Triple H called "just a pawn" in TKO's game following a highly controversial announcement; former WWE champion explains why

Triple H has been called a "pawn" in TKO's game after a controversial announcement. Triple H has been serving as WWE's Chief Content Officer for some time now, and while his booking has divided fans, a former WWE Champion feels he is just being used by TKO for their own will.

On Friday, The Game gathered with several WWE superstars in Las Vegas to announce that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Saudi Arabia. This announcement has received backlash online from fans, with many accusing the company of selling out.

Former WWE Hardcore Champion Stevie Richards also shared his views on this development on The Stevie Richards Show. The veteran mentioned how TKO is focused on making more money with high ticket prices. He cited the example of WWE moving WrestleMania 42 from New Orleans to Las Vegas, which already hosted WrestleMania 41.

"Let's talk about Wrestlemania in Vegas, Wrestlemania 42. Originally, and everybody knows this story. If you don't, just bear with me for a minute or two. Wrestlemania 42 was not supposed to be in Las Vegas. It was originally supposed to be in New Orleans, but they said, 'No, Vegas gave us more money so you can have maybe, if you're lucky, 'Money in the Bank,'" he said.

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Richards then pointed out that the recent announcement meant TKO doesn't care about the fans, and Saudi would get their way.

"Do you see a pattern here? Do you see the pattern that's been going on for quite a while? This Triple H era, which Triple H, he's just a pawn in this entire, excuse the pun, game, TKO, and especially in this case, Saudi Arabia will use their leverage, will use their influence, will use the power to get what they want," he added.

You can watch the video below:

Triple H said history will be made at WrestleMania 43

Triple H took to the stage to announce the groundbreaking news that WrestleMania 43 will be coming to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He mentioned that this announcement will take WWE's partnership with the Gulf nation to the next level and said "history will undoubtedly be made again" in 2027 following the news that Royal Rumble 2026 will also be held in Saudi Arabia.

WWE's CCO was flanked by a number of superstars from past and present as he made the announcement. The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Seth Rollins, and Charlotte Flair were among those present on the stage.

If you use quotes from this article, please credit The Stevie Richards Show and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

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Edited by Sherjeel Malik