20 Shocking WWE Plans You Won’t Believe
15. Triple H Wins King Of The Ring 1996
King of the Ring 1996 was the defining moment of Steve Austin’s career. On that night, Austin became “Stone Cold,” and launched one of the most iconic main event runs in WWE history. Without it, it’s hard to imagine where he’d be in the WWE hierarchy, particularly given the Ringmaster gimmick’s lukewarm reception, but he certainly wouldn’t be as revered as he is today.
Remarkably, Austin wasn’t originally supposed to win the tournament. WWE creative had originally earmarked Triple H as the winner, but those plans were nixed following the infamous MSG Incident in May 1996.
Triple H and his fellow Kliq members Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall broke character to hug in the ring following a match between Michaels and Nash (performing as Diesel) at the time. Nash and Hall were set to depart for WWE, but the Kliq opted to break kayfabe for one last moment of camaraderie before the group was shattered.
The punishment fell on Triple H. Hall and Nash were off to WCW, and HBK was the WWE Champion at the time, effectively rendering him bulletproof. WWE scrapped the idea of Triple H becoming King of the Ring, but it mattered little in the long-run: he became Intercontinental Champion by October, and later, one of the most dominant heels in WWE history.