10 Ways Triple H's WWE Dream Became A Complete Nightmare
The Game's year in charge brought promise, change, but Vince gonna Vince.
Anniversaries are more than something for husbands to forget, expensive dinners and Instagram-ready vacations. They mark the passage of time and provide an opportunity for reflection on what has happened during the past year or years.
As we mark the one-year anniversary of Triple H’s unlikely – and sudden – ascension to the top of WWE, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on a tumultuous year that brought the promise of change, some change, and the Overton Window sliding back as Vince McMahon slid back into control of the sports entertainment empire he built.
To be clear, none of this should have ever happened, and it wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. We woke up one Friday in July and found out that Vince was out of WWE – forced out (not retired) due to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and paying millions in hush money to hide these incidents. Just like that, the septuagenarian who has run nearly every aspect of WWE for 40 years was gone.
The ensuing year provided a glimpse into what WWE could be without McMahon, and at times, it looked like a fun, enjoyable sports entertainment experience. But this was still Vince’s WWE, and that’s why we can’t have nice things.
Let’s look back at the past year, the promise and how it all unraveled.
Let’s get to it…
10. Taking The Reigns
July 22, 2022 was a very surreal day to be sure, with Vince
McMahon being ousted from WWE, but publicly declaring he had voluntarily
decided to retire. It had nothing to do with the Wall Street Journal article
about his shameful deeds.
That’s how the Triple H Era began. Actually, it began with his wife Stephanie McMahon announcing her dad’s “retirement” and then leading the fans in a seal-like chant of “Thank you Vince.” For a guy forced out because he allegedly paid off women to cover up his sexual misconduct.
It wasn’t the best, cleanest way to begin your dream job, but we had to start somewhere. In the coming days and weeks, we would get reports of Vince’s loyal lieutenants like John Laurinaitis being forced out or marginalized as Hunter began asserting control of the company. Reports of improving morale would regularly surface, and changes in the weekly programing would become more and more apparent.
The first test for Triple H came just a week into his reign
when he oversaw WWE’s second-biggest PLE of the year…