5 surprising facts you might not know about Triple H

Triple H has been an integral part of the WWE for almost two decades now. Since limiting his in-ring appearances after taking on the role of EVP of Talent, Live Events and Creative, The Game has a lot achievements to his credit for his work behind the scenes as well. He has played an integral role in getting top-tier talent from across the world into the company including the likes of Asuka, Hideo Itami, and most recently Ronda Rousey.

He has also been responsible for the product's recent global expansion. His biggest achievement behind the scenes though, has been his work with the developmental brand NXT, for which he has received universal acclaim.

His career has not been without controversy, though. In his earlier days, he was part of The Kliq, an infamous backstage faction that wielded power in the locker room. Later on, he was accused of hogging the limelight with his lengthy World Heavyweight Championship reigns, and more recently he was accused of pushing only his off-screen friends, like Randy Orton.

Whether you love him or hate him, nobody in the WWE Universe can deny the fact that HHH is one of the legends of the business, whose love and passion for the industry is for everyone to see.

Here are a few things you might not know about the Cerebral Assassin.

Honorable mention: HHH has the highest number of losses of any wrestler at WrestleMania with 12 losses, as pointed out by a video posted by WWE on their YouTube channel yesterday. Looks like this will tally up to 13 at New Orleans this year, as it is a certainty that Ronda Rousey will win in her debut match.

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#1 He is a teetotaller

The Kliq was notorious for their backstage politics back in the day

Surprising as it seems, Triple H refrains from consuming any kind of alcohol. Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash and other real-life friends of Hunter have mentioned the fact in many interviews and in their books.

Though The Kliq were infamous for their partying ways back in the day, Triple H would never consider having a drink. He would apparently always end up as the designated driver since he would be the sober one in the group.

#2 He went to The Undertaker for advice about dating Stephanie

HHH and The Undertaker have had an amazing on-screen rivalry

The circumstances under which Triple H started dating Stephanie McMahon are controversial at best and widely discussed. In fact, Triple H is still sometimes blamed for being the reason why Chyna is yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

However, what is little know is the fact that Triple H went to none other than The Undertaker for some advice, when he first started dating the boss's daughter. The Game recalls that he was nervous about being in a relationship with the owner's daughter, as he didn't want people to judge his choice as a means to attain an advantage in the company.

The Undertaker is said to have told him that no matter how genuine he is, people would always judge him for marrying Vince's daughter. The Deadman told Triple H not to worry about any naysayers and to carry on with his relationship if that is what he truly wanted.

#3 He is the brains behind The Elimination Chamber

The actual creator of the Elimination Chamber

The Elimination Chamber was first introduced in 2002 and there have been 22 matches inside the Chamber ever since. This past year saw the very first Women's Elimination Chamber match, won by Alexa Bliss.

Although in storyline, it was then Raw GM Eric Bischoff who introduced the idea, The Elimination Chamber is the brainchild of Triple H. The Game said he envisioned a steel structure with four wrestlers locked in four corners, two wrestlers starting the match and one wrestler joining the match at intervals.

However, when he first saw the Chamber come to life, Hunter was shocked about how massive the structure turned out. This is what he had to say:

"..we don't do anything small, so I should have known better. When I stood in it for the first time, I thought, 'Jeez. Please don't tell anybody this was my idea!'"

#4 He was the only one who was always at Shawn's side during his struggle

Best friends off screen, better enemies on-screen

It is well documented that Shawn Michaels was one of the most hated persons backstage during his first stint in the company. He was arrogant, involved in backstage politics with The Kliq, and basically very hard to work with. After sustaining an injury in 1998, Shawn became even more unbearable, battling his own private issues with addiction.

The only person who stood by Michaels during this turbulent time was Triple H. Vince McMahon himself has revealed that there were days when Shawn would not even be able to get dressed, and HHH would have to help his friend get through the day with all his tasks.

In fact, when Michaels wanted to come back to the ring in 2002, HHH was the only one he would trust enough to have a fight with. Hunter reveals that the only worry he had throughout their classic SummerSlam 2002 match was to protect Michaels from any sort of injury.

#5 His nickname is a tribute to Owen Hart

Owen Hart was supposed to be originally known as The Game

Triple H is often referred to as The Game, meaning that he personifies 'the game' of pro wrestling and is the best at it. However, what is not common knowledge is the fact that originally, 'The Game' was supposed to be a nickname for Owen Hart.

However, Hart sadly passed away while still portraying the character of Blue Blazer, and Triple has since revealed in many interviews that he took on the nickname in honor of his colleague and friend, a few months after his passing.