10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About Triple H
6. Killing His Own Push
Steve Austin's King of the Ring 1996 victory was a huge step forward for his character. 'Austin 3:16' was born that night, and while it took his push a few more months to get going, this was his springboard to greater success.
Stone Cold wasn't WWE's original winner though. Triple H was supposed to take the competition, then embark on his own surge up the card, but his involvement in the infamous Madison Square Garden 'Curtain Call' incident soon put an end to that.
With Scott Hall and Kevin Nash on the verge of leaving WWE for WCW, the Kliq went into business for themselves. They embraced in the ring after a main event at an MSG house show, thus shattering kayfabe into a million tiny pieces, as Triple H and Shawn Michaels were playing babyface at the time, but the other two were heels.
Vince McMahon was understandably seething. He couldn't punish the departing Hall & Nash, however, and Michaels was his golden boy, so Triple H took the brunt.
His King of the Ring plans were scuppered, and he was sent to the Intercontinental Title division. He eventually became a major star, but he was made to wait another year before winning KOTR.