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Triple H appeared at WWE WrestleMania 38 to call it a day in his in-ring career. Months later, Vince McMahon retired from the company, and The Game became the head of creative.
Fans have enjoyed watching RAW and SmackDown ever since, as the shows have been different and given them something to look forward to. However, it looks like Triple H’s in-ring career may have ended, and he won’t be returning for a one-off match in 2023.
The King of Kings confirmed the same after undergoing a successful cardiac procedure in 2021.
"For me, as far as in-ring, which I get a lot, I'm done. I will never wrestle again. First of all, I have a defibrillator in my chest, which, you know, probably not a good idea for me to get zapped on live TV," he said.
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His backstage role could still allow him to feature in some of the top rivalries in WWE. After all, he is still part of the authority and has an ultimate say in what will happen on-screen.
That said, check out the five WWE rivalries that could feature Triple H in 2023.
#5. Rey Mysterio & Dominik will probably compete against each other in 2023
Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for several things, including family. However, the Rey Mysterio family did not enjoy the holiday as the legend’s son Dominik paid them a visit along with Rhea Ripley.
Ripley and Dominik beat up Rey in his house and mocked him before leaving. The Master of the 619 responded by having Dominik arrested for his actions recently.
Last year, Rey Mysterio approached Triple H and told him he wanted to retire as he could no longer compete against his son in the ring. Hunter offered him a solution and moved him to the SmackDown brand from RAW to take him away from his son.
Recent developments suggest WWE is planning a big angle between the father-son duo leading up to WrestleMania 39. This could bring in Triple H, who could interfere in their rivalry again and book a match for The Showcase of Immortals.
Triple H could allow Dominik to up the stakes and make it a retirement match for Rey if he loses. It would be perfect to have the legend hang up his boots if he was ready to call it a day.
#4. The founder of NXT could bring a superstar to challenge Charlotte Flair
Triple H is known as the Father of NXT. He built the brand from the ground up and worked hard to bring it in to compete with RAW and SmackDown. The brand has produced several big names in the industry, including Seth Rollins, Adam Cole, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch.
While Hunter has settled into his role as the head of creative for RAW and SmackDown, he could look to give some stars from NXT a big chance on the main roster. Charlotte Flair recently returned to win the blue brand's Women’s Championship again. WWE could bring Ric Flair back to manage her.
This would allow HHH to take center stage and bring in an NXT star to challenge Flair for the title. The storyline could see Triple H and Ric Flair take shots at each other on the mic while the superstars can compete in the ring.
It would be great to see someone like Sarray or Zoey Stark appear on SmackDown under The Game’s wing to challenge Flair for the top title.
#3. Triple H could allow Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano to fight again
WWE NXT is one of the most established wrestling brands in the world. Many fans will agree that Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are the two finest superstars who competed for the brand.
Gargano and Ciampa enjoyed a great partnership in NXT as part of DIY. However, their grudge rivalry made the developmental brand a must-watch week after week.
The two men competed in some of the best TakeOver matches fans have ever seen. To settle the score, Triple H booked one last match between them, known as The One Final Beat.
Now that both superstars are on the RAW brand, it’s likely that they will come face-to-face again. While Triple H clarified that their One Final Beat match would be the last one between them, he could allow them to fight again in WWE in 2023.
Ciampa is currently out with an injury but could make his return soon. He could target The Rebel Heart upon his return, causing Triple H to get involved in the rivalry.
This could lead to Hunter booking a match between Ciampa and Gargano at SummerSlam 2023 or another major premium live event. Both superstars have a lot of history with The King of Kings, and it would make perfect sense for him to get involved in the rivalry on-screen.
#2. Hunter could stack the odds against Cody Rhodes if he faces Roman Reigns in 2023
Cody Rhodes went on a roll following his return to WWE in 2022. He defeated Seth Rollins in three consecutive singles matches, but an injury halted his rise to the top.
Rhodes is scheduled to return to the ring soon, and fans expect him to get into a rivalry with Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship soon after. If The Rock cannot compete at WrestleMania 39, then fans could see Rhodes and Reigns battle it out for the top title at the event.
During his time in AEW, Rhodes mocked Triple H on more than one occasion. That could come to bite him as he looks to rise in WWE under The Game’s creative control.
The creative team could make The American Nightmare’s life difficult during the storyline, as Triple H could stack up the odds against him to exact revenge. It could lead to an underdog storyline for the returning superstar, similar to the one between Kofi Kingston and Vince McMahon not too long ago.
The King of King’s involvement in the storyline could make things more interesting for fans. He hasn’t interfered in many matches or rivalries on-screen yet, which could make his involvement more interesting.
#1. Triple H could bring back The Rock to face Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 39
Roman Reigns had a dominant 2022 that saw him successfully retain his Universal Championship and win the WWE Title. He is looking to have some massive rivalries in 2023 that could cement him as one of the greatest superstars of the era.
One match fans are waiting to witness between Roman Reigns and his cousin, The Rock. It’s unclear whether The Great One is ready to return to the ring in 2023 to face The Tribal Chief and how he will return.
WWE would allow him to enter and win the Royal Rumble match to challenge Reigns for the title. Alternatively, fans could see Triple H bring back the legend to face The Head of the Table to determine the family's actual leader.
The Game has a history with The Rock, and he could use that to bring back The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment for a one-off match at a top premium live event. It would make sense for The Rock to return using this route, as HHH could trust him to defeat Reigns and end his historic title run.
