Levesque made his debut for the company, as the snobbish Hunter Hearst Helmsley, on 25th April - defeating Sonny Rogers on an episode of Superstars in 1995.
His match with Rogers has been forgotten but Triple H, as he was re-branded as a member of D-Generation X in 1997, went on to have several memorable contest in the years ahead - facing illustrious names like Sting, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley and The Undertaker.
This list is based on the matches I have watched throughout Triple H's career so far, it was a pleasure to go through them. I left off several that others would have chosen including his match with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXX, his match with Batista at Vengeance 2005, his match with Chris Jericho at Fully Loaded 2000 and many more.
Below are are my personal choices:
5. Triple H Vs. The Rock (Ladder Match for the Intercontinetal Championship - SummerSlam 1998).
This match was considered a breakout moment for Triple H as he entered one of his best performance of his career, at that time.
The rivalry between him and The Rock had gone on for the majority of 1998 - with D-Generation X impersonating The Rock's Nation of Domination, the two having a 2-out-of-3 falls match at Fully Loaded and the stables having a Street Fight on Raw but everything came down to this.
The aforementioned 2-out-of-3 falls match ended in a draw so this would decide who the better man was and both men put it all on the line.
Triple H and The Rock, both in a Ladder Match for the first time, began the battle slowly - trying to hit their finishers in the first few minutes and the latter attempting to further injure the knee he targeted on Sunday Night Heat hours before the pay-per-view.
Neither man paid attention to the ladder at the beginning, they brawled around Madison Square Garden in hopes of gaining an advantage, that would put them in a position to grab the Intercontinetal Title but it was a fairly even match. When the ladder did come into play, The Rock countered a Pedigree onto it and Triple H hit a baseball slide onto the champion's face - that busted him wide open.
As the match progressed, Mark Henry and Chyna's roles became more prominent as they assisted their stable mates.
Triple H was, as Jim Ross would say, "an one legged man, in a ass kicking contest", but he still looked like he was going to win the IC Title after hitting a Pedigree 27 minutes into this grueling match however Henry threw powder in his eyes as he was about to climb the ladder.
On one leg and blinded, Triple H was in a grim predicament as The Rock made his way up the ladder but Chyna hit The Great One with a low blow - giving her man time to recover. As The Rock fell to the floor, Triple H slowly climbed the ladder and clinched his second IC Title.
This was a great match and a sign that Triple H's was becoming one of WWE's most important stars.
4) Triple H Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (Three Stages Of Hell - No Way Out 2001).
On the November 6th 2000 episode of Raw, it was revealed Triple H was the mastermind behind Rikishi running over Stone Cold Steve Austin in the parking lot - a year earlier.
The Game and The Rattlesnake had a passable match at Survivor Series 2000 but that ended in no contest, this rivalry was too intense for that kind of a result and a definitive conclusion was needed.
A Three Stages Of Hell match was that conclusion, after which, there would be no doubt who the better man was.
The first stage was a normal match, the second was a Street Fight and the third was inside a Steel Cage.
The straight singles match was a technical affair, Triple H and Austin both wrestled a mat based style, with the latter winning after a Stone Cold Stunner - a surprise as he was considered the least technically sound out of the two.
After that fall, things kicked into sixth gear, the Street fight was brilliant. The two men fought all around the Thomas & Mack Center and hit each other with everything including a television monitor, chairs and a baseball bat covered in barbed wire. After a sledgehammer shot and a Pedigree, Triple H pinned Austin and we were tied at 1-1.
More brawling continued inside the cage, and both men were bleeding heavily at this stage. The finish was unique as Triple H hit Austin with his trusty sledgehammer at the same time as Austin hit Triple H with the baseball bat covered in barbed wire. Fortunately for Triple H, he landed on Austin and was able to get the pin fall.
This match had everything, a truly unforgettable contest, among the best of both men's distinguished careers. If anyone had doubted Triple H's status, as a bonafide star, this thriller proved without question he was one of the company's top workers.
3) Triple H Vs The Undertaker (Hell In A Cell - WrestleMania XXVIII 2012).
