14. Triple H 2002
WrestleMania title shot: Defeated Chris Jericho at WrestleMania X8 So how did Triple Hs triumphant return from a career-threatening injury and subsequent Royal Rumble and WrestleMania victories rank this low? Hunters return was poisoned by silly booking decisions and poor planning at Mania. At the time, the Undisputed World Champion was Chris Jericho. Instead of the feud centering on Jericho being involved in the match that put Helmsley on the shelf months earlier and Triple H wanting both revenge and the title, Jericho would be partnered with Stephanie McMahon, who was feuding with Triple H (her then-storyline husband). To top it off, the match was the main event, when Rock versus Hollywood Hogan clearly should have closed Mania (thats twice that a Triple H match went last when it shouldnt have), and it showed with the crowd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT5HwVrePdA Triple Hs return at the Royal Rumble was a great moment for fans, but everything else that unfolded fell flat. He even lost the title a month after WrestleMania so the Hogan nostalgia act could be milked again. Yes, Triple H won at Mania, but everything that happened after his Rumble victory was a debacle.
Scott Carlson
Contributor
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.
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