orton on May 18 atJudgment Day in a steel cage match[106] and again on June 1 atOne Night Stand in a Last Man Standing match.[107] Orton suffered a legitimatecollarbone injury during the match, prematurely ending the feud.[108]
On the June 23 episode ofRaw, Triple H was drafted to the SmackDown brand as a part of the2008 WWE draft, in the process making the WWE Championship exclusive toSmackDown.[109] Triple H then went on to defeat John Cenacleanly to retain the WWE Championship on June 29 atNight of Champions.[110] He defended the championship over the summer by defeating the likes ofEdge on July 20 atThe Great American Bash[111] andThe Great Khali on August 17 atSummerSlam,[112] and was the only champion to retain his title atUnforgiven'sChampionship Scramble matches on September 7.[113] He successfully defended it againstJeff Hardy both on October 5 atNo Mercy[114] andCyber Sunday on October 26.[115]
AtSurvivor Series on November 23, Triple H was scheduled to defend the title againstVladimir Kozlov and Jeff Hardy, but Hardy was kept out of the match after a scripted attack and injury. During the match,SmackDown general managerVickie Guerrero announced that Edge had returned and introduced him into the contest. Hardy interfered and hit Triple H with a steel chair meant for Edge, costing him the title after a 210-day reign.[116] After failing to regain the title on December 14 atArmageddon,[117] Triple H entered seventh in theRoyal Rumble on January 25, 2009, but was last eliminated by Randy Orton.[118] AtNo Way Out on February 15, Triple H won the WWE Championship in theSmackDown Elimination Chamber match, setting the record for most reigns at eight.[119] That record stood until 2011 when John Cena won his ninth WWE Championship.[120]
On the February 16 episode ofRaw, Triple H made an appearance aidingStephanie andShane McMahon, after they were attacked by Orton.[121] On the February 20 episode ofSmackDown, Triple H was interviewed byJim Ross; in the interview, footage was shown highlighting the events that occurred on the February 16 episode ofRaw. Ross asked Triple H how he felt seeing that footage, in response, he broke character (after 5 years of marriage) by admitting thatVince McMahon is his father-in-law, that Shane is his brother-in-law, and that Stephanie is his wife, creating a rivalry between Triple H and Orton. On the February 23 episode ofRaw, Triple H confronted Orton, before attacking him,Ted DiBiase, andCody Rhodes (a group known asThe Legacy) with a sledgehammer and chasing them from the arena.[122] AtWrestleMania 25 on April 5, Triple H defeated Orton to retain the title.[123] On the April 13 episode ofRaw, Triple H was drafted back to the Raw brand as part of the2009 WWE draft, thus bringing the WWE Championship back to Raw.[124] He teamed with Shane McMahon and Batista against Orton and The Legacy in a six-man tag match for the WWE Championship on April 26 atBacklash, which they lost after Orton pinned Triple H.[125] He lost a Three Stages of Hell title match to Orton on June 28 atThe Bash.[126] AtNight of Champions on July 26, he again lost a title match to Orton in a triple threat match involving John Cena.[127]
On the August 10 episode ofRaw, Triple H met with Michaels at an office cafeteria in Texas where Michaels was working as a chef; throughout the show, Triple H tried to convince Michaels to return to WWE from hiatus. After several incidents (including grease grill burgers on fire and Michaels shouting at a little girl), Michaels agreed to team with Triple H to face The Legacy atSummerSlam,superkicked the girl, and quit his chef job.[128] On the August 17 episode ofRaw, Triple H and Michaels officially reunited as DX, but as they were in the process of their in-ring promo, The Legacy attacked them both.[129] Their first match after reuniting was against The Legacy at SummerSlam on August 23, which they won.[130] On September 13 atBreaking Point, they lost to The Legacy in the first everSubmissions Count Anywhere match in WWE history.[131]
AtHell in a Cell on October 4, DX defeated The Legacy in a Hell in a Cell match.[132] DX unsuccessfully challenged John Cena for the WWE Championship in a triple threat match on November 22 atSurvivor Series,[133] after which they remained friends and partners. On December 13 atTLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, DX defeatedJeri-Show (Chris Jericho and Big Show) to win the UnifiedWWE Tag Team Championship in aTables, Ladders, and Chairs match.[134]
