Why Triple H May Not Take Over WWE From Vince McMahon

by Michael Sidgwick
Triple H
WWE.com

NXT in its Network incarnation was an accepted money-loser; the investment was, in theory, to be recouped indirectly once its "developed" talent made hay on the main roster. Now, expected to sustain itself, Triple H doesn't have a particularly strong hand to play when it comes time to renegotiate NXT's rights fee. B*llocks to whether you deem Johnny Gargano a fantastic pro wrestler or cringeworthy amateur thespian. That doesn't matter; what matters, if you are a shareholder, is that the successor to the empire has thus far showed no ability to capture the imagination and viewership of the all-important television audience.

It's difficult to ascertain what Triple H's true vision for professional wrestling might be. Is he beholden to the produced, in-house formula of scripted promos, aggravating placement of commercial breaks, and discouraged creativity? Will this change, were he to assume control? Will he even receive that opportunity, if NXT continues to fail? Even before global events threatened its future, it should be noted that, from live attendances to online visibility to perception amongst its intended localised consumer, his NXT UK project is a colossal failure.

What isn't difficult to ascertain is that Triple H's vision - phenomenal in-ring lazily welded with a shrug to dated, unambitious formula - is no longer working.

Vince McMahon told Triple H, on last week's SmackDown, that he loved him. This won't matter when the ax falls; Vince demoted his own daughter, or she made a "lateral move" away, from Head of Creative. He is ruthless, and whispers circulate that Triple H, with his new job title, is already being phased out. Who else might take over is another question, but since Triple H doesn't seem to have the answers, it isn't out of the question.

Triple H has claimed to Sports Illustrated that he is a "believer in the long-term game", when quizzed over NXT's lost ground. We knew that already - just look at the flab of those WrestleMania slogs - but that perhaps isn't "the way".

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Contributor
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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!