Was it going to be third time lucky for Triple H against The Undertaker at WrestleMania? He lost to The Deadman at X-7 and 27 however this time his best friend Shawn Michaels was special guest referee and it would take place inside Hell in a Cell, surely he was going to get the job done on this occasion?
The answer to those questions was no as The Undertaker was victorious but this was the closest Triple H came to beating one of his fiercest rivals on the Grandest Stage Of Them All.
This match, dubbed 'End of an Era', had everything and kept fans engrossed from the moment The Undertaker revealed his freshly shaved head until the final bell.
For 30 minutes, the two legends engaged in an all out war, with Triple H almost doing what 17 other men couldn't - The Undertaker even kicked out of a Sweet Chin Music followed by a Pedigree. A stunning moment that drew a collective gasp from the WWE Universe in Florida.
Even at the conclusion of the match, Shawn Michaels' reluctance to count his former tag team partners shoulders down for the three count, the storytelling was superb as were Triple H's facial expressions every time The Undertaker refused to be beaten.
Triple H may have lost but he played his part in this instant classic and the image of these three legends embracing on the ramp will never be forgotten.
2) Triple H Vs Cactus Jack (Hell In A Cell - No Way Out 2000).
The issues between Triple H and Mankind (one of the other faces of Foley) began when Foley stated the McMahon-Helmsley Era "kinda sucks", during the 27th December 1999 edition of Raw. For that comment, Triple H booked Mankind in a 'Pink Slip On The Pole' match against The Rock, a match he lost and was fired from the WWE.
Mankind was rehired, after the roster threatened to go on strike, when he returned he vowed to put an end to Triple H and Stephanie's dominance by beating Triple H for the WWE Title.
Mrs Foley's baby boy fell short as Mankind, in a great Street Fight at Royal Rumble 2000, and knew he had to bring out his most sadistic character to topple The Game - that was Cactus Jack.
As Triple H was putting his title on the line, he wanted Jack's career and the match would take place inside Hell in a Cell.
This marked Triple H's debut inside the structure, while Foley had basically become a star in his Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker at King of the Ring two years earlier.
Despite Jack's experience advantage, The Game was on such a roll at this point that he had what it took to not only go toe-to-toe with Jack at his own game but beat him as well.
It was nothing short of an extremely emotional affair, with Jack fighting for his career, while Triple H was relentless in his efforts to destroy his challenger. Both men pulled out all the stops - using a flaming barbed wire 2x4, chairs and thumbtacks to try and gain victory.
As the match progressed, the two superstars made their way to the top of the cell, where Triple H countered a Piledriver to sent Jack through the structure - all the way to the mat below.
That would have been enough but Triple H added a Pedigree for good measure and sent Jack into retirement.
Jack's fall through the top of the cell is a sight that is etched into fans' minds, and with that win, Triple H enhanced his reputation as one of WWE's toughest men.
1) Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels (Unsanctioned Street Fight - SummerSlam 2002).
These two started out as good friends but became enemies when Triple H turned on Shawn Michaels when it looked like DX were about to reunite on Raw - in June 2002.
When he explained his actions, Triple H insisted he did it for Michaels' benefit as The Heartbreak Kid "didn't have what it takes anymore" and needed him for protection - a point he reiterated by attacking Michaels' in the parking lot a few weeks later.
Tired of being ambushed, Michaels challenged Triple H to a match at SummerSlam however Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff stated he would not sanction the contest as The Showstopper had been away from the ring for four years and he did not want to be held accountable for any injuries he may suffer.
Triple H entered this match with the sole purpose of finishing Shawn Michaels' career once and for all and hit this opponent with everything he had, specifically targeting his previously injured back. Michaels made a comeback with a splash from the top of a ladder through a table and an elbow drop also from the top of the ladder.
As the combatants continued to go at it, Michaels went for Sweet Chin Music but Triple H countered to a Pedigree attempt however Michaels re-countered into a roll up for the surprise win.
The crowd popped was deafening but Triple H would get the last word, on the night, as he struck Michaels in the back with his sledgehammer and chuckled as left the ring.
This match had everything - fans investment, emotion, blood, suspense, weapons and it told the wonderful story of a triumphant return.
The reason Michaels' chose Triple H for his first match back is because The Game had proven he was the man for the big occasion and knew how to have a great match under any circumstance.
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