10 Really Strange Modern Wrestling Phenomenons

1. Triple H's Incredible Internet Babyface Turn

I Don T Feel So Good
Instagram/@tripleh

Triple H was persona non grata within the wrestling fandom in 2003. Buried with as much conviction as he buried a generation of emerging talent by fans who reacted to his ponderous, laughable Ric Flair 1987 tribute act with bored dismay, his matches, his promos, his ego - his very DNA was utterly interminable. He fared little better as the decade spluttered forth in his drastically unfunny DX 2.0 midlife crisis.

In 2018, Triple H is the creative figurehead of NXT, a brand so unbelievably brilliant that it is easily amongst the best wrestling products of all time. You could quite feasibly add virtually any TakeOver special to a Top 10 list of WWE's greatest productions ever. The same man who literally buried developmental in 2006 has handily, undisputedly surpassed the main roster with his glorious reimagining of it a decade later. The same man who defensively buried a generation has created - or at least, elevated - shifting, seemingly endless rosters of unique, next-level acts. Singles wrestling; tag wrestling; women's wrestling; stipulation bouts, most recently: Trips is near flawless in his role, bettering even New Japan's Gedo strictly in terms of wall-to-wall brilliance. The most destructive man in WWE is now the potential creative saviour of it

There's hope for Roman Reigns yet!

Well, there probably isn't.

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!