10 Current WWE Stars Who Are Triple H Guys

4. Ronda Rousey

Triple H Tommaso Ciampa
WWE.com

Triple H's belief in Ronda Rousey, a performer he targeted with a prolonged laser focus, was unshakeable.

In many ways, she is the true commendation of Triple H's role as Creator. NXT may never quite shake its own SuperIndy perception. It's a reductive assessment, this, but Triple H didn't really do anything so ingenuous as to be beyond the most committed and discerning of wrestling fans: he drafted in the most adored Indy names on the planet, transplanted them to NXT, presented them as major deals under its more glamorous light, and over-emphasised its credentials as a proving ground. Neville, Shinsuke Nakamura et al. were already proven.

Ronda Rousey was not. Many very respected journalists and insiders questioned her ability to develop under the exposed spotlight. Ronda would fail, they said, having bypassed the sharpening grind of the house show circuit.

And yet, Triple H knew what he was doing. Ronda isn't "developing"; she is thriving.

The rate at which Ronda accelerates around the ring is a heady blur. She was born to fight, and on the incredibly scant evidence of just two professional matches, with Stephanie McMahon (!) and Nia Jax (!!!) in the opposite corner, she was born also to simulate a fight. She is deeply credible selling on the defence. She is frightening and electric on the attack.

Having taken a shortcut paved by NXT's ingenious coaching set-up, she is a bonafide product of the Performance Center.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!