OO Column: Title Wave by Fonzo (Pro Wrestling News, Analysis, and Commentary... WWE, WWF, WCW, ECW, The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Triple H, Rob Van Dam, Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Trish Stratus, Lita, Stacy Keibler, Divas, RAW, SmackDown, WrestleMania, SummerSla

TITLE WAVE
Dissecting the Game
August 20, 2003

by Alfonso "Fonzo" Castillo
Showdown.net/OnlineOnslaught.com

He was once the underdog. The talented mid-carder stealing shows from the main event tier; the man who fans were complaining was being held down; the victim of the glass ceiling. He was Booker T, Chris Benoit and Rob Van Dam.

What a difference a few years make. Triple H has risen to become the most politically influential wrestler in the business, and is just weeks away from marrying into the most powerful wrestling family in history.

Those kind of connections come with some pretty sweet perks, including veto power over your storylines – and even those of some of your colleagues, a nearly unparalleled win-loss record, main event spots for all your buddies, and – most importantly – a guaranteed slot at the top of the cards.

Last summer, some fans were repulsed to witnessed what appeared to be the latest benefit of being Vince McMahon’s future son-in- law – the creation of your very own world title belt. In August, WWE established the “World Heavyweight Championship” – claiming it had the same lineage of the old NWA/WCW world title and even using the gaudy championship belt popularized by Ric Flair.

For many, it seemed to be the latest in a string of special privileges given to Triple H – once the darling of the Internet crowd, who in the span of a couple of years managed to become the most resented wrestling politico this side of the Hulkster.

But was the coronation of Triple H as the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion really such a bad move? Whether some fans agree with the tactic or not, WWE had long decided by last summer that it would be splitting into two distinctive brands, which, in turn, required two separate world champions. You can argue that the way Triple H became the title holder was blasphemous, but handpicking a champion is something countless startup promotions have done in the past. In the end, some might argue, there was a reason WWE handed the new title to Triple H. Like it or not, Triple H earned his spot as a main-event caliber worker and the company’s top heel. Whether he deserved to keep that spot this long, is a whole other issue. But one thing is for certain – for the newly created championship to have some legitimacy, its holder required legitimacy, as well. Triple H offered that.

Whether he deserves to have kept the title this long is a whole other issue. With the exception of a lapse late last year, Triple H was held the title for nine months. Is he really “That Damn Good” or just “That Damn Connected?”

Fonzo’s Title Wave returns with a look at the World Heavyweight Champion, “The Game” Triple H.

The Title Win

Triple H’s second World Heavyweight Title reign, and the only time he won the title in a match, came at the December 15 Armageddon pay per view, where Triple H faced champion and former ally Shawn Michaels, who had defeated him just a month earlier in the overbooked “Elimination Chamber” main event of the 2002 Survivor Series.

Their rematch was a best two-out-of-three falls match with each fall carrying a different stipulation. In the first fall, Hunter and Shawn squared off in a violent street fight, filled with the expected plethora of plunder. The two attacked each other with chairs and garbage cans. The challenger worked over Shawn’s back, which he had first injured at SummerSlam with a sledge hammer blow. Shawn backdropped Hunter onto a chair. Triple H worked over Shawn’s knee before slapping on a Figure Four.

The two eventually took their brawl to the entry ramp, where Triple H found a barbed-wire wrapped two-by-four that he lit on fire and attempted to use on Shawn. Instead, Shawn took the weapon and clobbered Hunter. Back in the ring Hunter gave Michaels a drop-toe-hold, face first onto the chair then followed up with a DDT. He attempted a Pedigree, but Michaels escaped and landed a flying forearm. Before Shawn could finish him off with some Sweet Chin Music, Hunter hit him with a chop block, and Pedigree to win the first fall.

The second fall was held inside a steel cage, where it was the standard fare – lots of blood by both men, faces raked across the wire mesh, and the like. Triple H climbed to the top of the cage and Shawn followed him. As the two brawled, Ric Flair set up some tables on the outside. Shawn knocked Hunter back into the ring and dropped an elbow on him. Flair entered the cage and attacked Shawn with a chair as Hunter tried to crawl to the door. Shawn floored Triple H and Flair with a chair. As Michaels beat up on Flair, Triple H collected his wits and tried to nail Shawn with another Pedigree, but Shawn backdropped out of it and connected with his superkick to both men. He set up a table in the ring, set Triple H on top of it, then dove off the top of the cage onto Triple H and scored the second fall.

