TRIPLE H

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Name: Triple H

Height: 6 foot 4
Weight: 260 Pounds
From: Greenwich, Conn.
Finishing Move: Pedigree
Career Highlights:
WWE Champion; World Heavyweight Champion; Intercontinental Champion; World Tag Team Champion; European Champion; King of the Ring 1997

WWE Debut: 1995
Trained By: Killer Kowalski

It takes a lot to hate someone so much who is so damn good, but Hunter Hearst-Helmsley, better known simply as Triple H has accomplished just that. Despite being a highly celebrated 10-time world champion, there is no denying the pure diabolical evil that is Triple H. A strategic mastermind, Triple H is considered by the industry as a whole as the most resilient champion in the history of WWE, defending his championship against anyone, not always by choice, but seemingly coming out on top more often than not using his pedigree in-ring skills, wit and ingenious schemes, swerving all his adversaries with plots opponents simply donâ€™t see coming.

Indeed, Triple H plays the game perhaps better than anyone else, hence his nickname â€œThe Gameâ€? â€“ which he shares with the hit Motorhead song specifically made for Triple Hâ€™s ring music. Utilizing a truly intimidating ring entrance to psyche out his adversaries, Triple Hâ€™s intensity, shredded muscular physique and reputation alone could strike fear into his opponents before the bell even rings! Of course, Triple Hâ€™s imposing in-ring presence differs drastically away from the ring, with â€œThe Gameâ€? dressing in dashing custom made suits and a one of a kind Rolex watch around his wrist. Thereâ€™s no denying that he is just as respected as he is dangerous. Unfortunately, he just happens to be a man full of hate, greed and desire to devour all in his path in regaining the World Heavyweight and WWE Championships.

As his skills as a leader of D-Genration X developed, so did his masterful moves to ensure his continued success, adding â€œNature Boyâ€? Ric Flair as an ally and associate. Around this point in time, RAW began to see an influx of new Superstars, leading to the always shrewd Triple H investing in his future by securing two of the hottest prospects on the scene: Batista and Randy Orton. As a four-man clique known as Evolution, the foursome dominated RAW, dined on championship gold, flew $20 million private jets and partied the nights away. This was the best of the best. The elite. They were Evolution.

Unfortunately, Triple Hâ€™s greed ultimately nearly consumed him. His need to be the man and ace of Evolution was challenged first by Randy Orton and most recently by Batista, leading to the group self-destructing and Orton and Batista breaking away into Superstars free of Triple H calling the shots for his own best interests instead of theirs.

Recently, Triple H has been engulfed in a bloody war with Batista, seeing Batista defeat and win the World Heavyweight Championship from â€œThe Gameâ€? at WrestleMania 21 in Hollywood. Despite this, Triple H has vowed to get Batista and win back his World Heavyweight Championship but unfortunately, Batista was drafted to SmackDown as part of the 2005 Draft Lottery. With a new chapter beginning, the smart money is on â€œThe Gameâ€? rising once again to his throne as the WWE Champion as there are few if any who can outsmart or outwrestle Triple H â€¦ let alone escape the Pedigree â€“ the proverbial end game for all.

~~debbydo~~ · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 20005 Location: Hertfordshire

i can remeber him from way back ..

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 269 lbs

Real Name: Paul Levesque

DOB: 7/27/69

Hometown: Nashua, New Hampshire (announced as Greenwich, Connecticut)

Other Names: Terra Ryzing (IWF/WCW), Jean-Paul Levesque (WCW), Jean Pierre Lafite (WWF), HHH (WWF), Triple H (WWF), "The Crock" (WWF), "The Game" (WWF)

Wrestler Since: 1992

Finishing Maneuver: Indian Deathlock, Pedigree

History:

There's no doubt that Paul Levesque has made a name for himself in the world of professional wrestling. As Hunter Hearst Helmsley, he has become one of the top icons in the sport, as well as one of the most powerful wrestlers in the backstage area. He's been an incredible fan favorite, drawing the cheers out of the crowd with little effort. He's been the most hated wrestler in the world, due to his rule-breaking tactics. He's done it all, and he's got a long way to go before his career finishes up.

The Beginning

Levesque grew up in New Hampshire, competing in basketball and baseball throughout high school. What really interested Levesque, though, was body-building. After graduating from high school, Levesque entered into various competitions, and won the Teenage Mr. New Hampshire competition at 19, a major accomplishment. Still, Levesque felt that there was more in store for him than just body-building competitions, and began looking into other options. Soon, Levesque chose the direction of his future, signing up to train with legendary pro wrestling star Killer Kowalski, attending his wrestling school in Reading, Massachusetts. Under Kowalski, Levesque learned the art of the sport, as well as getting tips from one of the biggest rule-breakers in wrestling history.

In 1992, Levesque made his debut, wrestling for the IWF (Kowalski's training federation) under the name "Terra Ryzing". It didn't take long for Terra Ryzing to make an impact, as he won the IWF Heavyweight Title in July '92. Terra Ryzing would remain a major part of the IWF for the next year, training himself continuously in the hopes of climbing up the ladder to the more well-known federations. In 1994, he was given his chance, as he signed with World Championship Wrestling. Still wrestling as Terra Ryzing, he never truly got a chance to shine, competing mainly against low-card opposition. Terra Ryzing's only bright spot was a Television Title match against Larry Zbysko, where Zbysko stayed the champ. In May 1994, Levesque changed from Terra Ryzing to a variation of his own name, wrestling as Jean-Paul Levesque. As a French-Canadian aristocrat, Levesque gained a little momentum, and even appeared at Starrcade '94, losing to Alex Wright. But just as it seemed that Levesque might be on his way with WCW, he surprisingly refused to sign a new contract, then left WCW in favor of the World Wrestling Federation.

1995

Levesque entered the WWF in the spring of '95, with a brand-new name to wrestle under: Hunter Hearst Helmsley. For the first few months, Helmsley wrestled again in the low-card position, usually coming up victorious as his push was slowly built. At Summerslam '95, he was given his first WWF PPV shot, and took advantage of it, winning over Bob Holly. He then entered into an extended feud with Fatu, competing against him at several pay-per-view events. Triple H's battles with Fatu led to his next feud, as he met up with Henry Godwinn, a professed "pig farmer". At this point in his career, Helmsley was still the aristocrat, and looked down on Godwinn. The two fought in an "Arkansas Hog Pen" Match at In Your House V, as Helmsley was forced to roll in the mud, tarnishing his "high-class" image. But Helmsley did manage to get the victory with his finisher, the Pedigree, continuing to earn respect from his peers.

It was during this time that the Clique began to form in the backstage area. Helmsley became friends with many of the other WWF superstars, forming a powerful union that worked to make the members of the Clique look good. The group included Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Shawn Michaels and Sean Waltman, the best in the business at the time.

1996

Helmsley's next feud started at the 1996 Royal Rumble, as he faced against Duke "The Dumpster" Droese for the right to enter the Rumble as #30. Due to Helmsley getting disqualified, he was forced to enter #1 in the Rumble. Helmsley put on a strong performance, lasting over 50 minutes before finally being thrown out by Diesel. Although he did well, Helmsley wasn't happy, blaming his loss on Droese. He attacked Droese at one point, Pedigreeing him on a trash can lid, then cutting off his hair. The two fought at In Your House VI, with Helmsley getting the victory. Helmsley next entered into a short feud with the Ultimate Warrior, who was making his return to the WWF. At Wrestlemania XII, Helmsley suffered a devestating defeat, as the Warrior won in less than 2 minutes. Helmsley blamed the loss on his valet, Sable, but when he went to attack her, he was stopped by Sable's husband, Marc Mero.

