Triple H

Paul Michael Levesque[2] (born July 27, 1969)[2] is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of his former ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He is currently signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and wrestles on its Raw brand.[6]

Before joining WWE, Levesque began his wrestling career with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993, wrestling under the ring name Terra Ryzing and later as Jean-Paul Lévesque.[2] Levesque joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1995 with the on-screen persona of wealthy sophisticate Hunter Hearst Helmsley.[1] He later changed his name to Triple H and adopted an alternative image in the stable D-Generation X (DX). After the dissolution of DX, Triple H was pushed as a main event wrestler, winning several singles championships.[3] As part of a storyline, Triple H married Stephanie McMahon, who later became his real-life spouse. In 2003, Triple H formed another stable known as Evolution,[3] and in 2006 and 2009, briefly reformed DX with Shawn Michaels.[7]

Overall, Levesque is a thirteen-time World Champion having won the WWE Championship eight times, and the World Heavyweight Championship five times (Triple H is also recognized as the first World Heavyweight Champion under WWE's lineage).[8] [9] In addition, Levesque won the 1997 King of the Ring, the 2002 Royal Rumble, and was the second Grand Slam Championship winner.[3]

Outside wrestling, Levesque has made numerous guest appearances in film and on television.

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Levesque was born in Nashua, New Hampshire. In his youth, he was a fan of professional wrestling and his favorite wrestler was Ric Flair.[1] [4] Levesque became aware of bodybuilding at the age of fourteen; after graduating from high school in 1987, Levesque entered several bodybuilding competitions.[10] He was crowned Teenage Mr. New Hampshire at the age of nineteen. During this time, he met Ted Arcidi and began to consider a career in professional wrestling.[4] [10]

Levesque enrolled at Killer Kowalski's wrestling school in 1992 after it was recommended to him by Arcidi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-grips_3-4">[4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-2">[10] He made his in-ring debut on November 1 of the same year wrestling against Flying Tony Roy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KOK_10-0">[11] Levesque joined the Independent Wrestling Federation (IWF), which used trainees from Kowalski's school in their promotion. Here, he became the IWF Heavyweight Champion and started using the name Terra Ryzing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-slam_1-6">[2]

World Championship Wrestling
In early 1994, Levesque signed a one year contract with World Championship Wrestling (WCW).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-grips_3-5">[4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-threat_11-0">[12] In his first televised match, He wrestled as a villain and defeated Brian Armstrong.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-snapshot_0-9">[1] He continued using the name Terra Ryzing until mid-1994, when he was renamed Jean-Paul Lévesque.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-snapshot_0-10">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-crap204_12-0">[13] This gimmick referred to his surname's French origins and he was asked to speak with a French accent, as he could not speak French.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-threat2_13-0">[14] During this time, he began using his finishing maneveur, the Pedigree.

Levesque had a brief storyline feud with Alex Wright that ended at Starrcade 1994<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-snapshot_0-11">[1] with Wright pinning him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14">[15] Between late 1994 and early 1995, Levesque briefly teamed with Lord Steven Regal, whose snobby British persona was a good match with his similar persona.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-crap204_12-1">[13] The team was short-lived, however, as Lévesque left for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in January 1995 after WCW turned down his request to be pushed as a singles competitor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-slam_1-7">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-crap204_12-2">[13] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-threat2_13-1">[14]

The Connecticut Blueblood (1995–1997)
As a continuation of his gimmick in WCW, Levesque started his WWF career as the "Connecticut Blueblood" Hunter Hearst Helmsley.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-threat2_13-2">[14] Levesque appeared in taped vignettes, in which he talked about how to use proper etiquette, up until his wrestling debut on the April 30, 1995 episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15">[16]

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Helmsley's push resumed in 1997, when he won the 1997 King of the Ring tournament by defeating Mankind in the finals.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-game_21-2">[22] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26">[27] Later that year, Shawn Michaels, Helmsley, Chyna and Rick Rude formed D-Generation X (DX). This stable later became known for pushing the envelope, as Michaels and Helmsley made risqué promos—spawning the catchphrase "Suck It", using a "crotch chop" hand motion,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-crap210_27-0">[28] and sarcastically deriding Bret Hart and Canada. By that point, Helmsley had fully dropped the "blueblood snob" gimmick, appearing in T-shirts and leather. During this period, his ring name was shortened to simply Triple H.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-game_21-3">[22] Even after the DX versus Hart Foundation storyline ended, Helmsley continued to feud with the sole remaining member Owen Hart over the WWF European Championship. This ended in a match between the two at WrestleMania XIV, with the stipulation that Chyna had to be handcuffed to then-Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter. Helmsley won after Chyna threw powder into Slaughter's eyes, momentarily "blinding" him and allowing her to interfere in the match.

After WrestleMania, Michaels was forced into temporary retirement due to a legitimate back injury sustained at the Royal Rumble,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[29] with Triple H taking over the leadership position in DX,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-game_21-4">[22] claiming that his now-former associate had "dropped the ball". He introduced the returning X-Pac the night after WrestleMania and joined forces with the New Age Outlaws.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-game_21-5">[22] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29">[30] As 1998 went along, D-Generation X became more popular, turning the group from villains to fan favorites. It was also during this time that Triple H began a feud with the leader of the Nation of Domination and rising WWF villain, The Rock.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-3">[10] This storyline rivalry eventually led to a feud over the Intercontinental Championship, which Triple H won in a ladder match at SummerSlam.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-4">[10] He did not hold the title long, however, as he was sidelined with a legitimate knee injury.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-5">[10] When The Rock won the WWF Championship at Survivor Series,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30">[31] the rivalry between the two continued, as DX fought The Corporation stable, of which The Rock was the main star. Triple H received a shot at the WWF Championship on the January 25, 1999 edition of Raw in an "I Quit" match against The Rock, but the match ended when Triple H was forced to quit or see his aide Chyna chokeslammed by Kane.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-6">[10] This began a new angle for Triple H, as Chyna betrayed him by attacking him after the match and joining The Corporation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-7">[10]

As part of the storyline, at WrestleMania XV, Triple H beat Kane with the aid of Chyna, who was thought to have rejoined DX.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-8">[10] Later on in the night, he betrayed his long-time friend and fellow DX member X-Pac by helping Shane McMahon retain the European Championship and joined The Corporation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-9">[10] After Triple H's villain turn in early 1999, he moved away from his DX look, taping his fists for matches, sporting new and shorter wrestling trunks, and adopting a shorter hairstyle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-10">[10] Levesque's gimmick changed as he fought to earn a WWF title shot.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-11">[10] After numerous failed attempts at winning the championship, Triple H and Mankind challenged WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin to a Triple Threat match at SummerSlam, which featured Jesse "The Body" Ventura as the special guest referee. Mankind won the match by pinning Austin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31">[32] The following night on Raw, Triple H defeated Mankind to win his first WWF Championship.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-time_9-12">[10]

Triple H dropped the WWF Championship to Vince McMahon on the September 16, 1999 edition of SmackDown! before regaining it at Unforgiven in a Six-Pack Challenge that included Davey Boy Smith, Big Show, Kane, The Rock, and Mankind. He defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin at No Mercy before dropping the title to Big Show at Survivor Series. Triple H then continued his feud with Vince McMahon by marrying his daughter, Stephanie McMahon. He then defeated McMahon at Armageddon. As a result of the feud, an angle with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon began which carried the WWF throughout the next seventeen months; together they were known as the "McMahon-Helmsley Faction".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-crap257_32-0">[33]

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