The third fall was a ladder match, and Shawn wasted no time in bringing the prop to the ring and beating Hunter with it. Shawn climbed the ladder in the corner and dove off aiming to splash Triple H, but the challenger moved out of the way. Hunter connected with a second Pedigree then climbed the ladder to retrieve the hanging championship. HBK followed him up and knocked both of them off the ladder. Michaels connected with sweet Chin Music and sent Triple H out of the ring, then climbed the ladder to get the belt. But Triple H recovered in time to shove the ladder and sent Michaels soaring out of the ring and through a couple of tables stacked outside of the ring.

With Michaels incapacitated at ringside, Hunter climbed the ladder, retrieved the belt and became World Heavyweight Champion for the second time.

The Title Reign

Triple H doesn’t lose – title or no title, so it’s no surprise Hunter is currently the longest reigning champion in the company, having held the title for nine straight months. In that time Hunter has turned away countless opponents on RAW each week, ranging from mid-carders like Maven, Goldust and the Hurricane to established stars, including his own mentor Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, and most recently, Rob Van Dam. Of course he’s also defended the title regularly on house shows and TV dark matches [even facing Goldberg recently.]

Hunter’s first pay per view title defense was against Scot Steiner, who joined the company in November. The two took part in some fantastic angles leading up to their first match at the Royal Rumble, but Triple H was not that damn good enough to carry Big Poppa Pump to something watchable and the fans blasted the match. Triple H lost after getting himself intentionally disqualified.

By February, the company had lost all faith in Scott Steiner as a worthy contender, and their rematch at No Way Out was barely promoted on television. Hunter beat Steiner with a Pedrigree to mercifully end their feud.

Leading to the biggest show of the year, Triple H seemed to be the odd man out. With Brock Lesnar facing Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan facing Vince McMahon and a returning Rock facing a returning Steve Austin, WWE was fresh out of established main event stars to offer up as an opponent to Triple H’s World Heavyweight Title. So the company attempted to elevate Booker T by building him up as the sentimental babyface underdog. The controversial storyline revolved around some not-so-veiled racial insults cast by Triple H toward Booker. Many fans hoped this would lead to Booker T getting the last laugh with a victory over Hunter, but it was not to be. Triple H pinned Booker in the mid-card of WrestleMania XIX in Seattle.

From there, it was back to rubbing elbow with his Clique buddies, as Hunter moved into a feud with a returning Kevin Nash. At Backlash, Hunter teamed with Chris Jericho and Ric Flair to defeat Nash, Michaels and Booker in a six-man tag. Triple H scored the pin on Nash with a sledgehammer shot. Nash got his first title shot at Judgement Day, defeating Triple H by DQ when the champion deliberately got himself disqualified by hitting the referee with a sledgehammer.

By the time Bad Blood, the first exclusive RAW-brand pay per view. Rolled around, WWE again lost faith in one of its main event contestants. Nash was barely visible on TV leading up to the Hell in a Cell rematch against Hunter. Surprisingly, the match was quite good, as Hunter showed sparks of the gutsy performer of 1999-2000 with an intense and hard-fought – if heavily overbooked – brawl with Nash. In the end, special referee Mick Foley counted the three as a blood-soaked Hunter pinned Nash after a Pedigree.

The Breakdown

So how much of the overwhelming Triple-H-bashing on the Internet is warranted and how much of it is conspiracy theories by ignorant fans standing on the outside looking in. I think the truth is somewhere in between. Yes Triple H is a politician. Yes he wields far too much power and often uses that power for good instead of evil. But I refuse to blame all of WWE’s evils on Hunter, if only because I don’t think he’s smart enough to be behind half the scams that some fans think he is.

