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The Paul "Triple H" Levesque Era has seen the rise of many previously underutilized and underrated stars. Cody Rhodes would probably have never finished his story in another era of WWE programming.
Damian Priest would have likely never become the World Heavyweight Champion. Gunther would probably have been buried soon after his main roster debut in April 2022. Chad Gable would have never broken out as a singles competitor.
Fortunately, The Game knows what the WWE Universe expects and then, subsequently, pivots, giving fans what they want. This explains the fewer number of releases and the sizeable pushes given to underrated talent.
However, Triple H has not treated his entire roster in the same manner. While stars like Rhodes, Priest, and Gunther have achieved success, others have floundered, so much so that fans are convinced that the 14-time World Champion has given up on them.
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#5. Braun Strowman has not done much under Triple H's creative regime
It is hard to forget how over Braun Strowman was in 2017. In the aftermath of WrestleMania 33, Strowman became the most popular act, owing to his relentless beatdowns on Roman Reigns. The Monster Among Men was a top priority and protected asset as he battled names such as Brock Lesnar and Reigns.
Unfortunately, years later, Strowman feels like a solid mid-card act with no future world title prospects. The former Universal Champion has been embroiled in a feud with The Judgment Day, which has done him no favors.
Most recently, Strowman lost cleanly to Damian Priest on RAW. With a lack of momentum and a definitive creative direction, the 40-year-old star has lost much of his aura.
Triple H brought him back in September 2022 but has failed to utilize him effectively. It does not seem as if The King of Kings has many long-term goals with the former Wyatt Family member.
#4. & #3. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson)
Pretty Deadly was one of the top tandems on WWE NXT, winning the NXT UK Tag Team Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championship during their successful stint. However, Elton Prince and Kit Wilson have not had much success on the main roster.
WWE drafted Pretty Deadly to SmackDown during the 2023 Draft. They had an unsuccessful Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship pursuit against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, soon after which Elton Prince suffered a serious injury.
They returned to action in October 2023, but have not done anything significant. Triple H has been content using them as lower mid-card comedy acts and enhancement talent for more important prospects.
The unfortunate part is that the former NXT Tag Team Champions never got the chance to show their talent on the main roster in the absence of a sustained and sizeable push. Injuries are partly to blame for their conundrum, but Triple H has also booked them haphazardly.
#2. Shinsuke Nakamura is a non-factor on WWE television
When Shinsuke Nakamura debuted on SmackDown in April 2017, he was billed as a top attraction. The crowd loved Nakamura, and The King of Strong Style was insanely over with the WWE Universe.
Much like Braun Strowman, he has also fallen down the pecking order, perhaps even lower than The Monster Among Men. Nakamura has a disappointing win-loss record in 2024, winning only one televised match thus far.
It seemed as if the former Intercontinental Champion was receiving a push last year as WWE booked him in a feud with Seth Rollins and then Cody Rhodes. However, neither of the programs benefitted Nakamura as he was used as fodder for the babyfaces.
If WWE were to push Nakamura again, fans would likely not take The King of Strong Style seriously because of the immense damage inflicted on his aura.
Triple H has seemingly given up on Shinsuke, which is a shame, considering the push The Game gave him on NXT.
#1. Finn Balor
The Judgment Day has done wonders for most of its members. Dominik Mysterio finally came out of his father Rey Mysterio's shadow. Damian Priest became the World Heavyweight Champion. Rhea Ripley is one of the most popular acts in the wrestling industry. JD McDonagh would have been an enhancement talent without his teammates.
However, The Judgment Day has not elevated Finn Balor, rather some people believe that the group has held him back. This is surprising considering that Balor's inclusion led to Edge's expulsion from the group.
The Prince has played second fiddle to Priest. The Archer of Infamy has frequently behaved rudely with the inaugural Universal Champion, who has blindly followed the World Heavyweight Champion without much resistance. Moreover, Balor has been used as fodder in Priest's championship feuds.
The Irish star has only had two singles feuds as part of The Judgment Day, against Edge, now known as Adam Copeland, and Seth Rollins. The Prince failed to gain momentum from these programs as a singles star.
He may currently hold the World Tag Team Championship with The Irish Ace, but Balor is convinced that he deserves better on the main roster. The Prince was a massive Triple H prospect on NXT, much like Shinsuke Nakamura.
However, The Game has preferred other younger stars over Balor, which has significantly hurt the 43-year-old star's momentum and aura.
Major rumor about recently released stars HERE