On December 21, Triple H announced thatHornswoggle was the new DX mascot.[135] This came about after Hornswoggle sued DX for emotional and physical distress due to them not allowing him to join DX.[135] After being taken to court where they were ruled guilty by a jury and judge consisting ofdwarves, Michaels told Triple H that Hornswoggle could be the mascot. Triple H agreed to it only if the charges were dropped, which Hornswoggle agreed to.[135] On the January 11, 2010, episode ofRaw, Mike Tyson, who was theRaw guest host for the night, teamed with Jericho to face DX; at the end of the bout, Tyson turned on Jericho and aligned himself with Triple H and Michaels.[136] On the February 8 episode ofRaw, DX lost the Unified Tag Team Championship to ShoMiz (The Miz and Big Show) in a triple threat elimination tag match, also involvingThe Straight Edge Society (CM Punk andLuke Gallows). On the March 1 episode ofRaw, they lost a rematch for the titles in their last televised match before Michaels retired.[137]
On February 21, Triple H eliminated then WWE ChampionSheamus from theElimination Chamber match, though he did not win the title. Sheamus attacked him weeks later, setting up a match atWrestleMania XXVI on March 28, which Triple H won.[138] Also at WrestleMania, Michaels lost to The Undertaker and was forced to retire. While giving a farewell speech the next night, Sheamus attacked him and set up a rematch atExtreme Rules on April 25. Sheamus attacked Triple H at the start of the show, before later winning the match, after which Triple H took a long hiatus from the WWE.[139] Triple H made an untelevised appearance on October 30 at the WWE Fan Appreciation Event and also at the 2010Tribute to the Troops.[140]
On the February 21, 2011, episode ofRaw, Triple H returned, interrupting the return ofThe Undertaker and challenging him to a match atWrestleMania XXVII, which later became a No Holds Barred match. A week later, he attacked Sheamus with a Pedigree through a broadcast table in retaliation for Sheamus giving him a ten-month injury. At WrestleMania XXVII on April 3, Triple H lost, whichextended The Undertaker's undefeated streak to 19–0; The Undertaker was carried from the ring on a stretcher whereas Triple H left on his own accord.[141]
At the end of the July 18 episode ofRaw, Triple H returned on behalf of WWE's board of directors to relieve his father-in-lawVince McMahon of his duties.[142] This was followed by the announcement that he had been assigned to take over as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the WWE. This was during a storyline where CM Punk had won the WWE Championship and left the company. Though a new champion was crowned, Triple H helped re-sign Punk and upheld both championship reigns. He announced he would referee a match to unify both WWE Championships on August 14 atSummerSlam. Although he counted a pinfall for CM Punk to win, John Cena's leg was on the ropes, which would break the pin. Regardless, Triple H's longtime friendKevin Nash attacked Punk immediately after the match to allowAlberto Del Rio to become the new champion.[143] Though Nash and Punk demanded a match against each other, Triple H fired Nash for insubordination and booked himself in a No Disqualification match on September 18 atNight of Champions with his position of COO on the line.[144] Triple H defeated Punk at Night of Champions despite interference fromJohn Laurinaitis, Nash,The Miz andR-Truth.[145] After repeated attacks from these wrestlers in various matches, the majority of WWE's on-screen staff gave Triple H a vote of no confidence. Mr. McMahon returned to relieve him of his duties on the October 10 episode ofRaw SuperShow, though he remained the COO. Laurinaitis was named interim general manager ofRaw, and booked him and Punk in a tag team match against The Miz and R-Truth on October 23 atVengeance.[146] During the match, Nash once again attacked him (costing Triple H and Punk the match) and did so the following night on the October 24 episode ofRaw SuperShow, hospitalizing him (kayfabe).[147] WWE later announced that Triple H had sustained a fractured vertebra, and would be out of action. He returned on December 12, as part of theSlammy Awards. On December 18, he defeated Nash atTLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs insledgehammer ladder match, after attacking him with a sledgehammer.[148]
Triple H returned on the January 30, 2012 episode ofRaw SuperShow to evaluate Laurinaitis' performance as general manager. Before he could announce the decision, he was interrupted by the returning Undertaker.[149] After initially refusing the rematch as he did not want to tarnish The Undertaker's legacy,[150] Triple H accepted the challenge after being called a coward who lives in Shawn Michaels' shadow, on the condition their rematch be contested inside Hell in a Cell.[151] Triple H went on to lose this match on April 1 atWrestleMania XXVIII.[152]
