How Triple H Has Created Evolution 2.0 For WWE With The Undisputed Era

As main roster gatekeeper and NXT head honcho, Triple H now puts arms over shoulders without feeling the need to wedge knives in backs, and though he can't quite loosen Vince McMahon's vice-like grip over the main roster, he's doing everything in his power to make the rest of the product futureproof for the cold day in hell his father-in-law finally bids a fighting farewell.

He was the beneficiary of his bestie's bad attitude in 1997 - D-Generation-X allowed a permanently-p*ssed off Shawn Michaels to spend his time on and off screen with his only friend. When a back injury benched him for four years, Hunter took the "ball" and ran further than anybody thought possible with it.

The vibe around Adam Cole has ties to both Hunter and Shawn. Cole's got all of Shawn's star-powered swagger but much of Hunter's occasionally-dry proficiency between the ropes. His continued work on combining the two has been one in the win column for the NXT system - WWE had what most believed was the finished article when they signed him, but have still managed to polish a diamond that wasn't even dull.

At his sides are Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong, three superlative in-ring performers that wouldn't even have been hired a decade ago. They have the perfect blend of good bodies, great in-ring skill and spectacular Sports Entertainment patter, but in the mid-2000s era of dull, talentless muscleheads, none of the above was enough.

Triple H knew the difference, even back then. He wanted his updated Four Horseman idea off the ground, but booted the moribund Mark Jindrak in favour of a bubbling-under Dave Batista before completing the look.

'The Game' knows - and always knew - how to play.

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