Let’s take the criticisms of Triple H point by point. Point 1: Triple H refuses to do jobs. I think there is some truth to this, but it’s not that simple. I was the first to criticize Hunter for not doing jobs when he didn’t hold a title and could have helped establish guys by putting them over every now and then. But the fact is that many of the fans criticizing Hunter for not doing jobs are the same ones who have blasted WWE in the past for rapid-fire title changes and for not building a title’s importance by leaving it on the same person for a long time. By having Hunter be as dominant a champion as he has, when he finally loses the title, it will – theoretically – be a much bigger deal than if he had dropped it just a few months into his reign. I don’t have a problem with Hunter having held the strap so long, is only because – with maybe the exception of Booker T – there has not been anyone on the RAW brand deserving of the title. Yes, that in it is a problem – and where fans have a legitimate beef.

With all the talent available between the two brands, it’s absurd that there is no clear candidate to defeat Triple H for the title. But for as much as people criticize Hunter for his political maneuvering, ultimately the buck stops at the desk of Vince McMahon. It’s hard to blame Triple H for playing his boss like a violin to his own advantage. But the truth is – It is not to his advantage, because it’s not good for business. Triple H found his stride as a main event performer at the peak of the WWE boon in the late 1990s – at a time when superstars were doing all they could to make other superstars – Bret Hart begot Shawn Michaels who begot Steve Austin who begot The Rock who begot Mick Foley who begot Triple H [again and again.] What star has Triple H made? Absolutely nobody. One by one, he has squashed every up and comer who has threatened his spot at the top of the card. Hunter may think he is just looking out for his own best interest, but he would have been much better served helping establish contenders like Van Dam and Booker T – opponents he could have strong, money-drawing feuds with, instead of guys like Steiner and Nash, who are neither good workers nor draws.

But again, it is ridiculous to blame the wrestler for the shoddy booking of his angles, no more than you can blame a pitcher for sticking around one too many innings after he’s got nothing left. That’s actually a pretty appropriate analogy, considering Hunter’s recent track record. It seems every other day Hunter is tearing this muscle or pulling this one. Many have speculated that his proneness to injuries is directly related too all the extra muscle mass he has put on in recent years. Whatever the cause, nobody can argue that Hunter has slowed down more than a step since returning form his quad injury in 2002 and has never been quite the same.

That said, Hunter is still a world class worker, deserving of a spot in main events. In some ways, he has actually improved over the last year. The once grunting “Game “ character has evolved into a deeper, classier, and in many ways, more sinister heel. After all, the inspiration for the new version of his character is no less than the greatest of all time – Ric Flair. He went as far as to align himself with Flair and have the Nature Boy coronate him his successor. And his brainchild - The Evolution – has worked to help get over each member of the faction. Flair, as the elder statesman, gets the “legend” treatment WWE has been reluctant to give him over the years. Randy Orton gets the snug spot of “Future Superstar.” And Flanked by the past and the future of wrestling, Triple H, of course, stands out as the present – the best in the world today. We don’t all have to believe it, but it sure is an effective – and very over - gimmick. What’s more it’s allowed Hunter to be a more well rounded character when he is not wrestling, while still allowed keeping the water-spitting, sledge hammer wielding character that he made famous in the ring.

A lot of the negativity surrounding Triple H is well earned. Unfortunately, fans’ warranted criticisms of Triple H’s immature politicking and the deterioration of his skills since his injury and his newfound infatuation with bodybuilding has somewhere along the way manifested into “Triple H is a crappy wrestler who should not be on television.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Triple H is still a terrific wrestler, who has had several standout matches over the last year against other solid workers, and even carried a few mediocre workers to decent bouts. He is still one of the best interviews in the business. And, unquestionably, he is reeks of star power and is still over with fans as one of the top heels in the business. More importantly, Hunter really does love the business, even if he is not always looking out for its best interest. He is not an NFL reject looking to make a buck, an ex-bouncer drafted because of his “look,” or a pretty boy hoping the WWE will be a vehicle into Hollywood. He’s a guy who dreamt of becoming a pro wrestler, went to pro wrestling school, fought his way up the indie circuit before being brought into WWE with a lousy gimmick, and persevered to get where he is. His success is, in many ways, is the American Dream. What he’s done with his success is a whole other story.

