#3 Take Triple H down.
The August 29, 2016, episode of Raw took an unpredictable turn during the four-way elimination match for the Universal Championship.
Besides laying the seeds for an impending feud with former protégé Seth Rollins and an eventual cathartic showdown at Wrestlemania 33, Triple H’s interference signalled a smouldering contest for power between him and the General Manager Mick Foley, with Stephanie Mcmahon caught in its ropes.
Since then, Stephanie has been trundling about a grey area of foggy alliances, never quite coming clear about her role in her husband’s overturning of the match’s order.
The setup for a power struggle seems imminent. On one hand, there stands Mick Foley, a man who has an unparalleled connection with crowds. An unlikely bearer of WWE gold during his active years chiefly due to his physicality, Foley’s determination, fearlessness and dedication to the craft has pivoted responses towards a favourable reputation.
On the other hand, there is Triple H, a history of heelish acts looming over his head. More so, with Triple H having never established his position on Raw since the collapse of the Authority, while Foley sets up matches by the dozen, the path is set for an intense feud between the two managerial loggerheads.
Mick Foley is in no shape to participate between the ropes, so he brings a replacement, someone who has both bankability in performance and a torrid history with Triple H. While Rollins stretches his feud with Owens over the Universal Championship, Goldberg steps in.
Triple H and Goldberg had squared off at Unforgiven in 2003, where the latter had cost The Game his World Heavyweight Championship Title, ending his reign of 280 days. The stipulation had been that Goldberg would have to retire, provided he lost.
Not only did Goldberg win this match, but also defeated Triple H in a rematch at Survivor Series, 2003. It was at Armageddon when Goldberg eventually lost the title but the defeat was not a clean one. Despite that,a loss is still a loss and unsettled scores can only stay sewed for so long.
Supposing the match occurs, there are chances that it would be replicating Sting’s recent run with the WWE. The similarities might be unsettling to a degree but they aren’t altogether. Goldberg would not be facing Hunter as an independent contender; he would be enforcing Mick Foley’s interests.
There is no explicitly outsider figure stirring the pot with higher ups in the brand. In fact, Triple H has thus far been the low-key, waiting intruder, acting at the moment of truth and rattling the entire structure of the headlining order. As with all invasion bookings, this one too requires a slow, steady buildup.
The uncertainty of affiliation bears enough potential for turns in the story to play out, the most important of which would be Stephanie’s choice. Her turning could cost Goldberg the match, knock Foley off his perch and establish the Authority, once more.
The gimmick was not as successful as it should have been, so the possibility of this happening seems scarce. Provided this happens, Rollins would get to replace Goldberg, resuming his enmity with Hunter, only now with the backing of a vengeful Foley. The story of two backstabbed men, taking on their respective betrayers together would make for an arresting premise.