Helmsley and Mero would feud for the next few months, splitting their matches evenly as they went at it. Just as it seemed like Helmsley was gaining momentum in his WWF career, however, the infamous kayfabe incident took place. At Madison Square Garden, Helmsley wrestled Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) while Shawn Michaels took on Diesel (Kevin Nash). This was the last night for Hall and Nash, who were both jumping to WCW. After their matches, the members of the Clique came together in the ring, hugging each other and breaking "kayfabe", otherwise known as the mystique of the business. By showing their friendship in the ring, the group allowed the world to see that their "hatred" for each other was not true. After the incident, Hall and Nash left the WWF, with Sean Waltman (X-Pac) leaving soon after. Since Michaels was currently the World Champ, the only member of the Clique that Vince McMahon could punish for the incident was Helmsley.

Over the next few months, Helmsley's punishment was very clear. While thought of as a favorite for the King of the Ring tournament, he didn't compete in it, instead fighting in a dark match with Aldo Montoya (Justin Credible). Helmsley was forced to lose to many mid-carders over the period, including men like Sycho Sid, an aging Jake Roberts and a growing star in Steve Austin. Finally, though, Helmsley started to climb back up the WWE ladder in November '96. Due to an incident where Mr. Perfect "stole" his harem of women, Helmsley challenged the man to a match at Monday Night Raw. During the night, though, Helmsley attacked Perfect, apparently injuring his leg. Pefect convinced Marc Mero, the Intercontinental Champion at the time, to take his place in the match. But it all turned out to be a double-cross, as Perfect helped Helmsley defeat Mero by hitting the Marvelous One with a steel chair. This helped Triple H win his first WWE gold, the WWE Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship.

1997

Helmsley would feud with Mero for the rest of the year, and although Triple H usually took the loss, he always managed to find a way to slip out with the Intercontinental Title. At the beginning of 1997, Helmsley, with his "butler", Curtis Hughes, began to take a liking to Marlena, who was the valet of Goldust. As expected, Goldust disliked the attention being sent towards his girl, and a new feud erupted. At the '97 Royal Rumble, Helmsley and Goldust went at it, with Hughes helping Helmsley to the victory. Later on that night, Helmsley competed in the Rumble, but didn't last long, as Goldust managed to throw him out. Helmsley and Goldust continued their feud into the next month, but Helmsley also had other problems to worry about. Curtis Hughes left him, leaving Helmsley without an ally to aid him in matches. Then Helmsley lost the WWF Intercontinental Title, surprisingly being beaten by "The Rock" Rocky Maivia.

At the Final Four pay-per-view, Triple H got a rematch against Maivia, trying to regain his title. Unfortunately for Helmsley, Goldust & Marlena also got involved, coming to ringside and distracting the challenger. Because of their appearance, Maivia was able to take out Helmsley and get the victory, staying the champion. After the match, however, Triple H got some revenge, as a massive woman came out of the crowd and attacked Marlena. It was soon announced that the woman, Chyna, was Triple H's new bodyguard. Helmsley & Chyna fought against Goldust & Marlena all the way up to Wrestlemania XIII, where Helmsley and Goldust met in a final, feud-ending match. Helmsley got the victory with his Pedigree, his first Wrestlemania win.

Helmsley next had a short, forgettable feud with Flash Funk, beating him at "A Cold Day In Hell", before getting himself entered into the King of the Ring tournament. At first, it seemed that Helmsley was not going to be involved, as he was disqualified in his qualifying match against Ahmed Johnson due to Chyna's interference. But when Helmsley claimed that he didn't know he could be disqualified, he was allowed to take the place of the injured Vader in the tournament, and beat Crush in the qualifying round to move forward. At the pay-per-view, Helmsley defeated Ahmed Johnson with Chyna's help, getting some revenge for his DQ loss. Helmsley then went into the finals against Mankind. The two had a terrific match, which included Mankind's infamous mask being torn off. In the end, Helmsley got the victory, winning the King of the Ring. But Helmsley wasn't satisfied, as he brutally attacked Mankind after the match with the KOTR crown.

Triple H and Mankind continued their violent feud after KOTR, and faced off again at the next Pay-Per-View, the Canadian Stampede. But nothing was settled, as the two were both counted out as they took their bloody fight to the outside. The two couldn't be separated, and throughout the rest of the night, they were seen still brawling in and out of the crowd, the backstage area, and even outside of the arena. Helmsley and Mankind next signed to fight in a "Steel Cage" Match at Summerslam '97, so that there would be no countout. In another bloody match, the two delivered tremendous amounts of punishment to the other. At one point, Helmsley had the chance to escape the cage, but stayed, wanting to do more damage. This backfired on him, though, as Mankind was able to land a huge elbowdrop from the top of the cage on Helmsley, then escaped the cage, getting the victory despite Chyna's interference.

Soon after Summerslam, Helmsley and Chyna began hanging out with Clique member Shawn Michaels, as well as "Ravishing" Rick Rude. The group came together, calling themselves Degeneration-X, the next generation of the WWF. The powerhouse group mocked wrestlers and announcers alike, and soon were feuding with the Hart Foundation, one of the toughest stables around. Helmsley also managed to put a good finishing touch on his feud with Mankind, who had reverted to his "Dude Love" persona. Helmsley defeated Dude Love with the Pedigree at One Night Only. Later that night, Helmsley joined with the rest of Degeneration-X to help Michaels take out the British Bulldog. The group injured the Bulldog's leg, and the referee was forced to declare him unfit to continue, causing the European Title to go to Michaels.

Due to Degeneration-X's antics, the Commissioner, Sargeant Slaughter, began to take action against them. It was announced that Helmsley would have to face Slaughter at the Degeneration-X pay-per-view in a "Boot Camp" Match. During the violent match, Chyna tried to interfere, only to have powder thrown into her eyes, blinding her. Despite Chyna being out of commission, however, Helmsley got the victory, landing the Pedigree onto a steel chair. Not long afterwards, Slaughter, looking for some revenge, ordered that Shawn Michaels would have to defend his WWF European Title against Helmsley. Michaels & Helmsley had the last laugh, though, as Michaels laid down and let Helmsley pin him for the belt.

1998

Helmsley then started to feud with Owen Hart, who wanted to reclaim the European Title for the Hart Foundation. During this time, though, Helsmley's knee was injured, leaving him unfit to compete. This didn't stop Helmsley from interfering with Hart, costing him, among other things, the Royal Rumble. Helmsley nailed Hart with a crutch during the Rumble match, making Hart easy pickings to be eliminated.

It was soon announced that Helmsley's thirty-days to defend the European Title were almost up, and that he would have to defend the belt against Hart at a Monday Night Raw, injured or not. Helmsley, in return, sent in Goldust, dressed up like Helmsley, to wrestle for him. Hart got the victory over "Hunterdust", and Slaughter gleefully declared that since the belt was supposed to be on the line, Hart became the European Champion, even though Helmsley wasn't involved in the match. At No Way Out '98, Helmsley joined up with the New Age Outlaws (Jesse James & Billy Gunn) and Savio Vega (who was subbing for the injured Shawn Michaels) to fight against Hart, Steve Austin, Cactus Jack and Terry Funk. Triple H continued to go after Hart during the match, but was unable to prevent Austin from knocking Jesse James out with the "Stone Cold Stunner" to get the victory. After the match, Austin nailed Chyna with a Stunner as well.