Triple H returned on the April 30 episode ofRaw SuperShow, when he refused to give in toBrock Lesnar's unreasonable contract demands, resulting in Lesnar attacking him and storyline breaking his arm.[153] Upon his return two weeks later, Triple H was confronted by Lesnar's legal representative,Paul Heyman, who announced Lesnar was filing a lawsuit against WWE for breach of contract. After he accosted Heyman, Heyman threatened another lawsuit against Triple H for assault and battery.[154] AtNo Way Out on June 17, Triple H challenged a non-present Lesnar to a match atSummerSlam,[155] which Heyman refused on Lesnar's behalf the following night onRaw SuperShow.[156] AtRaw 1000, Stephanie McMahon goaded Heyman into Triple H's challenge against Lesnar.[157] To anger Triple H, Lesnar broke Michaels's arm on the August 13 episode ofRaw.[158] Six days later at SummerSlam, Triple H lost to Lesnar after submitting to the Kimura Lock, breaking his arm again in storyline.[159][160]
Triple H returned on the February 25, 2013, episode ofRaw, brawling with Brock Lesnar after he attempted to attack Mr. McMahon. The brawl resulted in Lesnar having his head legitimately split open and requiring 18 stitches.[161] The following week, Triple H issued a challenge to Lesnar, requesting a rematch with him atWrestleMania 29 on April 7, which Lesnar accepted on the condition that he could choose the stipulation.[162][163] The following week, after Triple H signed the contract and assaulted Heyman, the stipulation was revealed as No Holds Barred with Triple H's career on the line.[164] Triple H defeated Lesnar after aPedigree onto the steel steps.[165] On May 19 atExtreme Rules, Triple H lost to Lesnar in a steel cage match after interference from Heyman, and also injured his jaw.[166]
The next night onRaw, Triple H wrestled Heyman's newest client,Curtis Axel. He suffered a storylineconcussion and was deemed to have forfeited.[167][168][169] Despite being medically cleared to wrestle before the June 3 episode ofRaw, Vince and Stephanie McMahon did not allow Triple H to wrestle Axel, citing concerns for his well-being and the safety of his children. In response, Triple H stormed out the arena and vowed to return to the ring the next week onRaw.[170]
On August 18 atSummerSlam, Triple H served as the special guest referee for the WWE Championship match between championJohn Cena andDaniel Bryan. After Bryan won the match, Triple H attacked him, allowing Randy Orton to cash in hisMoney in the Bank contract and win the title, turning heel for the first time since 2006.[171] Along with his wife Stephanie, they subsequently createdThe Authority, withThe Shield (Seth Rollins,Roman Reigns andDean Ambrose) as his enforcers, Kane as the Director of Operations and Orton as their hand-picked WWE Champion.[citation needed]
AtWrestleMania XXX on April 6, 2014, Triple H lost to Bryan, thereby granting Bryan a part in the subsequent WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Batista and Orton,[172] which Bryan ultimately won.[173] In order to end Bryan's title reign, Triple H re-formed Evolution with Orton and Batista on the April 18 episode ofSmackDown, but Bryan remained champion due to The Shield turning on The Authority. Evolution subsequently lost back-to-back matches with The Shield on May 4 atExtreme Rules[174] and on June 1 atPayback.[175] Batista quit WWE on theRaw after Payback after Triple H refused to grant him his shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H then went to "Plan B", Seth Rollins, who turned on The Shield and rejoined The Authority.[176]
The Authority were briefly removed from power after losing a five-on-five tag team elimination match on November 23 atSurvivor Series afterSting made his WWE debut to assist their opponents.[177] However, The Authority were reinstated on the December 29 episode ofRaw after Rollins coaxed Cena into reinstating them by holdingEdge hostage.[178] Back in power, Triple H began feuding with Sting, whom he defeated in a no disqualification match on March 29, 2015, atWrestleMania 31 after interference from D-Generation X.[179] After his match with Sting, he and Stephanie McMahon were later confronted by The Rock andRonda Rousey during a promo regarding the record crowd at the event.[180]
The WWE World Heavyweight Championship was vacated after Rollins suffered a legitimate severe knee injury in November 2015 and a tournament to determine a new champion was held atSurvivor Series on November 22, which was won by Roman Reigns. Throughout the remainder of 2015, The Authority aligned with Sheamus, who successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contact immediately after Reigns' victory.[181] After Sheamus defeated Reigns atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 13, Reigns viciously attacked Triple H, which resulted in a storyline injury that took him off television. During this hiatus, Reigns regained the championship from Sheamus on the following episode ofRaw.[182]
