Why wrestling fans have another reason to love Triple H

A move made in 2002 helped protect WWE from one of wrestling’s dreaded Vinces.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s answers to tough questions can sometimes be off-putting or even disappointing. Yet, from his leadership during NXT’s black and gold era to his current role as WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Levesque has largely been a force for positive change. Many believe WWE’s product is the best it’s been since the Attitude Era, thanks to the man known as "The Game."

Of course, Levesque still has his detractors. But the latest revelation by a former wrestling writer will likely give all fans a reason to cheer.

On the latest edition of Vince Russo’s The Brand, Vince Russo criticized Levesque for what Russo described as “corporate booking,” a safe yet boring approach to presenting pro wrestling. He also revealed that in 2002, Levesque tried to keep him out of the company.

“Yes, bro, Trips tried to keep me away from WWE in 2002 because he wanted him and Stephanie to have all the creative power when Vince McMahon kinda hired me behind their back, which was wrong for Vince to do. And Triple H made it clear, bro, he did not want me there. They wanted the power.”

Russo explained that he understood Levesque’s motives, acknowledging that pro wrestling is driven by power and ego. Despite this, Russo insisted he holds no grudge against Levesque.

Russo came to work for WWE in the early 1990s as a writer for the company’s magazine. After rising through the ranks to become its head television writer, Russo left the promotion in 1999 and went to work for World Championship Wrestling. Three years later, and following the demise of WCW, Russo briefly returned to work for WWE. But his comeback was short-lived. After just two weeks, Russo said then-WWE boss Vince McMahon told him, “Vince, this is not gonna work out.” This ended Russo’s second run with the company.

For the next 12 years, Russo had a tumultuous time as a writer for Total Nonstop Action, with reports that TNA’s then-television partner, Spike TV, hated him. In the summer of 2014, after it had been reported that he was working secretly as a creative consultant for TNA, Russo and TNA parted ways.

During his initial run in WWE, Russo’s ideas were often filtered by Vince McMahon. But unchecked, Russo’s booking, described as crash TV, was widely criticized. Notably, the fiasco surrounding WCW’s Bash at the Beach in 2000 and Russo’s decision to crown himself WCW World Champion left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.

Today, Russo continues to incite the wrestling community with his commentary on the industry. His recent remarks about Bayley and Sami Zayn, as well as his criticisms of Levesque’s booking, have only reinforced the perception that Russo is out of touch with modern wrestling.

Given all this, perhaps it’s worth raising a glass to Triple H, who seemingly rescued WWE from the creative chaos of the two Vinces.