



Triple H and The Rock have feuded for years. In the past 12 months, HHH has gotten most of the wins between the two.



Even when Big Show upended Hunter for the strap, the WWF still centered around the DX leader.



Triple H raised himself to yet another level when he faced Mick Foley at the Royal Rumble and No Way Out.







The Cliffhanger: Triple H's first era as champion



Chris Sabga takes a look back at the impact "The Game" has made over the past eight months



May 4, 2000





By Chris Sabga

Editor, IGN Wrestling Summerslam '99 was supposed to be Triple H's defining moment - the night where he would realize the goal every professional wrestler logs thousands of miles and countless ailments a year to attain. The Triple Threat match between Hunter, Mankind, and Steve Austin was fully expected to end with Helmsley's name being added to the list of men good enough to wear the World Wrestling Federation Championship belt. It didn't happen. At the time, most pundits firmly believed that "The Game" wasn't ready to be on top of the game. His recently adopted mean streak was entertaining, but "those in the know" felt that the young athlete needed more time... ...The WWF gave him 24 hours. On the main event of Raw following Summerslam, Helmsley upended Mankind to win the WWF Title for the first time. Yet, there seemed to be something missing. Most critics felt that Triple H "didn't look like a World Champion." At the beginning stages of his reign, he was still perceived as a midcarder thrust into the main-event picture because the federation was running out of options. Eight months later, it's hard to imagine that he no longer has the strap. During his run with the belt, Helmsley was able to fluidly transform himself from an out of place top player into a man whose waist seems empty without gold. His secret is simple: He rose to the occasion. Despite a six day vacation from the belt (courtesy of Vince McMahon), it was firmly draped over Hunter's shoulders until the Survivor Series. Even when he lost it to Big Show at the annual November event, he was still the focal point of the organization. All of the television shows were built around his matches and angles. The new champion rarely competed in Raw or Smackdown main events. For the most part, those still went to former titleholder, Helmsley. When the DX leader regained the belt three days after the dawning of the new millennium, almost no one was shocked. By this time, he had firmly established himself as a solid champion. His heel heat was second to none. Instead of resting on his laurels, he worked even harder to make the now commonplace "asshole" chants even louder. In the ring, he became rougher and dirtier. The first two pay-per-views of the new calendar year saw Triple H defend the gold against Mick Foley. Instead of going through the same old motions, Helmsley became a wild animal, completely uncaring of what happened to his body. Refusing to be carried, he spilled massive amounts of blood and took sickening bumps - all to prove that he belonged in the same ring with the master of the Japanese Death Match. Even after competing in two of the greatest matches of his career, hardly anyone gave Triple H a snowball's chance in hell of leaving Wrestlemania 2000 with the belt. He did it, going through Big Show, Mick Foley, and finally The Rock. For sixteen years, the unwritten rule was always that "the good guy always wins the big one." No heel was able to break the ritual until this year. With a decade and a half of odds against him, Hunter closed the chapter on wrestling's last guaranteed fairy tale. Unfortunately, most fans didn't understand the significance behind the moment. Instead, they downgraded a five-star pay-per-view because their favored choice (Rock or Mick Foley) didn't win. Helmsley had done too good a job. He was too hated. A few weeks later, he added fuel to the fire by forcing referee Earl Hebner to reverse the decision of a Chris Jericho WWF Title win. Y2J's popularity has risen over the past several months, but Triple H's lack of fan support was undoubtedly a huge reason why the "Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rollah" was so readily accepted as the champion for the few minutes that he was recognized as one. Backlash marked the end of Triple H's first era as champion. He will unquestionably go down as the most credible heel champion the WWF has had in years. The refreshingly long length of his run with the gold is one of the main reasons. With three successful World Title tenures behind him, he isn't expected to regain the belt any time soon. When he lost the WWF Title before, it was always apparent that he wouldn't be without it for long. This time, that isn't necessarily the case. Crowds have rejoiced at the recent WWF title change. Is it because Rock is the champion or because Triple H isn't? It's a question every single one of you reading this should answer. Only then will it become clear to you that Triple H's time on top really was "that damn good." Mail IGN Wrestling