After No Way Out, Helmsley again had to rest his injured knee, but still continued his feud with Owen Hart. For the next few weeks, Chyna surprisingly attacked Hart's opponents, making sure that Hart didn't lose the European Title. In March '98, with Hart feeling the pain of injuries himself, Helmsley challenged him to a match for the title. During the fight, Chyna nailed Hart on his injured leg with a baseball bat, then rolled him into the ring. Triple H then put on an ankle lock, and Hart was forced to tap, allowing Helmsley to reclaim the European Title. At Wrestlemania XIV, Helmsley and Hart went at it one more time for the belt, with Sgt. Slaughter handcuffed to Chyna at ringside to keep her from interfering. This plan didn't work, however, as Chyna threw powder into Slaughter's face, blinding him. Chyna then got a low blow on Hart, which allowed Helmsley to hit the Pedigree for the victory. The DX band, which was on hand at the event, played the DX theme live for the champion as he and Chyna departed the ring.

At Raw following Wrestlemania XIV, Helmsley came out and announced that, since Michaels was injured, he was taking over as leader of Degeneration-X. He claimed that Michaels had dropped the ball, so he had picked it up. He then introduced X-Pac (returning from a stint in WCW) as the newest member of D-X. Later that night, Helmsley, Chyna & X-Pac surprisingly interfered in the tag title match, helping the New Age Outlaws win the WWF Tag-Team Titles. It was obvious that the DX Army was now in place. Helmsley, as the leader of D-X, continued his feud with Owen Hart, setting up a match between them at Unforgiven '98. Chyna was suspended above the ring in a cage, to keep her from being involved. During the fight, though, Chyna began to escape the cage, bending the bars. As Jesse James came down to lower the cage, the referee missed X-Pac's interference, as he hit Hart with a fire extinguisher. Helmsley then hit the Pedigree and got the victory, staying the European Champion.

Degeneration-X began one of their most infamous segments the night after Unforgiven, as the entire group appeared outside the Norfolk Scope, where a WCW card was taking place. Helmsley was able to get several fans to state that WCW sucked, landing some shots against the competition. It was a major success for the WWF. Degeneration-X then became involved in a wild feud with the Nation of Domination, since Owen Hart had joined the group to fight Helmsley. At Over the Edge '98, Helmsley & the New Age Outlaws faced off against Hart, D-Lo Brown & Kama. Hart managed to get some revenge in the match, as he landed a Pedigree maneuver on Helmsley, dropping him onto the European Title. Hart then got the pinfall, beating Triple H.

Helmsley next concentrated on defending his title as King of the Ring. Helmsley was forced to face X-Pac in the qualifying round, causing some trouble between the D-X members. However, this was cleared up due to the Nation of Domination interfering, attacking X-Pac. Helmsley, not seeing the assault, got the victory, moving on. Helmsley next faced the Rock in the quarterfinals, and despite the interference of Chyna, the Rock moved on, taking out Helmsley. This caused a major feud to erupt between Triple H and the Rock, which included Helmsley spitting water in the Rock's face, helping Ken Shamrock beat the Rock in the finals of the KOTR tournament. The feud continued to build during the next month, as the Rock cost Helmsley the European Title, knocking him out with the Rock Bottom so that D-Lo Brown could get the victory.

At Fully Loaded '98, Helmsley and the Rock met in a "Three Falls" Match, with the Rock's Intercontinental Title on the line. The match was wrought with interference from both stables, as the match went back and forth. The Rock scored the first pin with the Rock Bottom, but Chyna helped even things up, hitting a low blow that allowed Triple H to get a small package pinfall. At the end of the match, Helmsley seemed to be about to get the three count, when the referee declared that the time limit had run out, causing a draw. Helmsley, not surprisingly, was unhappy with the ending of the match, and continued to feud with the Rock over the next month. Triple H also had problems with X-Pac, but the two managed to patch things up in their war against the Nation of Domination. At Summerslam '98, Helmsley and the Rock got it on once more, fighting in a "Ladder" Match. Mark Henry tried to interfere to help the Rock win, but Chyna again was the deciding factor, hitting a bleeding Rock with a low blow. Helmsley then climbed the ladder and got the Intercontinental Title, winning the match and the belt.

Helmsley and D-X continued to battle against the Nation after Summerslam, with Triple H feuding with Mark Henry. Before the next PPV, Breakdown, Helmsley was shown in the backstage area, being attacked. He couldn't compete at the pay-per-view, and later was shown with a knee injury, keeping him out of action for months. In October, Helmsley was stripped of the Intercontinental Title, and a tournament was put together, with Ken Shamrock winning. At the next PPV, Judgment Day, Helmsley reluctantly handed over the IC Title, then followed it up with the DX "Suck It" maneuver. This angered Shamrock, who later that night attacked Helmsley, slamming his already-injured knee in a car door. This would keep Helmsley on the disabled list. At Survivor Series, Triple H was expected to return, as he was included in the "Deadly Games" tournament for the World Title. But when his match came around, it was announced that, although he was "sent tickets", he didn't show. Pat Patterson & Gerald Brisco announced that the Big Boss Man would take his place in the tournament, and that Helmsley would be fired for not appearing.

A few weeks later, X-Pac was attacked by Ken Shamrock, but Helmsley surprisingly reappeared to save his D-X partner. He then challenged for a shot against the Rock, who held the WWF World Heavyweight Title at the time. However, McMahon changed the match, giving X-Pac the shot instead. At Capital Carnage, Helmsley took on Jeff Jarrett, taking him out with the Pedigree for his first major win since his injury. Later on that night, Helmsley, with Chyna, tried to help X-Pac win the World Title. But due to his interference, the Rock won via Disqualification. At the next Raw is War, Helmsley and X-Pac, apparently the last two members of DX, confronted the New Age Outlaws, who had apparently switched to Vince McMahon's Corporation. However, later that night, the Outlaws helped Helmsley and X-Pac, showing that the betrayal was just a hoax. DX was still as strong as ever. In the middle of December '98, Helmsley was finally given the shot he'd been wanting, facing the Rock for the World Title on Raw is War. But during the match, while Chyna was distracted taking care of Shawn Michaels, a mystery man, Test, made his first appearance, attacking Helmsley and keeping him from winning the title.

1999

The war continued to grow between DX and the Corporation, with Helmsley allying himself with Mankind. The McMahons tried to break up the alliance by pitting Helmsley against Mankind, with a shot at the Royal Rumble on the line. Shane McMahon, who was the referee, helped Helmsley win the chance to compete in the Rumble, but Helmsley, annoyed at the outcome, Pedigree'd Shane, leaving him in the ring with Mankind. At the Royal Rumble, Helmsley entered as #23, and was able to eliminate Jeff Jarrett and Val Venis. But Triple H was unable to stop "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who landed a Stunner on Helmsley and eliminated him, ending his hopes as the Rumble winner.

On the next Raw is War, Helmsley fought against the World Champ, the Rock, in an "I Quit" Match. During the brawl, Helmsley landed the Pedigree on the Rock, and looked to be in good shape, when the Corporation came out with Chyna. They threatened to take Chyna out unless Helmsley said "I Quit". Having no other choice, Triple H gave in, costing himself the match. He then checked on Chyna, but was surprisingly low-blowed, as Chyna showed that the 'threat' was actually a trick. She betrayed Helmsley and joined with the Corporation. Helmsley later called her a "2-dollar whore", and continued his feud with the Corporation, fighting with one of their newer members, Kane. At Valentine's Day Massacre, Helmsley & X-Pac teamed up against Chyna & Kane. At one point in the match, while X-Pac was fighting with Shane McMahon, Helmsley went for the Pedigree on Chyna, only to be chokeslammed by Kane, losing the match.

