10 Wrestlers That Love Their Lives Too Much To Retire

5. Triple H

Rob Van Dam
WWE

Triple H wanted it all. And he took it.

In 1995, 'The Game' selected WWE over a potentially lucrative and easier deal in WCW because - in spite of his adoration of the Ric Flair and Harley Race territory wars - he genuinely believed in the narrative about working for the suits in Titan Tower. Like the famous Sinatra ditty, New York (New York) was the place where, if you could make it there you'd make it anyway.

Hunter's wrestling ascent wasn't without hurdles, but an unexpected romance and some very calculated political commitments resulted in lifting the spare keys to the entire company from Vince McMahon, with the expectation that he'll assume his role entirely if The Chairman ever actually swaggers off this mortal coil.

Ahead of taking the only spot he's thus far not held hostage, Hunter turned himself babyface to the caustic internet wrestling community by completely reimagining the developmental system in his clear and concise image. A mix of old school values and new school talents, NXT captured the zeitgeist in 2014 and has only really relinquished it in the face of All Elite Wrestling's rapid rise.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett