Paul Levesque, popularly known by his ring name ‘Triple H,’ has announced his retirement from the Game. HHH made his debut in the WWE universe in 1995 and is considered a legend of the Game.
‘I will never wrestle again.’ Triple H announced his retirement during an interview with ESPN on Friday night.
The 14-time world champion is loved by fans all around the world and also serves a managerial position in WWE.
Paul Levesque revealed his decision to hang up his boots during an interview with ESPN’s Stephen Smith on Friday. The professional wrestler who was in the industry for almost three decades has now decided it’s time he stopped.
The 52-year-old has had a fair share of success and limelight during his tenure with the WWE. During his time, he climbed the ranks in quick succession and made himself one of the household names in wrestling.
Why did Triple H retire?
During the ESPN interview, Triple H revealed that the main reason for his abrupt decision to quit is because of his health.
While talking with Stephen A. Smith, Triple H revealed that he recently suffered viral pneumonia, and he doesn’t feel that he will get back to being 100% fit for wrestling.
‘The Game,’ as he is known, revealed that he has a defibrillator fit in his chest. The wrestler also mentioned that he suffered heart failure last September following his viral pneumonia.
“I had viral pneumonia. My lungs were inflamed, and as the next couple of days went on, and I got home, it got increasingly worse“, said Triple H.
“My wife saw some blood that I was coughing up, and I went and got checked, and it was coming from viral pneumonia, but I had fluid in my lungs. I had some fluid around my heart, so they followed up on it and did an EKG and Echo and everything.”
What is wrong with Triple H’s heart?
It has now become clear that Triple H might not ever get back the full functionality of his heart. The viral pneumonia that he suffered went out of hand, and the lung disease progressed into his circulatory system.
“Basically, the way your heart pumps out 55-60 percent of your ejection fraction is a good number. I was at 30 percent.” revealed the wrestler.
“I got a quick text message saying don’t take time, pack a bag real quick, and head to the emergency room, and I’ll fill you in on the way. So, by the time I got to the emergency room, my ejection fraction had gone down to 22 percent, which, ya know, I was in heart failure.”
The wrestler also said that he has since gotten better, but heavy cardiac activities and pressure on the lungs and heart are not the best he can do for his body.
The glorious career of Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque made his debut in WWE (WWF at the time) in 1995. Going by the ring name HHH (short for Hunter Hearst Helmsley), he rose to prominence in quick succession with his glittering performances.
Triple H left his mark all over the WWE industry from his days as a rookie to defining an era with his D-Generation X (wrestling pact).
The unrelenting drive to win made him an unstoppable force in the world of wrestling entertainment, and Triple H knew how to come out on top every time.
He has systematically usurped the entire sports industry by setting a standard. Winning almost every major WWE championship, Triple H has also won the King of the Ring crown. He won the Royal Rumble twice and was the face of the main event in WrestleMania multiple times.
In the 27 years of his career, Triple H won the WWE World Championship title 14 times. Apart from that, he was the inaugural WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
To this day, he holds the record for the longest combined reign of the title at 616 days.
Influence on other wrestlers
Apart from maintaining his own career, Triple H took under his wings many WWE stars that would later go on to become household names.
Shepherding future superstars like Randy Orton and Batista, Triple H is not only a wrestler but a mentor to many.
During his career, he fought with a number of ring legends like The Rock, Ric Flair, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. On top of that, he also fought The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and even WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Triple H and his Managerial Role
As his dominance in the WWE grew, Triple H managed to climb up the ladders in a more influential fashion. He married Stephnie McMahon, the daughter of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
In the latter stages of his career, Triple H landed the role of WWE’s Chief Operating Officer. He then started to take part in reforming the entire industry from its roots.
He started the WWE NXT and also campaigned a global talent hunt, opening the gates for many wrestlers from around the world to perform in the WWE.
Wrestlers and Fans react to Triple H’s retirement.
Many around the world are saddened by the news of the retirement of ‘The Game.’ Triple H has left a mark on everyone connected with the WWE. Thus, he is regarded as one of the best in the business by his contemporaries.
“Triple H, it was an honor to have shared the ring with you. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge you have given to me over the years.” tweeted wrestler Miz.
Beth Pheonix, another wrestler that Triple H paved the way for in the WWE, paid tribute to the retiring star.
“Thank you, @TripleH, for your guidance, friendship, and the opportunities you gave me in #NXT! Looking forward to seeing your next chapter unfold!”
The Triple H Legacy left behind.
The Game was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. WWE remembers him for his remarkable performance and contribution to the sport throughout his career.
His final battle, as it would now stand, was against Randy Orton. Orton is a superstar created out of the rock by Triple H, who has since become a household name.
Triple H is yet to speak about his future role and contribution to the WWE in his managerial roles.
But we assume he will continue to serve as the Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development and keep bringing more talents into the Game.
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