On January 24, 2016, Triple H made his return during theRoyal Rumble match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as the unannounced 30th entrant. After eliminating Reigns, he then eliminated Dean Ambrose to secure his second Royal Rumble win and 14th (and final) world championship.[183] He successfully defended the championship against Ambrose on March 12 atRoadblock,[184] and defeatedDolph Ziggler in non-title match two days later onRaw, but lost the championship to Reigns in the main event ofWrestleMania 32 on April 3, ending his last world championship reign at 70 days.[185] After WrestleMania 32, with The Authority now disbanded, Triple H competed in the WWE Live tour of the United Kingdom in late April before taking a hiatus from WWE television. However, he continued making occasional appearances in an executive role forNXT.[186][187]
On the August 29 episode ofRaw, Triple H made his return by interfering in the main event for the recently vacated and establishedWWE Universal Championship. Firstly, he attacked rival Roman Reigns with aPedigree, allowing former Authority stable member Seth Rollins to eliminate him, before attacking Rollins with aPedigree, allowingKevin Owens to win the title.[188] This began a feud with Rollins, which culminated in a "non-sanctioned match" atWrestleMania 33 on April 2, 2017,[189] where Rollins defeated Triple H.[190]
Despite being part of Kurt Angle's Team Raw on November 19 atSurvivor Series, Triple H attacked him and caused him to be eliminated in their match against Team SmackDown, and he ultimately got credit for winning the match after he pinned Shane McMahon of Team SmackDown.[191] Angle subsequently joined forces with the debuting Ronda Rousey, and the two defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a mixed tag match atWrestleMania 34 on April 8, 2018, after Stephanie submitted to Rousey's armbar.[192]
Triple H turned face again for the first time since 2013 and his final feuds were high-profile rematches with wrestlers that he had previously worked with. On April 27 at theGreatest Royal Rumble inJeddah,Saudi Arabia, John Cena defeated Triple H in the first match ever featured on aSaudi pay-per-view event.[193] He subsequently defeated The Undertaker on October 6 atSuper Show-Down in a match that was billed as the "Last Time Ever".[194] His feud with The Undertaker continued intoCrown Jewel on November 2, where Shawn Michaels came out of retirement to reform DX with him, in a winning effort againstThe Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane).[195] AtWrestleMania 35 on April 7, 2019, Triple H defeated Batista with assistance from Ric Flair in what was Batista's retirement match.[196] His final match on pay-per-view was a loss to Randy Orton atSuper ShowDown on June 7.[197] Triple H's finalhouse show match took place on June 29 in Tokyo, Japan, where he andShinsuke Nakamura defeatedRobert Roode andSamoa Joe in a tag team match after Nakamura pinned Roode.[198]
Triple H's appearances became increasingly sporadic and 2020 became the first year in which he did not wrestle a match since the start of his career. However, he continued to make occasional on-screen appearances in non-wrestling roles, including on the April 24 episode ofSmackDown, which was dedicated to his 25th anniversary in WWE.[199] The final match of his career took place on the January 11, 2021, episode ofRaw when he faced Orton in an "unsanctioned fight", but afterAlexa Bliss and"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt got involved, Bliss attacked Orton with a fireball causing the match to end in no-contest.[200]
In September 2021, Triple H suffered fromheart failure and anICD was installed in his chest.[201] Due to his newly discovered heart condition, Triple H announced his retirement from wrestling during an appearance onFirst Take on March 25, 2022.[202] On April 3, he introduced the second night ofWrestleMania 38 as the COO of WWE, subsequently leaving a microphone and his wrestling boots in the ring to signify his official in-ring retirement.[203] He later expressed a sense of being at peace with his forced retirement, stating that he "did everything [he] wanted to do and then some".[204]
On September 6, 2022, WWE announced that Levesque had been promoted tochief content officer of the company.[205] Levesque maintained this role after WWE wasacquired byEndeavor the following year.[206] Since his retirement, he has continued to make appearances at post-show press conferences and in storylines, typically acting as anon-screen authority figure under his real name and ring name.
