10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 1998

6. You'll Never Guess Who Triple H Buried

Bart Gunn Steve Williams
WWE

No, not Scott Steiner. That happened in 2003.

No, not Goldberg. That also happened in 2003.

No, not Randy Orton. That happened in 2004 as part of a long-running vehicle to put Orton over (!).

No, not the entire tag team division, whose collective asses he kicked in handicap matches. That somehow happened more than once throughout the 2000s.

No, not literally the entire locker room, which he buried in 2011 to build his WrestleMania match against the Undertaker on the basis that "everybody else is trash and we're the only true challenge we each have left".

Still struggling?

Astonishingly, in 1998, Triple H buried Ric Flair in a radio interview.

Now, this might have something to do with the fact that Flair had that week re-signed with WCW after a protracted conflict between the two parties. It was a time of "war". Triple H could not reveal his very real respect for Flair's accomplishments because putting over the competition was verboten. Everything the competition did was automatically bad. Had Ric Flair signed with the WWF - a remote possibility, since no huge money offer was made - Triple H would have doubtlessly put Flair over as a legend that the inept WCW didn't know what to do with.

Still, given that Triple H patterned his awful early 2000s act around cosplaying as peak NWA Ric Flair - who was in his stable! - it is bizarre to recall that HHH said Flair was too old and should retire a few years prior.

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!