Say what you will about Triple H but the former WWE and World Heavyweight champion respects and honors professional wrestling history. Not only has he been very open about his fandom for Ric Flair, he has openly borrowed some of his signature maneuvers from Harley Race, perhaps the toughest and most respected NWA World Heavyweight champion of all-time. Furthermore, he was instrumental in getting legendary competitors such as "Macho Man" Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and Bruno Sammartino into the Hall of Fame after years of discontent between them and the company. The most effective use of Triple H's love for all things old school is his ability to recognize the finishes and angles that have worked over the course of time and utilize them in today's product. Evidence of this can be seen every week on NXT as Triple H continues to revolutionize wrestling and march toward its future by paying homage to its past with simple, effective booking strategies straight out of the territorial days.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