Considered byMen's Journal andnews.com.au as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time,[207][208] Triple H received most of his acclaim for his work as a villain throughout his career. In 2011, thePro Wrestling Torch stated that he was "widely regarded as the best wrestler in North America" by 2000.[209] His WrestleMania matches againstChris Benoit andShawn Michaels atWrestleMania XX,John Cena atWrestleMania 22, Cena andRandy Orton atWrestleMania XXIV,The Undertaker at bothWrestleMania XXVII andWrestleMania XXVIII, andDaniel Bryan atWrestleMania XXX have been considered among Triple H's best WrestleMania matches and some of the best matches in WrestleMania history.[210][211]
Triple H's later career, especially after 2014 during which he was a part-time performer, has been sometimes criticized.Bret Hart commented on Triple H winning the2016 Royal Rumble match for theWWE World Heavyweight Championship while not wrestling full-time, saying: "I didn't like the decision that Triple H, surprise, put the belt on himself again ... it just showed a real lack of imagination if you ask me."[212] Triple H using his relationship with theMcMahon family to continually dominate the spotlight and book himself in high-profile matches has been a subject of criticism since his full-time career ended.[213] After his tag team match along with Michaels against Undertaker andKane atCrown Jewel in 2018,Wade Keller fromPro Wrestling Torch wrote that Triple H "moves like the trees inWizard of Oz".[214] Jason Powell fromPro Wrestling Dot Net stated that wrestlers like Triple H, alongside Michaels, Undertaker, and Kane, "need to accept their limitations, stop pretending they belong in main events, and stop acting like being in these main events isn't stealing the spotlight (from newer talent)".[215] Triple H has also been criticized for allegedly abusing his influence within WWE from the early to mid-2000s to have himself inserted into high-profile angles, or to have match or feud finishes changed in his favor.[216][217]
As the founder and executive producer ofNXT since its inception in 2012, Levesque has been widely praised for helping cultivate the brand, recruiting fresh new talent, and helping guide the brand to various levels of success including sold-out shows, increased respect forwomen's professional wrestling, international expansion, and critically acclaimed matches.[218][219]
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In 2010, Levesque's role in WWE as an Executive Senior Advisor was officially formalized as he was given an office at the company's headquarters inStamford, Connecticut.[220] He was named Executive Vice-President of Talent and Live Events in 2011. In 2013, his title was elevated to Executive Vice-President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative, which led him to work on storylines with WWE's creative team.[221] That year, he earned a combined salary of approximately $1.5 million from his front office job and as a wrestler. He also owned just over $1.5 million in WWEstock at the time.[222]
In 2020, Levesque was named WWE's Executive Vice-President of Global Talent Strategy and Development. In this role, he oversaw the company's Talent Development department and served as a senior advisor to the CEO for talent strategy.[223] He also founded and executive produced WWE'sNXT brand since 2014,[218] though he has not been involved with the brand's "NXT 2.0" overhaul from September 2021 onwards.[224]
On July 22, 2022, WWE promoted Levesque to Executive Vice-President of Talent Relations.[225] Three days later, following the retirement of his father-in-law and WWE CEOVince McMahon, he was also named Head of WWE Creative.[226] On September 2, he was namedchief content officer.[227][228] This role entails overseeing the company's creative writing, talent relations, live events, talent development, and creative services departments.[223]
On October 15, 2023, it was announced that Endeavor CEOAri Emanuel had removed McMahon from WWE creative power and tasked Levesque with leading "99.9% of the creative" moving forward.[229]