Helmsley and X-Pac continued to feud with Chyna & Kane, as well as the rest of the Corporation. A trick from Shane McMahon cost X-Pac the European Title at one point, but Helmsley helped X-Pac get a rematch at Wrestlemania XV. At one point during the month, Chyna called Helmsley out. Triple H was quickly followed by Kane. As Chyna was holding Triple H, Kane threw a fireball at his face. But Helmsley ducked, and Chyna took the horrific blow instead. Later on that month, Helmsley called out Kane for some revenge, but got the Undertaker in Kane's mask instead. Helsmley would later come out disguised as Goldust, hitting Kane with a fireball of his own. At Wrestlemania XV, Kane and Helmsley went at it in a violent way, but the match wasn't decided until Chyna came down to ringside. She surprisingly nailed Kane with a steel chair, getting Triple H disqualified. Helmsley then attacked Kane, showing that he and Chyna were back together. Just as it seemed, though, that they were both becoming faces, they interfered in X-Pac's European Title match later on, helping Shane McMahon retain his belt. Helmsley was now part of the Corporation.

For the next month, Helmsley and Chyna feuded with X-Pac and Kane, the two men they had turned on. After numerous clashes, Helmsley met X-Pac at Backlash, with Chyna continuously interfering. Kane came to the ring and evened the odds, attacking both Chyna and Helmsley. Despite the attack, Triple H came back to hit the Pedigree, beating X-Pac. In the weeks following the pay-per-view, Helmsley and Chyna began to target the Rock. Their stable changed as well, as the Corporation merged with the Ministry of Darkness, forming the Corporate Ministry. During the month, Helmsley continuously assaulted the Rock, breaking his arm at one point by throwing him off the stage, then later attacking the arm with a sledgehammer. At Over the Edge, Helmsley fought a brutal war against the Rock, even using his own cast against him. Eventually, though, Triple H went too far, grabbing a chair from Chyna, then shoving the referee out of the way, getting himself disqualified. Helmsley didn't seem to care, going after the Rock with the chair, only to get his head busted open when the Rock came back. Chyna turned the tables again, though, allowing Helmsley to attack the Rock's injured arm with the chair. Mankind eventually came down to make the save.

The next night, on Raw is War, Helmsley delivered an emotional speech about Owen Hart, who was killed at Over the Edge. He dedicated his victory over Al Snow to Hart. Afterwards, Helmsley went back to his heel ways, feuding with Mankind and the injured Rock. Triple H was also scheduled to compete in the King of the Ring tournament, but refused, saying that he had nothing to prove. Chyna was allowed to take his place. Helmsley, at one point, was put into a "Cast" Match against the Rock, forcing him to compete with a cast around his leg. The match went badly for Helmsley until the Undertaker interfered. As the King of the Ring pay-per-view approached, Triple H and the Undertaker, due to various miscues, began to fight amongst themselves, as well as against the Rock, who would face the Undertaker for the World Title. Triple H publicly stated that, whoever won the match, he wanted the next title shot.

At KOTR '99, Helmsley tried to help Chyna in the quarterfinals of the tournament, but was stopped by Commissioner Shawn Michaels. Chyna then lost to the Roaddogg Jesse James. It was later announced that, since Shane McMahon had been "injured" at the hands of Ken Shamrock on Sunday Night Heat, Triple H could take his place, teaming with Vince McMahon in a handicap match against Steve Austin. During the World Title match, the Rock placed a cloth covered with ether across the Undertaker's mouth, trying to knock him out. But Helmsley came to the ring and attacked the Rock, nailing him with the Pedigree and allowing the Undertaker to retain the World Title. After the match, Commissioner Michaels ejected Helmsley from the building due to his interference, keeping him from the main event match.

Soon after the pay-per-view, Helmsley & China joined up with "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn, reforming part of Degeneration-X. The group claimed that they deserved the rights to the DX name, a fact disputed by X-Pac & the Roaddogg Jesse James, who were also using the title. The two groups would feud during the month over the naming rights, while Helmsley also continued to concentrate on the Rock. At Fully Loaded '99, Helmsley watched as Chyna & Gunn lost to X-Pac & the Roaddogg, losing the "DX" rights. A furious Helmsley then went into his own match, a "#1 Contender No-Disqualification Strap Match" against the Rock, with the winner getting a World Title shot at Summerslam. During the match, both Chyna and Gunn interfered, helping to keep Helmsley in the match. In the end, after the Rock got rid of Gunn, Helmsley landed the Pedigree, to get himself the victory.

The next month was a crazy one for Triple H. At one point, he was forced to put his #1 Contendership on the line in a Triple Threat match against the Undertaker and Chyna. Helmsley thought that Chyna didn't deserve the shot, since she was "just a woman". This of course infuriated Chyna, making it a true Triple Threat match. During the bout, Steve Austin, the current World Champ, interfered, taking out Helmsley and putting Chyna on top of him, giving her the World Title shot. Helmsley argued with Chyna on the next show, saying that he deserved his contendership back, and they arranged a second match between them. But once again there was interference, with Mankind costing Helmsley the match. Mankind later beat Chyna for the spot, then took on Helmsley, with both men being counted out in their fight. It was eventually decided that both Helmsley and Mankind would face Austin at Summerslam '99.

The Triple Threat match at Summerslam featured a special referee in Jesse "The Body" Ventura, who resolved that he'd call the match fairly. Early on, Helmsley was helped out by interference from Chyna. But this soon ended, as Ventura sent Chyna away from ringside. Later on, Helmsley used a steel chair to knock out Mankind, but Ventura refused to count, not allowing the attack with the foreign object. Shane McMahon tried to come to Triple H's defense, ordering Ventura to do his job, but Austin landed the Stone Cold Stunner on McMahon, allowing Ventura to throw the boss's son out. Austin later hit Triple H with the Stunner, and Triple H was able to land the Pedigree, with Mankind breaking up the pin both times. The match ended with Mankind hitting a double-arm DDT on Austin, allowing him to win the World Title. After the match, a frustrated Helmsley attacked the downed Austin with a chair, going after his injured knee, with Chyna keeping the ring officials from making the save.

The next night, on Raw is War, Triple H came to the ring and angrily demanded a World Title shot, saying that he was cheated by Jesse Ventura. He grabbed Jim Ross's arm, threatening to break it unless Mankind granted a title shot. Mankind, having no choice, agreed to it, only to have Helmsley injure Ross's arm anyway. The match was signed, with Shane McMahon making himself the special referee. The Rock came to ringside as a 'commentator', to keep an eye on things. During the match, McMahon conveniently looked in the other direction, as Helmsley hit first Mankind, then the Rock, with a steel chair. Helmsley then put Mankind into the ring and hit the Pedigree, getting the quick count to win the WWF World Heavyweight Title for the first time.

A few days later, Helmsley appeared on Smackdown, taunting both Mankind and the Rock. He was quickly answered by the Rock, who demanded a title shot. This was granted by the Commissioner, Shawn Michaels, who also made himself the referee. As the match commenced, Michaels was continuously distracted by both Chyna and Shane McMahon, who worked hard to interfere on the champ's behalf. The Rock worked through it, though, and put Helmsley on the mat, preparing for the People's Elbow. Just as he was running across the ring to land it, though, Michaels surprisingly stepped in, hitting his Sweet Chin Music. Triple H then recovered enough to hit the Pedigree, winning the match and retaining the World Title. Afterwards, Helmsley, Chyna, McMahon & Michaels celebrated the double-cross in the ring.

