Why Triple H Stole The Show On Last Week's WWE SmackDown
'The Game' was in full-on banter mode in the Performance Center.
Triple H was an unexpected highlight of last week's WWE SmackDown from the empty Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, first opening the night with a rallying address for those watching at home, before taking a spot alongside Michael Cole in the announce booth, spending the entire evening bantering his broadcast partner, the wrestlers, and those who have called his recent change in job title a "demotion" off all night long.
While 'The Game' was in fine fettle, this wasn't how things were supposed to go down.
Per a new report from Fightful, Hunter was only supposed to stick around for the first part of the show before retreating to the back, with Cole announcing that he'd be joined by a rotating cast of different partners throughout the night. This changed when Hunter's chemistry with the veteran announcer and the overwhelmingly positive social media response led to WWE making the call to have Triple H stick around for the remainder of the show.
It turned out to be a low-key masterstroke. The show over-delivered in general, though Triple H using a Sharpie to darken Cole's greying soul patch, dogging his "demotion," and screwing around with the TV cameras helped make the night.