5 Current WWE Superstars whose careers were directly influenced by Triple H 

Triple H is one of the biggest superstars in WWE history. He represented a larger-than-life character, and although a small period of his run in the mid-2000s was controversial, there is no denying the impact he has had.

In terms of in-ring tenure, The Game outlasted nearly all of his peers in The Attitude Era. But his influence extends far beyond that. He has held a backstage role for years now, slowly and quietly transitioning out of his in-ring career to focus on being a top WWE executive.

While health issues have limited The Game's presence in recent months, he has been the focus of the wrestling world lately following the drastic overhaul of NXT. WWE has clearly made moves to completely shift away from what he built. Most notably, the company released several members of his hand-picked staff.

But we're not going to focus on that. Instead, to highlight Triple H's influence, let's take a look at five current WWE superstars whose careers were directly influenced by The Cerebral Assassin.

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#5. Seth Rollins - Triple H was monumental in his rise in WWE

It's hard to argue that behind Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins is WWE's second-biggest star of this generation. Few performers have reached the levels that Rollins has, and when Reigns was forced to take several months off late in 2018, WWE chose Rollins to be RAW's top star. He won the Royal Rumble in 2019 and subsequently dethroned Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35.

Throughout Rollins' rapid rise, dating back to his NXT days, Triple H was perhaps the main catalyst in making The Visionary into the star he is today. Most fans may only think of his direct influence with Rollins through their on-screen work together. But behind the scenes, Triple H was always one of the biggest names who pushed for Rollins.

The former champion has admitted on numerous occasions over the impatience he had during his developmental days. Already a big name on the independent scene, Rollins felt like he was ready for the big time, and his entitled behavior got him in trouble.

Despite these attitude issues, The Game took him directly under his wing, and the on-screen relationship they had during The Authority storyline was merely an extension of their behind-the-scenes bond.

The 14-time World Champion also turned on Rollins, which led to the latter's babyface run that saw him enjoy plenty of success and popularity between the summer of 2016 and late 2019.

Had it not been for his faith in Rollins, Triple H would never have faced him at WrestleMania and lost to the young star. This outcome speaks of his vision for the future and his trust in Rollins' ability to be a main-eventer in WWE for years to come. By now, it's safe to say his judgment was spot-on.

#4. Sheamus - Shared a great relationship with Triple H

Not many people know this, but Sheamus has a great relationship with Triple H. While many might remember his victory over Sheamus at WrestleMania 26 in 2010, The Game's influence on Sheamus was more prominent than you might imagine.

Early in Sheamus' career, he went on the company's tour of Australia after he was drafted to RAW. At the time, the WWE legend took notice of The Celtic Warrior and asked him if he wanted to work out together. They became gym buddies and developed a great friendship from there. Speaking to Corey Graves on the After The Bell podcast, Sheamus looked back on the beginning of his bond with Triple H.

“When I first started, Triple H was there, and he took me under his wing," said Sheamus. "We went on a tour of Australia... He said, you don't know anybody, so if you want to go to the gym and work out, I can watch your matches and give you any feedback, and I was blown away."

The powerhouse also revealed that his friendship with The King Of Kings led to resentment among some peers in the locker room. By contrast, he mentioned how different it is today, as superstars like Finn Balor can openly post about their relationship with him online.

As for his influence, it's clear that The Game taking Sheamus under his wing played a big role in his career. The Celtic Warrior went on to win multiple world championships, and he is only an Intercontinental title win away from becoming a WWE Grand Slam Champion.

#3. Bayley - One of many women whose careers changed because of Triple H

Triple H had a significant role in elevating the WWE women's division to where it is today. Under his leadership, NXT started highlighting its women superstars in more important ways several years ago, and Bayley was at the forefront of this progress.

While the Divas were still struggling to get TV time, the rise of performers like Emma and Paige represented the early stages of the women's evolution, as WWE has branded it.

The Four Horsewomen then changed the game and ushered in the new era of women in WWE. Bayley was "left behind" in the summer of 2015 as Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch all received their main roster call-ups together.

But as many fans now know, The Game purposely kept Bayley in NXT because he wanted her to lead the brand. She excelled at that role and had a respectable reign as the NXT Women's Champion before she dropped the title to a worthy successor in Asuka.

While the first few years of Bayley's main roster career were less than promising, she eventually became WWE's first Women's Grand Slam Champion. She is one of the most highly-accomplished women in WWE history, and she has Triple H to thank for kick-starting her career by trusting her with a big role in NXT.

#2. Kevin Owens - A "Triple H guy" through and through

Kevin Owens is one of Triple H's many marquee signings during his NXT era. He has developed quite a few top stars through the brand, but Owens had a relatively short-lived stint there. It's hard to imagine that the popular star's run in NXT only lasted a full six months before he jumped to the main roster. Even after he joined WWE RAW, he held onto the NXT Championship for a few months before he lost it to Finn Balor.

His time in NXT concluded in August 2015, but The King of Kings' influence followed him onto the main roster. The most memorable moment they shared together came a year later in August 2016. During a Fatal-4-Way match, The Game shockingly turned on Seth Rollins and helped Owens capture the Universal Championship.

As of this writing, Owens hasn't won another world title ever since. But this victory wouldn't have happened without WWE's decision to pull the trigger on the feud between Triple H and Seth Rollins.

Years after his reign as the Universal Champion, The Game's impact on Owens' career remains apparent, and he remains heavily featured on the main roster. The "lucrative" contract offer that he signed in late 2021 indicates that WWE sees value in him as a top star, so it seems like Owens has a bright future.

#1. Randy Orton - Benefited from his association with Triple H

Randy Orton and Triple H have a history that dates back to 2003. At the time, Orton was still a young upstart in WWE, but even then, he seemed destined for greatness.

Early in his career, he joined Evolution alongside Triple H, Batista, and Ric Flair. This role instantly helped him catapult into top-tier superstardom. While Orton was going to the original beneficiary of the Evolution storyline, his first World Championship reign didn't pan out as expected. As a result, WWE chose a slightly longer route with The Viper.

Orton would eventually had his breakthrough, and he became a true main-eventer in 2007. 14 World Championships, two WrestleMania main events, and a Grand Slam list of accolades later, Orton is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Even at the advanced age of 41, he has shown no signs of slowing down, either. It's fair to wonder how much more Orton can continue to accomplish in WWE. For example, The Viper can potentially surpass The Game's number of world title wins. The two stars are tied at 14, but because Orton remains active, he might win another championship at some point.

The Game has played a vital role in Orton's story, and there's no doubt that he has greatly influenced The Viper's career.