LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 11: WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque speaks at a WWE press conference at T-Mobile Arena on October 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been announced that WWE wrestler Braun Strowman will face heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar will face the former on October 31 at the WWE Crown Jewels event at Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez will compete. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Paul Levesque, better known as longtime WWE star Triple H, announced his retirement as an in-ring performer on Friday.
Levesque, 52, made his announcement during a chat with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, pulling back the curtain and revealing the seriousness of the health issues he was suffering from late last year.
“As far as in the ring from what I understand [asked about] much, I’m done,” Levesque said. “I would never wrestle again. First, I have a defibrillator in my chest, so getting me zapped on live TV probably isn’t a good idea.”
News of Levesque’s sudden health crisis ripped through the wrestling world last September. Very little was revealed at the time, with a WWE statement calling it a “cardiac event” that Levesque had undergone surgery and was expected to make a full recovery. On Friday, the 14-time world champion revealed how precarious the situation was.
Levesque explained that at the end of a 12-day road trip following WWE’s signature SummerSlam event, he became nauseous and was diagnosed with viral pneumonia. Levesque detailed how his wife, WWE Brand President Stephanie McMahon, saw him coughing up blood and doctors soon discovered fluid in his lungs and around his heart.
As his condition worsened and his heart began to fail – in part due to a blockage in his left anterior descending artery known as the “Widowmaker” – reality set in for the WWE Board of Directors.
“I was nosedive and kind of at the 1 yard line where you don’t want to be for your family,” Levesque said. “It could have started at any time.”
Levesque got emotional as he told Smith about the mental toll his fear was taking on him and his family.
“[Stephanie] was a rock, always is for me,” said Levesque. “Never wavered. We have three young girls, 15, 13 and 11. Suddenly I come home, I’m a little sick and her father, who is always strong, is suddenly in the hospital. I don’t know if they understood the consequences, but there are moments in it where they hand you over for things that make you wonder, ‘Is this it? Does that wake you up?’ That’s hard to swallow. It makes you think differently about life. It doesn’t make you less motivated in the things you have, but it certainly makes you appreciate the things you have, your friends, your family.”
The story goes on
Levesque debuted at WCW in 1994 and eventually rose to Vince McMahon’s promotion in 1995, where he debuted as Hunter Hearst Helmsley – a snobby, almost colonial character. Levesque worked on WWE’s midcard until 1997, when he broke through by winning the King of the Ring tournament and becoming one of the most popular stables in wrestling history alongside Shawn Michaels and the late Chyna and Rick Rude D-Generation X formed.
Levesque used his popularity and success with DX to move up the map and become a mainstay in both the main event and championship pictures for almost two decades, making his “Triple H”, “The Game” and Cerebral Assassin took over. Character.
As one of WWE’s best all-rounders over the past 25 years, Levesque has had memorable matches against The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Daniel Bryan, Sting and Randy Orton to name a few.
During a four-year WrestleMania stretch from 2011 to 2014, Levesque had two classic matches with The Undertaker and one against Daniel Bryan. The 2012 game against Undertaker was widely viewed as the end of an era as Levesque, Michaels and Undertaker seemingly closed the door on the beloved Attitude Era.
As Levesque continued to thrive in the ring, he also became a key player behind the scenes in WWE. Levesque is credited with the creation and development of NXT, a WWE development system that became a promotion over the past decade.
Under Levesque’s leadership, NXT became one of the most talked about promotions in the wrestling industry, providing a place for newly signed talent to grow and was known for its rabid fanbase as well as its critically acclaimed pay-per-view Events by TakeOver. NXT helped bring talent like Roman Reigns, Big E, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch into the WWE Family and make them big stars in the process.
Although Levesque’s in-ring career is over, he said he will continue to serve in his capacity as executive vice president of WWE.
“My foot is off the gas,” Levesque said. “I suppose somehow I have to step back a bit. I’m still in recovery and my stamina isn’t quite what it used to be. Right now I am back and fully focused on recruiting and developing our talent for the future.”
Although retirement in wrestling can sometimes be fickle or used in the storyline, Levesque’s announcement truly closes the book of an era for WWE stars. Levesque’s last match was against Randy Orton a little over a year ago. Of the group of stars Levesque is most associated with – Michaels, Undertaker, Mick Foley, Kane, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – he was the last active and even had plans for a match at WrestleMania 38 next week in Dallas before health issues ended that discussion.
“I was already at a point in my career as far as the ring where I felt comfortable being done and done,” Levesque said. “If the right thing came up and they wanted me to do it [I would have]. I had a conversation with Vince McMahon about doing something at WrestleMania in Dallas this year that we talked about and had plans. When this thing happened, it obviously shut all of that down.”
Levesque’s immense influence both on screen and as an executive led to a surge of support on social media following his announcement.