Soon, Helmsley seemed to be feuding with all of the top faces in the WWF. He fought against the Rock, Steve Austin, Kane, Mankind, the Undertaker, Billy Gunn, the Big Show and others, always finding a way (usually with Chyna or Shane McMahon's help) of slipping away with the World Title still around his waist. With his sledgehammer always nearby, Triple H began to brag about all the people he had injured, calling himself "The Game". On one night, Mankind and the Rock, as the tag champs, were scheduled to face the Undertaker & the Big Show in a "Buried Alive" Match. Helmsley attacked the Rock in the back, then came down to the front, hitting the Big Show with the sledgehammer. He then buried Mankind, allowing the Undertaker & the Big Show to win the World Title. But just as it seemed that Helmsley's night was complete, he was surprised by an attack from Steve Austin, who threw Triple H into an ambulance, then ran the ambulance over with a monster truck.

Helmsley later had Austin arrested for Aggravated Assault, but the charges didn't stick. The two later had a match, which ended in a No-Contest after Austin attacked the referee. At the next show, Austin demanded a rematch, but Helmsley instead said that he'd challenge another "main-eventer". Later that night, Helmsley called out Vince McMahon, and after insulting the boss's wife, the match got started. There was a lot of interference in the fight, from Shane McMahon, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, and Chyna, but the main interference came from Austin, who Stunned Helmsley, then pulled McMahon on top, costing Helmsley the World Title. It was later announced that McMahon would vacate the World Title, leaving it open to six competitors at Unforgiven '99. Helmsley demanded one of the spots, saying that he would injure a member of the McMahon family if it was not granted to him.

Helmsley's problems continued with the McMahons, as Vince put Helmsley in five matches in one night. Helmsley would have to win three of the five matches to keep a spot in the Six-Pack pay-per-view match. First, Helmsley was beaten in a "Chokeslam" Match by the Big Show, since Helmsley couldn't possibly chokeslam the 500-lb wrestler. In the second match, Triple H was outmatched by Kane in their "Inferno" bout, but interference by Mideon & Viscera forced Kane to burn his hand, thus giving Helmsley the victory. Helmsley then had to have a "Handicap Casket" Match against both Mideon & Viscera. Although he tried hard, Helmsley was unable to overcome the odds, and lost the match. In the fourth bout, Helmsley had to win a "Boiler Room Brawl" against Mankind. Thanks to interference once again, Helmsley snuck out of the room and got the win. In the fifth and final match, Helmsley took on the Rock in a "Strap" Match, with the British Bulldog as the special referee. Just as it seemed that the Rock would win, ending Triple H's title chances, the Bulldog attacked him, taking the Rock out with the Running Powerslam. Helmsley then landed the Pedigree for the victory, ensuring his spot in the "Six-Pack" Match.

At Unforgiven, the wild "Six-Pack" Match took place, with Helmsley facing off against the Rock, Kane, Mankind, the British Bulldog & the Big Show. Steve Austin was brought in as the special guest enforcer for the match, but he later became the referee, after the WWF ref was taken out by "striking" refs who thought he had crossed the picket line to work the match. During the bout, the British Bulldog used a steel chair on the Rock, knocking him out. Austin quickly intervened, nailing the Bulldog with the same chair, but the road was left open for Helmsley, as he came in and hit the Pedigree on the Rock. Austin reluctantly made the count, giving Triple H the win and allowing him to regain the WWF World Heavyweight Title. After the match, Austin tried to raise Helmsley's hand, only to have Helmsley break away from him. Austin then hit the Stone Cold Stunner on Triple H, breaking up his victory celebration.

Helmsley would feud with Austin over the next month, with Austin quickly getting named the number-one contender to Triple H's World Title. The feud didn't take long to turn brutal, with Helmsley apparently being attacked by a rattlesnake at one point. Helmsley appeared at the next show with snake bite scars on his face, and claimed that he was going to retire because of the attack. He even showed signs of a seizure from the poison. But it was all a ruse, as Helmsley attacked Austin at the end of the night, then peeled off the fake scars. A few weeks before No Mercy '99, Helmsley faced the Rock in a "Steel Cage" Match at Rebellion '99, the British PPV. After a lot of interference, Helmsley was able to get out with the World Title still around his waist, as he prepared to face Austin.

At No Mercy '99, Helmsley and Austin were signed to fight in a "No Holds Barred" Match by Vince McMahon, who didn't want Triple H to escape via a disqualification result. As the night progressed, the Rock announced that he wanted the first shot at whoever won that night. Helmsley, apparently annoyed by the Rock's opinion, attacked the superstar with his sledgehammer. When the match rolled around, both Helmsley and Austin used every weapon they could find. Helmsley was eventually bloodied, but continued to fight back, getting many close calls. The Rock then came to the ring, intent on nailing Helmsley with his own sledgehammer. But Helmsley ducked, forcing the Rock to smack Austin instead. Triple H then took out the Rock with a Pedigree, then pinned Austin to stay the WWF World Champion.

After the pay-per-view, both Austin and the Rock claimed that they deserved the next shot at Triple H's belt. Helmsley arrogantly claimed that he wasn't afraid of either man, so Vince McMahon quickly arranged for Helmsley to defend the World Title against both men in a "Triple Threat" Match at Survivor Series '99. During the month, the three men routinely fought against each other, leading up to the pay-per-view. Helmsley seemed to be slightly outmatched, as both Austin and the Rock would attack him first at any occassion. But Helmsley soon found himself some back-up, as he reformed Degeneration-X, teaming once again with Chyna, X-Pac and the New Age Outlaws. The group worked well together, fighting against many of the top faces at the time. As the Survivor Series began, Triple H lured Austin to the back, where Austin was surprisingly run down with a car. D-X members all denied involvement in the sudden assault on Austin. Triple H thought he would only have to fight the Rock. But in a shocking maneuver, McMahon placed the Big Show into the match instead as Austin's replacement.

The wild match featured many unbelievable maneuvers, the biggest of which was Triple H and the Rock actually working together, landing a double-suplex that put the Big Show through a table. During the match, the referee was knocked out, but Commissioner Shawn Michaels ran down to take his place. The Rock landed his Rock Bottom on Helmsley, but Michaels was taken out of action by the Big Show. Degeneration-X then became a factor, running to ringside to try to aid their leader. But the biggest interference came from Vince McMahon, who came down to the ring and knocked out Helmsley with his own World Title. The Big Show then fought his way back into the ring and picked up Helmsley, hitting his chokeslam. A vindictive McMahon stayed in the ring and made the count, making the Big Show the shocking winner and the new World Champion, taking the belt away from Helmsley once again.

Triple H was furious after Survivor Series, claiming that Vince McMahon cheated him. McMahon, meanwhile, continued to look into the car that hit Austin, blaming DX. Helmsley and McMahon, along with their respective factions, went back and forth, with Helmsley challenging McMahon to a match at Armageddon. McMahon seemed to be losing control, as he rammed the DX limo with a car, then attacked the car with a baseball bat. Helmsley quickly had him arrested, but McMahon returned later on to hit Triple H with a chair, knocking him off the stage. Helmsley came to the next show with a court order, stating that McMahon couldn't get within 50 feet of DX. DX then later attacked Shane McMahon and Test. Vince responded by sending out the entire roster to go after DX.

