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Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969 in Nashua, New Hampshire) is an American professional wrestler, best known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley or Triple H. He is a several-time World Champion and the current World Heavyweight Champion of WWE RAW.
Career
Triple H was taught to wrestle by legendary wrestling heel Killer Kowalski. In 1994 he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW), wrestling there as a heel under the names Terra Ryzing and Jean-Paul Levesque. He left in 1995 for WCW's rival organization, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The WWF packaged him as heel "Hunter Hearst Helmsley", a spoiled rich kid from Greenwich, Connecticut whose name invoked both the family of publisher William Randolph Hearst and "The Queen of Mean," Leona Helmsley. Along with fellow Clique member Shawn Michaels and Chyna, he formed D-Generation X in 1997. Around the same time, he shortened his alias to Triple H (a reference to the character's initials, HHH). This was the beginning of Levesque's rise to become one of the most successful professional wrestlers ever.
During Triple H's WWE career, he has held an impressive number of titles, including the WWE Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Championship, the WWE European Championship, and (with partner Stone Cold Steve Austin) the WWE World Tag Team Championship. He is only the second of five wrestlers to have held all four of those titles, the first being Shawn Michaels. This is sometimes referred to as being a "Grand Slam Champion". He also won the 1997 King of the Ring tournament.
 Triple H's career highlights, March 2004 (WWE Draft Lottery) The most difficult moment of Triple H's career occurred during a match on a live broadcast of Monday Night RAW on May 21, 2001 when he suffered a legitimate and career-threatening injury. A misstep caused him to suffer a tear in his left quadricep muscle. Despite his inability to place any weight on his leg, Triple H was able to complete the match, something that his fans and fellow wrestlers saw as an admirable display of dedication to the business. He even allowed one of his opponents in the match, Chris Jericho, to place him in his standard finishing maneuver, the "Walls of Jericho", a move that places considerable stress on the quadriceps. The tear required an operation, which was performed by famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. The rigorous rehabilitation process kept him out of action until January 7, 2002, over seven months.
Then prior to Sept. 2, 2002, WWE recognized only one World Champion, and that champion represented both RAW and SmackDown! Just after that year's SummerSlam, however, champion Brock Lesnar inked a (storyline) deal to become exclusive to SmackDown!, leaving RAW without a champion. RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff then declared that since Lesnar had left for SmackDown!, that RAW needed its own champion. So with that, he opened a briefcase, pulled out the old WCW Championship, and gave it to Triple H, naming him the first World Heavyweight Champion. Since that time, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Randy Orton, and Goldberg have held the championship (often won from Triple H), only to lose it relatively quickly (also often to Triple H).
In January 2003, Triple H formed Evolution with Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Dave Batista. Its purpose was to include the greatest of the past (Flair), present (HHH), and future (Orton and Batista) of wrestling, and to support Triple H as World Champion, with other members interfering in matches on his behalf. The group still exists, but Orton was kicked out of the group after winning the World Heavyweight Championship from Chris Benoit at SummerSlam 2004. One month later at Unforgiven, Triple H defeated Orton for the championship with help from the remaining members of Evolution.
In late 2004, Triple H released a book entitled Making the Game: Triple H's Approach to a Better Body. Mostly devoted to bodybuilding advice, the book also includes some autobiographical information, memoirs, and opinions.
Triple H's most current and impressive wins were at News Year's Revolution where Triple H defeated Randy Orton, Bastista, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, and Edge in an Elimination Chamber match. And at the 2005 Royal Rumble he defeated Randy Orton.
Personal life
Prior to his relationship with Stephanie McMahon, Levesque had previously been in a relationship with Joanie "Chyna" Laurer that mirrored their in-ring partnership. Following his first WWF championship run, Triple H was put into a program with promoter Vince McMahon that culminated in Triple H 'marrying' McMahon's daughter Stephanie. During the program, in which Triple H and spoiled-brat Stephanie were the most over heels in the WWF, Levesque and Stephanie became personally involved in real life. On October 25, 2003, long after the couple had divorced in the storylines, the couple married for real.
Now Vince McMahon's son-in-law, many speculate that once the promoter retires, Levesque and his wife will assume creative control of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Stephanie McMahon-Levesque is currently in charge of writing the SmackDown! program, while Triple H is often consulted by the McMahons about storylines and angles.
Controversy
Triple H is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the business. Many pundits have criticized him for using backstage political leverage to hog screen time, retain titles, elevate his friends, and generally hold down talented workers who might otherwise deserve to share the limelight with him. The Clique, including good real-life friends Shawn Michaels, Scott "Razor Ramon" Hall, Kevin "Diesel" Nash, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, and Triple H, was notorious for this in the late 1990's, and Triple H's influence continued after the departures of Michaels, Hall, and Nash from the WWF.
This view has only increased since he became the real-life husband of WWE promoter Vince McMahon's daughter Stephanie, which at one time was merely part of his gimmick. At the same time, his career is filled with impressive performances against a wide variety of opponents. All else aside, he consistently draws one of the biggest crowd reactions (whether cheers or boos) in any arena he performs in, a mark of high success in the pro wrestling world.
Film
Levesque played a role in the film Blade: Trinity, as a vampire enforcer named Jarko Grimwood. Some speculate that Triple H will be the next performer to jump ship to Hollywood in the footsteps of The Rock. Triple H has disputed this in interviews, however, saying that he will always be a professional wrestler first, and (if offered more acting roles) actor second. This is reasonable considering his high-profile personal and professional role in WWE.
He is scheduled to star in the WWE-produced movie entitled Jornada del Muerte.
Signature and finishing maneuvers
Championships and accomplishments
Levesque is described as either a ten-time or eleven-time world champion. He held the WWE Undisputed Championship when it had been consolidated by Chris Jericho but was still represented by two belts. After the two belts had been merged, he won it four more times, and had five reigns as WWF/WWE Champion. Strictly in terms of titles, the total is ten; his World Championship belts, counting both of the two for his first Undisputed Championship, total eleven.
Other accomplishments
Notable performances
Matches generally regarded as Triple H's most notable performances:
versus The Rock - WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match - SummerSlam, 8/30/1998
versus Cactus Jack - WWE Championship Street Fight - Royal Rumble 1/23/2000
versus Cactus Jack - WWE Championship Hell In A Cell Match - No Way Out, 2/27/2000
versus The Rock - WWE Championship 60 Minute Ironman Match - Judgment Day, 5/21/2000
versus Chris Jericho - Last Man Standing Match - Fully Loaded 7/23/2000
versus Stone Cold Steve Austin - Best 2 Of 3 Falls Match - No Way Out, 2/25/2001
versus The Undertaker - WrestleMania 17, 4/1/2001
versus Shawn Michaels - Nonsanctioned Match - SummerSlam, 8/25/2002
versus Ric Flair - World Heavyweight Championship Match - WWE RAW, 5/19/2003
versus Shawn Michaels - World Heavyweight Championship Match - WWE RAW, 12/29/2003
versus Shawn Michaels - World Heavyweight Championship Last Man Standing Match - Royal Rumble, 1/25/2004
versus Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels - World Heavyweight Championship Match - WrestleMania 20, 3/14/2004
External links
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