The Rise Of Triple H | Wrestling Timelines

August 8, 2022 - Early Forays Into Main Roster Booking

Harley Race
WWE

In a storyline that will become inconceivable just a year later, Tommaso Ciampa dedicates his pursuit of Bobby Lashley’s United States title to the first ever holder, and early mentor, Harley Race. He wears his gown to the ring after a video package illustrates the history of the championship.

This is very Paul Levesque; Race, as is clear through Triple H’s in-ring style, is also his hero. It would be harsh to call this self-indulgent - Levesque is attempting to rehabilitate the prestige of his titles, which is on the endless list of fixes he must make to a profoundly broken product - but it’s the sort of thing he wants. It doesn’t take; Ciampa doesn’t get over. Soon, WWE fans will barely care about the wrestling action at all, much less a luminary of the sport who enjoyed his best money years in the late 1970s.

Levesque belatedly learns the lessons imparted to him throughout 2020 and 2021: WWE fans care about the spectacle and the soap opera.

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Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!