The next week, on Smackdown, the wedding of Stephanie McMahon and Test was scheduled to take place. Before it could, however, Triple H made another appearance, showing footage of him and an unconscious Stephanie at a drive-in wedding chapel. Test couldn't marry Stephanie because Helmsley was already her husband! Stephanie later tried to get Helmsley to annul the marriage, and Triple H said that if he lost the match against Vince, that he would grant it, but if he won, he gets a World Title shot. The match at Armageddon was "No Holds Barred", and weapons quickly came into play. Most of them were donated by Mankind, to help Vince. The fight left the ring and headed backstage, even going to the parking lot, where Helmsley tried to run over McMahon. In the end, McMahon got hold of Triple H's sledgehammer, but before he could swing, Stephanie appeared, wanting the chance to hit him. But Triple H took the hammer from Stephanie and nailed Vince, allowing him to get an easy pin. After the match, Stephanie embraced Helmsley, showing that the marriage wasn't fake.

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley & Triple H soon took over the WWF, as Vince, heartbroken, left the arena. The couple then took over booking duties, making many matches that were biased against the face stars. Helmsley also seemed to be biased against Kurt Angle, while Stephanie showed occassional "feelings" for the young star. Helmsley was eventually confronted by Mankind, who tried to interfere with the matches any chance he had. Helmsley answered back by putting Mankind and the Rock in a "Pink Slip on a Pole" Match, with the loser getting fired. The Rock won, apparently ending Mankind's career. But Mankind would return later in the night for one last appearance, attacking Helmsley during his No-Disqualification Match against the World Champ, the Big Show, helping the champ retain the title. This wasn't the end, though, as, on the first Raw of 2000, Helmsley again put himself against the Big Show. During the match, the Big Show got distracted by the DX members at ringside, allowing Helmsley to recover and hit a low blow. Helmsley followed it up with the Pedigree and got the 1-2-3, winning the WWF World Heavyweight Title for a third time.

The next week, the Rock started Raw is War by bringing most of the roster to the ring. He threatened a walk-out unless the Helmsley couple agreed to their terms. Hunter & Stephanie came out to answer the terms, and eventually agreed not to fire anyone else, as well as to reinstate Mick Foley, aka Mankind. Mankind then came out and used the power of the moment to get himself a World Title match against Helmsley at the Royal Rumble, with Street Fight rules. During the night, problems crept up between the members of DX, as they were forced to fight against each other by the Rock. But the group later came back together, apologizing to each other. As the Royal Rumble approached, Mankind took some beatings from DX, and later came out and stated that 'he' wasn't up for a Street Fight. But his alter-ego, Cactus Jack, was, so he took off his mask and white shirt and became the different wrestler, making him even more of a threat to Triple H's World Title.

2000

At the Royal Rumble '00, Helmsley and Cactus Jack engaged in one of the bloodiest matches yet seen in the WWF. Both men were badly bloodied, as each used any weapon they could find. At one point, Cactus Jack brought out a 2x4 covered in barbed wire, waffling Triple H with it. Helmsley came back later on by handcuffing Cactus Jack's hands behind him, making him defenseless. But Cactus Jack was able to lure Helmsley back to the entryway, where Helmsley was suddenly attacked by the Rock. A policeman then came out to take off the handcuffs, evening things up again. In the end, Triple H hit Cactus Jack with the Pedigree, but still couldn't get the three count. So he pulled Cactus Jack up again, dragged him to where a pile of thumb tacks were located, and hit another Pedigree on top of them. This finally did it, as Triple H got the three count. After the match, Helmsley was carried out by EMTs, only to have Cactus Jack come after him again, proving that the feud wasn't over.

The time after the Royal Rumble showed a lot of action by Helmsley. He had to deal with the Rock, who won the Royal Rumble (and thus a shot at the World Title at Wrestlemania). He heard the complaints of the Big Show, who claimed that the Rock's feet hit the ground first at the Rumble, making him the winner. Helmsley eventually allowed the Big Show to fight the Rock at the next PPV in a #1 Contender's match. Helmsley's main attention, thought, was still on Cactus Jack. At one point during the month, Cactus Jack came out with the Radicals (Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko & Eddie Guerrero), a group of former WCW stars who wanted WWF contracts. Helmsley gave matches to each Radical, pitting them against a DX member, with the stipulation that they had to win two of their matches to get contracts. None of the Radicals won their matches, with Helmsley himself beating Benoit in the main event.

At the next show, Helmsley came out and confronted Cactus Jack and the Radicals, demanding another match against Cactus Jack at No Way Out. Helmsley had Cactus Jack place his career on the line, while giving Cactus Jack the right to choose the match. Cactus Jack chose a Hell in a Cell. Helmsley then talked to the Radicals, asking whether they showed their appreciation to the man who gave them an opportunity, or the man who gave them contracts. The Radicals then turned on Cactus Jack, beating him down and joining with Triple H. The two wrestlers met once again at No Way Out '00, fighting first off inside the cell, which was chained shut. However, Cactus Jack was able to break the cage open by throwing the steel steps through it, and the fight spilled outside into the crowd. Helmsley later made his way on top of the cage, then attacked Cactus Jack with a barbed-wire 2x4, knocking him off the side and down through a table. Cactus Jack would make a comeback later on, hitting Triple H with the now-inflamed 2x4, but Helmsley managed to back bodydrop Cactus Jack through the cage and down to the ring. Cactus Jack was then easy pickings for a Pedigree, as Helmsley both kept his World Title and ended Cactus Jack's wrestling career.

After No Way Out, Helmsley began to focus his energies on the #1 Contender, which was still the Rock. Meanwhile, though, Helmsley started having problems with the Big Show, who had allied himself with Shane McMahon. Since both Shane and Stephanie had booking powers, many surprising matches were put together, usually involving the Rock. Tempers soon rose between the Helmsleys and Shane'o'Mac, which led to Vince McMahon reappearing on the side of the Rock. They set up a Triple Threat Match for the World Title on Raw, with Helmsley making the stipulation that the match, happening now, wouldn't happen at Wrestlemania. During the match, all three McMahons became involved, but Helmsley did the most in the end, hitting the Pedigree on the Big Show for the victory. After the match, though, Linda McMahon, Vince's wife, came out and announced that she was backing Mick Foley, giving him one final match in the WWF. This set up Wrestlemania main event with a McMahon in every corner.

The match was set up as No-Disqualfication, No-Countout by Vince McMahon, to make sure that Helmsley did not sneak out with the title. At Wrestlemania 2000, Helmsley, Mick Foley, the Big Show and the Rock went at it in an "Elimination" Match for the World Title. The Big Show seemed to take the advantage at first, but his attacks only made the other three wrestlers gang up on him and eliminate him first. The match then settled down into a three-way contest, with no one working together. Helmsley made the next big impact of the match, hitting Foley with a chair, then Pedigree'ing him on the chair to get the pinfall. Foley didn't leave right away, though, attacking Helmsley with barbed wire. Finally, it was down to Triple H and the Rock. While they battled it out, Vince and Shane started fighting on the outside, with Vince being sent to the back for 'medical attention'. However, Vince soon returned, taking out Shane and entering the ring. Surprisingly, Vince then attacked the Rock, knocking him out with 2 chair shots and allowing Helmsley to get the pin, staying the WWF World Champion. Vince and Stephanie then got together, father and daughter reuniting while Triple H celebrated his shocking victory. It didn't last long, as the Rock ended up attacking all three members of the McMahon family with Rock Bottoms.

