Jim Ross addresses Triple H's alleged past heat with WWE HOFer

Triple H worked closely with his father-in-law Vince McMahon before replacing him as WWE's creative figurehead in 2022. In a recent podcast episode, Jim Ross clarified speculation about The Game's relationship with McMahon leading to issues with Pat Patterson.

Patterson was McMahon's right-hand man behind the scenes from the 1980s until he passed away in 2020. The Hall of Famer briefly left WWE in 2004, prompting rumors he was frustrated with Triple H's growing backstage influence.

Ross, WWE's lead commentator at the time, told Grilling JR host Conrad Thompson that Triple H took over some of Patterson's responsibilities. However, he did not notice major problems between the two men:

"If they had issues behind the scenes, Conrad, they were minor," Ross said. "Changes were afloat. Things were changing right before our very eyes, where Pat was Vince's confidant for years and years, booking, working with talent, working out finishes, things of that nature. Pat kinda got nudged aside and Hunter [Triple H] started doing a lot of that, so that was the change that Pat had to adapt to." [56:19 – 56:53]

Patterson is widely viewed as one of the greatest minds in wrestling history. He worked as a producer for several years and created the Royal Rumble match concept.

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Pat Patterson and Triple H "didn't hate each other"

Jim Ross was a WWE talent relations executive in the 1990s and 2000s. As part of his job, the legendary commentator often interacted with Pat Patterson and Triple H.

According to Ross, Patterson did not publicly show any ill feelings toward the 14-time World Champion:

"I thought that he [Pat Patterson] adapted to it very well because he was always complaining about being tired and the stress and all this stuff, so it seemed like Hunter being there in the position he was in where he could keep Vince fed with ideas, things of that nature, observations, was a pretty good deal for Pat. If they had issues, they were professional-based. Nothing was personal, in that respect. They didn't hate each other, and they seemed to me to get along okay." [56:53 – 57:29]

In the same episode, Ross addressed another real-life heat story from 2004 revolving around Stephanie McMahon and a WWE Hall of Famer.

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Please credit Grilling JR and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.