Championship Grade: A-

The Outlook

For the first time in a long time, it looks like there is a very real chance of Hunter losing the title. His most recent injury – a pulled groin muscle – will keep him off the road for a while. And like it was last November, it appears the SummerSlam “Elimination Chamber” main event will be a way to have Hunter lose the title, while still saving face [ie: It took five men, a steel cage and a groin injury for Hunter to drop the belt.]

Who WWE chooses to win this match will probably offer a good forecast of Hunter’s future. Kevin Nash has zero chance of winning the title. If Goldberg wins, look for a short title reign, which will likely be ended be Hunter once he is healed and WWE gets a chance to do the big-money singles match between the two they originally planned for SummerSlam. It’s pretty clear WWE has all but given up on Goldberg. If Michaels gets it, it will be just another case of Hunter looking out for his buddy, and, again, the belt will probably be back around Hunter’s waist before long.

Orton winning the belt may be the biggest shot in the arm, not only for Hunter’s career, but for WWE as a whole. It would instantly create a new and fresh main event star in Orton, and give Hunter a ready-made, super-hot feud with his Evolution teammate. However, there is an argument that Orton is a little too green for such a push right now. Jericho is probably the most logical choice to go over in the match. He’s been WWE’s most consistent performer and has given a few “match-of-the-year” caliber performance this year. What’s more, his recent work on the “Highlight Reel” has solidified his spot as a top heel. If Jericho does win the belt, it may be a while before Triple H gets its back, as I don’t see a feud between the two in the near future.

Regardless of Triple H’s immediate future, one thing is for certain. Like it or not, but as long as he is married to the boss’ daughter, Hunter will remain at the top of the cards. That doesn’t have to be such a bad thing, as long as he earns his keep.

Championship Options

As mentioned above, the upcoming Elimination Chamber may be a good foreshadowing of WWE’s shortlist of World Heavyweight Championship contenders. Jericho is the best choice of the lot, followed by Orton, who although inexperienced, has all the makings of a superstar. Giving him the title would be a good way to shake things up.

Even after a five-year absence, Michaels has continued to give show-stealing performances every time he wrestles. Even at his age, I would support a move to give him the title if – and only if – he would agree to at least a close to full time house show schedule. That’s unlikely, and I don’t blame him. But with sagging house show attendance, now more than ever WWE needs to have their world champion representing the company on the road full time.

The next apparent contender for the title is Kane, who has been the focus of the RAW brand for the better part of two months. Despite faltering along the way with some massive storyline holes, WWE has done a good job elevating Kane to the next level, and Glen Jacobs has taken the ball and run with it, proving he could play the role of a terrifying, monster heel without the prop of a mask as well, if not better, than he did with it. A few months terrorizing the Raw brand while holding its top title may be just the recipe to really get this storyline moving.

There’s a big drop-off after Kane in the list of contenders. Booker T, at one point, seemed a favorite to take the title at WrestleMania, but has since moved back to his spot in the mid card and seems destined to stay there. More unfortunately, he is now sidelined with an injury that could potentially end his career. Then there’s Rob Van Dam, the Internet darling who fans have begged management to push for years. I’ve never been that high on RVD and don’t see him as world title material, but, like with Orton, I would support giving him the title as another means to “shake things up.”

Others – Ric Flair: The greatest is still great, but probably too old; The Rock: As good as they come, but just not around enough; Nash – Nepotism is the only thing keeping him employed. He has no real value to WWE; Goldberg – WWE now knows better than to invest in him. They should have known better than to hire him.

Before fans all start drooling at the prospect of a new champion for RAW, try to have some perspective and see that the one you have isn’t half-bad. The RAW brand’s problem has never been that Triple H is a championship-level superstar. The problem is, for a long time, he’s been the only one. Inevitably, that will breed resentment from fans – resentment that should be directed more at WWE’s weak management and less at Triple H. Oddly enough, it may be Hunter who is getting screwed here.

E-MAIL FONZO
BROWSE THE TITLE WAVE ARCHIVES

Alfonso Castillo, 24, is has been a wrestling fan since he was six-years old.
He has been writing the "Fonzo's Title Wave" column since 1999. The host of
the Showdown radio audio program on www.Showdown.net currently lives in
Queens, NY and works as a reporter for a New York metropolitan area newspaper.

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