Helmsley continued to feud with the Rock after Wrestlemania, while also dealing with other concerns. On one night, after Chris Jericho insulted Stephanie, Helmsley took him on, with the World Title on the line. In a stunning turn of events, Jericho took Helmsley down after Triple H shoved the second referee, Earl Hebner. Hebner made the quick 3 count and declared Jericho the winner, handing him the World Title. However, later in the night, Helmsley demanded that Hebner reverse the decision, since Hebner wasn't the official referee. Hebner agreed, as long as Helmsley didn't attack him while he was a WWF referee. Helmsley agreed, but after Hebner reversed the decision, Helmsley fired him, then attacked him, brutally beating up the senior ref. Triple H then feuded briefly with Jericho, before turning back to the Rock, who was given the World Title shot at Backlash '00. It was also announced by Linda McMahon that Steve Austin would be in the Rock's corner at the event. This was later proven when Austin destroyed the DX Express bus.

As the main event at Backlash started, Steve Austin was nowhere to be found. This left the Rock against the mercy of the Helmsley-McMahon regime. Not surprisingly, Shane McMahon was made the special guest referee. At one point, the Rock hit the Rock Bottom on Helmsley through the announcers' table, which also knocked out Shane. But Vince quickly interfered, helping get things back on Helmsley's side. In the ring, Pat Patterson & Gerald Brisco took over the referee duties, but still couldn't get the 3 count to fall. Infuriated, the entire gang of thugs started stomping on the Rock, only to have Austin finally appear, running to the ring and nailing everyone except for the Rock with a steel chair. Linda McMahon then brought down the reinstated Earl Hebner, who took over the referee position even as the Rock got the People's Elbow on Triple H, making the pin and taking away the WWF World Heavyweight Title, ending Helmsley's long reign at the top.

It didn't take Triple H long to declare that he deserved another crack at the World Title. He challenged the Rock every chance he could, while also going after the man he thought cheated him, Earl Hebner. Helmsley and Shane McMahon took on the Rock in a "Triple Threat" Match at Insurextion '00, with all the odds apparently in their favor. But once again, when the ref was taken out, Hebner came down and, despite Vince McMahon's arguments, made the 3 count when the Rock pinned Shane. Helmsley didn't give up, however, as he worked out a deal to face the Rock at Judgment Day '00 in an "Iron Man" Match. It was later learned that Shawn Michaels would return to be the special guest referee for the epic encounter, something that Helmsley was not quite pleased to hear.

The 60-minute Iron Man match started quickly, with both men showing the rage that they had for the other. The Rock earned the first fall, landing the Rock Bottom, but Triple H soon evened it up with the Pedigree. Helmsley then used his smarts, getting a quick roll-up for a second fall, then hitting a piledriver for the third. Ahead 3-1, Helmsley tried to slow the pace of the match down, but the Rock wouldn't allow it, getting a pinfall after a DDT. Helmsley then had to use dirty tactics, hitting the Rock with a steel chair. Michaels immediately disqualified Triple H, evening up the score. Helmsley, though, didn't care, as he was back in control. He used a sleeper on the unconscious Rock, retaking the lead 4-3. However, the Rock would come back and even things up, looking like he was going to take the victory in the closing minutes of the match. Shawn Michaels was pulled from the ring, though, by Vince and Shane McMahon, allowing DX to attack the Rock. However, the Undertaker suddenly appeared on his bike, driving to the ring and taking out DX. When he attacked Helmsley, though, hitting him with the tombstone piledriver, Shawn Michaels had no recourse but to DQ the Rock, which allowed Helmsley to win the match and regain the WWF World Title.

Over the next few weeks, Helmsley and Degeneration-X found many foes to oppose them. Both the Rock and the Undertaker wanted World Title shots, as well as Kane, who attacked Helmsley and stole the belt at one point, forcing Helmsley to give him a #1-Contendership match against him, which Kane won. However, since both the Rock and the Undertaker had also been promised the title shot, the trio could not get along. It was eventually announced by Linda McMahon that Helmsley, Vince and Shane would face the Rock, the Undertaker and Kane at King of the Ring '00. She also later added the stipulation that if any of Helmsley's team was pinned, Helmsley would lose the World Title to them. Vince tried to have the face team taken out, sending various teams to attack them, but this just led Linda to add a "No Interference" stipulation. At King of the Ring, Triple H was clearly outmatched, as Vince and Shane couldn't begin to stand up against the three faces. But the faces also worked against each other, breaking up the pinfalls so that they could have a shot at the title. In the end, while Helmsley was fighting on the outside, the Rock stopped Vince from doing the People's Elbow on him, then landed the Rock Bottom to get the win and take away the World Title.

On the next Raw, Helmsley demanded to be named the #1 Contender, only to have the new Commissioner, Mick Foley, declare that he would have to fight Kurt Angle and the Rock. If Helmsley or Angle won, they'd get a shot. Otherwise, neither would. In the match, Helmsley and Angle broke up each other's pin attempts, with Triple H getting the advantage near the end. But a distraction from Chris Jericho allowed the Rock to nail Helmsley with the Rock Bottom, taking away Helmsley's title shot. Helmsley and Jericho feuded for the next month, with Triple H still angry about a kiss Jericho had stolen from Stephanie. Foley's interference, however, gave Jericho an advantage, as he wouldn't give Helmsley a match against Jericho. But Jericho asked the Commish for a Last Man Standing match at the PPV, which Foley granted, setting up the bout. During this time, problems were starting to brew between Helmsley and Angle, who continued to make advances on Stephanie.

At Fully Loaded '00, Stephanie received some flowers, apparently from Angle. Helmsley angrily went to Angle's dressing room, only to be ambushed by Jericho. During the match between Jericho and Helmsley, Triple H went for a chair, but was stopped by the ref. This allowed Jericho to get back into it, and he managed to get the Walls of Jericho applied. Stephanie came to the ring to break it up, only to be placed in the Walls as well. But Helmsley recovered, eventually backsuplexing Jericho through the announcer's table. Triple H got up, but Jericho couldn't make the count, giving Triple H the victory.

Problems continued to grow between Helmsley and Stephanie as time went on. Triple H was placed in a tag-team match with Trish Stratus as his partner. When he tried to show Trish some wrestling holds, Stephanie came in, believing that Helmsley was cheating on her. The next week, Stephanie was chosen to tag with Helmsley, who accidentally called her Trish, causing Stephanie to leave. Stephanie later teamed up with Helmsley and Angle in a match, getting the win. Stephanie and Angle embraced afterwards, making Triple H furious. The problems only got worse when, in a #1 Contenders match, both Helmsley and Angle pinned Jericho for the shot. It was later announced that Helmsley and Angle would face the Rock at Summerslam '00. The two tried to work together over the next couple of weeks, with mixed results, especially after Angle kissed an injured Stephanie.

Helmsley confronted Stephanie about the kiss at Summerslam, but Stephanie swore she felt nothing for Angle. In the Three-Way match, Helmsley and Angle couldn't wait to get it on, brawling even before the World Champion, the Rock, could get to the ring. Helmsley put Angle through a table, then went for his sledgehammer, but was stopped by the Rock. As the two started to fight, Angle was carried out on a stretcher. Helmsley had the advantage at one point, but couldn't seem to finish off the Rock. Meanwhile, in the back, Stephanie convinced Angle to return to the match, and he made a major impression, hitting Triple H with the sledgehammer. However, this allowed the Rock to throw Angle out, then hit the People's Elbow for the victory, retaining the title.

Triple H and Angle continued to go against each other after Summerslam, with Angle claiming that Helmsley had gotten back together with Chyna. Stephanie angrily slapped Helmsley, but he was able to convince her that there was no affair. However, Triple H was then arrested and accused of "spousal abuse", due to him accidentally hitting Stephanie at Summerslam. At the next show, Triple H demanded to know who called the police. It was eventually revealed to be Test, who was getting revenge for Helmsley stealing Stephanie away from him. A mini-feud blew up between the two, which also involved Test's partner, Albert. Triple H also continued to go after Angle, with the two brawling repeatedly. The Commissioner, Mick Foley, set up a match between Helmsley and Angle at Unforgiven, then continued to team the two up against T&A. Just before the PPV, Angle took Helmsley out with the sledgehammer, then stole another kiss from Stephanie.

