5 dream cross-promotional opponents for Triple H

Triple H once had a reputation for selfishly protecting his spot, but he has worked closely with young talent and put them over in recent years. Since he's one of the best professional wrestlers of all time, The Game also knows exactly how to make the youngsters look like megastars.

With the rise of AEW, there are several new wrestlers on the block with whom he could have a dream match. There are also some familiar faces with whom he has an interesting history.

With that being said, here are five dream cross-promotional opponents for Triple H:

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#5. Adam Cole vs. Triple H would have a student vs. teacher dynamic

Ever since he made his debut in 2017 by taking out Drew McIntyre, Adam Cole was one of the cornerstones of WWE NXT. The Undisputed Era was at the heart of the show's central storylines and put on compelling performances every week.

Cole won the NXT Championship from Johnny Gargano at TakeOver 25 and never looked back. He held the title for over a year as the top star, establishing himself as the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history. His program with Gargano even won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's feud of the year award for 2019.

Cole was the poster boy when the show went head-to-head with AEW Dynamite in the Wednesday Night Wars. Even though they were ultimately overshadowed by All Elite Wrestling in the ratings, the brand produced a lot of quality television centered around him. Tony Khan later admitted that Cole terrified him as the opposing company's star.

However, he left the Black and Gold brand for AEW after putting over Kyle O'Reilly at TakeOver 36. Meanwhile, NXT is undergoing a transition and is being stripped of many of the elements that Triple H put in place to make it a cult favorite.

A Master vs. Apprentice storyline between The Game and Adam Cole, who left NXT for the competition, could be incredible.

#4. Bryan Danielson vs. Triple H has a new coat of paint

Triple H was one of the primary antagonists in the biggest program of Bryan Danielson's career. After making Danielson's life miserable for over a year, he lost to the Aberdeen native in the opening match of WrestleMania 30.

Danielson went on to defeat Batista and Randy Orton in the main event to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, sparking raucous celebrations in the Superdome. His journey to the top was one of the most satisfying professional wrestling storylines of all time.

However, The American Dragon is a different kettle of fish than Daniel Bryan. Danielson is a technically proficient badass in AEW, as opposed to the ultimate underdog he portrayed in WWE. His matches feature a greater level of violence and aren't centered around Danielson fighting from underneath.

Triple H vs. Bryan Danielson would be different than any of their previous encounters. Can you imagine the former wrestling in a sold-out arena with a raucous audience screaming "You're going to get your f****** head kicked in!" at him?

#3. Cody Rhodes idolizes Triple H

At AEW's first big event, Double or Nothing, Cody Rhodes appeared to fire shots at Triple H when he smashed a throne with a sledgehammer, The Game's signature weapon. It's easy to construe that this was a reference to the Hall of Famer, who calls himself "The King of Kings" and uses a throne for his grand entrances.

Rhodes later admitted that he looked up to Triple H, calling the WWE COO his favorite wrestler during an interview with Inside The Ropes.

"Triple H is probably my favourite wrestler and was a role model. I only watched from a distance, but he reminded me a lot of my dad in the sense that I watched him do all the work, be this executive, and then go out there. He really was a model in terms of, “OK, you can do both, but you have to be really disciplined. You have to take it really seriously," said Cody Rhodes.

Rhodes has already laid the groundwork for this dream match and will undoubtedly have a number of creative ideas ready to make it work. Some members of DX and The Nightmare Family could even get involved to make the feud a bigger spectacle.

#2 Jon Moxley would be an interesting opponent for Triple H

Jon Moxley is another opponent with whom Triple H has a history. When Moxley left WWE for AEW, he wasn't shy about criticizing his former employers. He expressed his frustrations with WWE's creative process and even described Vince McMahon as "out of touch."

Throughout his professional wrestling career, Moxley has been known for his ability to cut promos. His charisma and unique delivery set him apart from most performers in the industry.

However, he was stifled by WWE's scripted promos, which were among the primary reasons for his departure. During an appearance on Talk is Jericho, he said:

"That's why WWE promos don't work because they jam 5,000 words in there that aren't necessary. Say what you want to say, mean what you want to say, get your point across. 'I'm gonna beat you on Saturday night because I don't like you.' Boom, done," said Jon Moxley. (h/t Inside the Ropes)

Since Vince McMahon facing Jon Moxley isn't a palatable idea, he needs a champion to wrestle for him. Who better to fill this role than his own son-in-law, Triple H?

The Game is suited to cutting corporate heel promos and would serve as the perfect foil to the blue-collar Moxley, who has taken his work to a new level since joining AEW.

#1 There is needle between CM Punk and Triple H

When CM Punk left WWE, there seemed to be little love lost between him and Triple H. The Game defeated Punk during the height of his popularity at Night of Champions 2011, greatly halting The Second City Saint's momentum. He reportedly wasn't a fan of CM Punk during his early days in WWE either.

During his infamous appearance on the Colt Cabana Podcast, Punk admitted that he didn't have the best relationship with The Cerebral Assassin. As he was about to leave WWE, he told Triple H:

"All due respect, I do not need to wrestle you. You need to wrestle me. I do not want to wrestle you, I seriously resent you for not putting me over you three years ago when you should have. That would have been best for business,” said CM Punk.

However, the pair appear to have softened their stances towards each other. Punk recently admitted that Triple H would have been the biggest match for him if he had gone back to WWE. The Hall of Famer also expressed a willingness to work with CM Punk before the Chicago native signed with AEW.

The beef that's been simmering between the two superstars over the years should make for a very tasty dream match.