In 2014, Levesque and his wife Stephanie created the Connor's Cure cancer fund in honor ofConnor "The Crusher" Michalek, a WWE fan who died of cancer at the age of eight,[230] which has now raised nearly $4.5 million to fund research grants and provide family assistance in battling pediatric cancer.[231]
From 1996 to 2000, Levesque was in a relationship with fellow wrestlerJoan "Chyna" Laurer. What began as an on-screen storyline marriage in 2000 became a real-life romance when Levesque began datingStephanie McMahon. They were married inSleepy Hollow, New York, on October 25, 2003.[232] They have three children, born in 2006,[233] 2008,[234][235] and 2010.[236]
Levesque is an avid fan ofMotörhead, who performed three original entrance themes for him over the course of his career, and was good friends with the band's frontmanLemmy until Lemmy's death in December 2015.[237] He sported Lemmy-inspired facial hair during a portion of his career[238] and spoke at Lemmy's funeral on January 9, 2016.[239] He is also a supporter of English football teamWest Ham United FC.[240]
In September 2021, WWE reported that Levesque underwent a procedure atYale New Haven Hospital following a "cardiac event" caused by a genetic heart issue.[241] During an appearance onFirst Take on March 25, 2022, Levesque gave his first interview since being hospitalized. He revealed that he had viralpneumonia and inflamed lungs, which worsened over time. He said that Stephanie noticed he was coughing up blood, and doctors subsequently discovered fluid in his lungs and around his heart; they informed him that his heart was working at a fraction of its full strength and that he was in a "bad" state ofheart failure. He also said there were moments where he thought he would die and confirmed that the event forced his retirement: "I was nose-diving and sort of at the one-yard line of where you don't want to be really, for your family and your future. [...] I will never wrestle again. First of all, I have adefibrillator in my chest, which, you know, probably not a good idea for me to get zapped on live TV."[201]
In 2025, Levesque was appointed to thePresident's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.[242] He serves as the council's vice chair.[243]
According to the Wrestling Figure Checklist, Levesque had 412 action figures produced of his likeness between the 1990s and 2010s. The majority of these were produced byJakks Pacific andMattel, making Levesque one of the most produced wrestlers in history.[244]
In 2004, Levesque released the bookMaking the Game: Triple H's Approach to a Better Body. It is mostly devoted to bodybuilding advice with some autobiographical information, memoirs, and opinions.[245]
Levesque wrote his own chapter giving advice in entrepreneurTim Ferriss' 2016 bookTools of Titans.[citation needed]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Blade: Trinity | Jarko Grimwood | |
| 2006 | Relative Strangers | Wrestler | Uncredited |
| 2011 | The Chaperone | Raymond "Ray Ray" Bradstone | |
| 2011 | Inside Out | Arlo "AJ" Jayne | |
| 2014 | Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery | Himself | Voice |
| 2014 | WWE Power Series | Himself | |
| 2016 | Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon | Himself | Voice |
| 2017 | Surf's Up 2: WaveMania | Hunter | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Pacific Blue | Triple H | 1 episode |
| 1998 | The Drew Carey Show | The Disciplinarian | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Grown Ups | Cameron Russell | 1 episode |
| 2001 | The Weakest Link | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2001 | MADtv | Triple H | 1 episode |
| 2005 | The Bernie Mac Show | Triple H[246] | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Robot Chicken | Triple H / Werewolf (voice) | 1 episode |
| 2023 | Billions | Himself | 1 episode |
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple H (championship) | Kane (mask) | New York, New York | Raw | June 23, 2003 | [277] |
'Paul Levesque, a.k.a. Triple H, underwent a successful procedure last week at Yale New Haven Hospital following a cardiac event. The episode was caused by a genetic heart issue and Paul is expected to make a full recovery.'
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