At Unforgiven '00, Stephanie apologized to Helmsley for sticking up for Angle. She claimed that things were through between them, and that she supported Helmsley fully. Helmsley and Angle then went at it, with Commissioner Foley as the special referee to keep things even. The match went back and forth, with neither man having a clean advantage throughout. Stephanie became the major factor of the match, coming down the aisle and landing a low blow on Angle while Foley's back was turned. Helmsley quickly took advantage, hitting the Pedigree and successfully pinning Angle. Helmsley and Stephanie then left together, once again appearing as a happy couple. This didn't last.

Helmsley started into a feud with Chris Benoit in the next month, while also still having problems with Kurt Angle. At one point, Commissioner Foley placed Triple H and Angle in a #1 Contenders match. Beforehand, Helmsley asked Stephanie to stay away from the ring, but Stephanie would come down anyway, halfway through the match. Benoit then came to the ring to attack Stephanie, distracting Helmsley constantly. When Helmsley came out for a second time to save Stephanie, Benoit knocked Triple H out, allowing Angle to get the easy pin. Helmsley later blamed Stephanie for the loss, forcing tears to roll down her face. This would backfire, as Stephanie would later announce that she was now Kurt Angle's manager, not Triple H's.

At No Mercy '00, Helmsley was granted a match against Benoit. The two went back and forth, with Benoit even managing to get his Crippler Crossface submission hold applied. Triple H was able to escape, though, keeping the match alive. It was later decided surprisingly not by the competitors, but by Stephanie, who came to ringside and slapped Benoit. With her distracting the referee, Helmsley landed a low blow, then a Pedigree, getting the victory. Later in the night, Stephanie came out to manage Kurt Angle in his match against the World Champ, the Rock. When the champ took out Stephanie with a Rock Bottom, Triple H came to the ring. After throwing Angle out of the ring, Triple H attacked the Rock, hitting the Pedigree. He then left with the unconscious Stephanie, as Kurt Angle took advantage, eventually winning the World Title.

Over the next few weeks, Triple H feuded with the champ, Angle, as well as the team of the Radicalz. There were even signs of a Degeneration-X reunion. But things would change quickly only a short time later. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had been out of action for months, due to being hit by a car. It had been discovered that Rikishi was the driver of the automobile. On Raw is War, Austin was being attacked by both Rikishi and Kurt Angle, when Triple H came to his aid. However, after getting rid of Angle, Helmsley then attacked Austin with a sledgehammer, bloodying him. Helmsley claimed that he was the one who had orchestrated the attack on Austin, showing his partnership with Rikishi. Commissioner Foley then stepped in, saying that Helmsley would face Austin at the Survivor Series in a No-Disqualification match.

At the pay-per-view, the energy was high between Austin and Helmsley. The match quickly ventured away from the ring, as the two men battled it out up and down the aisle. Triple H tried to take advantage early on by throwing Austin into the ring steps, but the Rattlesnake quickly came back, opening up Triple H's forehead with a television monitor. The match went back and forth, involving many weapons, including some of Austin's beers. Austin gained a lot of momentum as the match went on, backdropping Helmsley through the announce table. Helmsley tried to beg off, but Austin wouldn't hear of it, and landed his finisher, the Stone Cold Stunner. This wasn't enough for the enraged Austin, though, as he went and got a chair, putting it on Helmsley's neck. Helmsley escaped, though, as the fight headed into the back. The Radicalz then attacked Austin, giving Helmsley a chance to get into a car, where he apparently planned to once again run Austin down. But Austin escaped the Radicalz, then reappeared with a forklift, picking up Helmsley's car, then dropping it upside-down to the concrete. The match was declared a no-contest, as medics ran to Helmsley's aid.

Helmsley was out of action for a few weeks, as it was announced by Stephanie that he had a concussion, along with numerous other injuries. Helmsley reappeared during a match between Austin and the World Champ, Kurt Angle. Triple H brutally attacked Austin, causing the DQ. It was announced soon afterwards by Commissioner Foley that there would be a six-man Hell in a Cell Match for the World Title at Armageddon '00, involving Helmsley, Angle, Austin, the Rock, the Undertaker and Rikishi. An alliance was quickly formed between Helmsley, Angle & Rikishi, as they went against the faces. The alliance was partially broken only a few days later, though, as, after an assault on the three faces, Angle turned on the group, attacking Rikishi. Triple H then nailed Angle with a chair, apparently staying on Rikishi's side.

The Armageddon match proved to be one of the most brutal matches ever seen, as most of the athletes involved were bloody messes by the end of the fight. Helmsley was opened up by Austin, who rubbed his face across the steel. At one point in the match, Rikishi saved Triple H, dropping his leg across Austin's head. He helped up Helmsley, only to have Triple H Pedigree Rikishi and nearly get the win, with the Rock breaking up the pinfall. During the match, Vince McMahon, who was firmly against his "investments" becoming injured, tried to tear down the cell. He managed to tear down the door with a truck, before Foley had him evicted. This allowed the wrestlers to escape the cage, as Helmsley and Austin fought down the aisle. Helmsley finally got some control going, as he threw Austin through a glass window. Triple H later led the climb up the side of the cage, still fighting Austin. He would later climb down safely, while the Undertaker threw Rikishi from the top of the cage into the back of the pick-up truck. In the end Austin hit the Stunner on the Rock, but was then taken out by Triple H. Angle then slipped in and made the pin on the Rock, staying the World Champion.

2001

Helmsley was out for a short time afterwards, but would soon return in early 2001, once again costing Steve Austin a chance to become the World Champion. He also opened Austin up with a steel pipe. It was later announced that Helmsley would face Kurt Angle for the World Title at the 2001 Royal Rumble. Vince McMahon also said that if Helmsley or Austin attacked the other, they would lose their shots at respective matches at the PPV. The two had many confrontations, usually circling around Kurt Angle. At one point, after bumping into each other, Austin delivered the Stunner to Helmsley. McMahon later claimed that, since it was in the heat of the moment, he would allow both to compete. Another factor building throughout the month was the animosity between Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Trish Stratus, who had begun hanging out with the World Champ, Angle.

At the Royal Rumble, Helmsley asked Stephanie not to ruin his chances due to her problems with Trish. During their talk, Drew Carey, the comedian/television star, entered their dressing room and introduced himself. Helmsley then sent Carey over to meet Trish, which eventually led to Carey being put in the Royal Rumble match. During the World Title match, both Trish and Stephanie became involved in one way or another. When Trish tried to help Angle escape a figure-four, Stephanie attacked her, and they brawled all over until Vince McMahon came down to separate them, eventually getting them to the backstage area. Meanwhile, in the ring, the referee was knocked down, allowing Angle to get his World Title. But Helmsley blocked the shot, then Pedigree'd Angle, looking like he was about to win. However, Steve Austin ran to the ring and struck Triple H with the World Title, then followed it up with the Stone Cold Stunner. Austin then departed, while Angle made the weak cover to get the victory, staying the champ. Later in the night, when Austin came out for his turn in the Royal Rumble, a vengeful Helmsley attacked him from behind, opening his forehead up. This didn't stop Austin from winning the Rumble, however.

The rivalry between Helmsley and Austin continued to grow in the coming weeks, with Vince McMahon announcing that