10 Best Gimmick Changes in Wrestling History

Similarly to his fellow Evolution stable-mate Batista, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque’s first foray into the world of professional wrestling was an uninspiring one. 

He made his WWF debut in 1995, appearing as the snobbish Hunter Hearst Helmsley. This was a loose translation of his character from WCW, and it saw him find a moderate level of success. Helmsley was portrayed as a dominant performer, rarely taking clean losses in singles competition. From his debut to the infamous ‘Curtain Call’, Levesque was pushed strongly by those backstage and his influence off-screen gave him the platform for positive performances in-ring. He even picked up the Intercontinental Championship, before dropping it to a man that we will discuss a little later.

After an impressive two years, Helmsley began to slowly change his mannerisms. His tailored clothing became leather jackets, and he formed D-Generation X alongside Shawn Michaels and Chyna. During this period, the group became famous for pushing the boundaries of acceptability on television, with risqué promos and explicit storylines. A change in character brought with it a name change, with Helmsley’s title simply being shortened to his initials: HHH. 

Triple H rose to the top and his work with Shawn Michaels, whether as teammates or opponents, helped him become the performer he is today. The ‘Connecticut Blueblood’ became ‘The Game’ in the blink of an eye, and his 14 World Championships would suggest that the decision was an intelligent one.