Triple H, a seasoned veteran in the world of WWE, boasts an impressive career spanning over two decades, during which he clinched a remarkable 21 singles titles.
However, even the Game himself admits to harboring some regrets, notably about a particular loss to none other than The Rock early on in his journey.
The pivotal moment occurred on February 13, 1997, during a RAW episode when The Rock, then portraying the polarizing character Rocky Maivia, snatched the Intercontinental Championship from Triple H.
This event unfolded at a time when The Great One faced scrutiny from his peers due to his somewhat lackluster persona and sudden ascension to championship status.
Reflecting on this pivotal encounter, Triple H revealed in a recent episode of A&E’s WWE Rivals that the clash between him and The Rock was inevitable.
He shared, “There was talk almost right when he very first came in of Rock being a guy that was gonna be headed to the Intercontinental title. Of course, that conversation came a lot towards me because I was the one holding it.”
Recalling the moment he received the news of his title loss from WWE’s top brass, including former Executive Chairman Vince McMahon, Triple H didn’t shy away from expressing his frustration.
“I had the Intercontinental title, Lowell, Massachusetts, Vince came to me. He said, ‘We want you to drop that title to the new kid Rocky Maivia tonight.’ I was p****d,” he recounted.
Following this turn of events, Triple H’s maiden singles title reign concluded after a respectable 115 days. His tenure with the Intercontinental title commenced after defeating Marc Mero on October 21, 1996, in an episode of RAW.
Despite their on-screen rivalry, behind the curtains, Triple H and The Rock did not share a camaraderie during the mid-to-late 1990s.
“None of us wanted to accept that anybody was gonna be in a spot above us. The Rock, there was such a rivalry between us that there was always a wedge there (…) I never traveled with him, I never went to dinner with him, I never hung out with him, but we had some incredible chemistry with each other,”
Triple H revealed, shedding light on their relationship dynamics.
In the same episode, wrestling icon Bret Hart weighed in on Triple H’s conduct towards The Rock during an overseas trip, adding another layer to their complex dynamic.
