Triple H On How WWE Will Create The Next Steve Austin Or Rock, Cutting His Hair, WWE NXT, More
Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H, was interviewed by 98 FM Dublin recently to promote NXT's tour of the United Kingdom. Among other things, 'The Game' discussed NXT, the WWE Performance Center, and cutting his Slammy Award winning hair.
On the subject of NXT, Triple H said it has morphed from a developmental territory into WWE's third touring brand. Also, Triple H stated that NXT is targeting WWE's more diehard fans.
"NXT has kind of become the fastest growing brand in the entire industry, and, from a WWE standpoint, it [has] gone from what was being kept at one point in time, considered our developmental brand, where we were just grooming stars for the future, to really becoming a third brand that tours globally along side of [WWE Monday Night] RAW and [WWE] SmackDown. NXT is no different. It's a slightly different style, and I don't mean by in-ring style, but [rather] the presentation is slightly different and it really tends to super-serve our passionate fanbase, the fanbase that kind of lives and breathes WWE and that lifestyle. And NXT on the WWE Network really captures the imagination of that group. The talent are maybe a little bit younger, a little bit more diverse, and they're really hungry and they're trying to sort of either make their name, or prove their point, or remake their name in some cases, and earn their spot as being at the top of the sports entertainment industry."
When asked how WWE will create the next 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin or The Rock, 'The Cerebral Assassin' claimed that WWE puts talents in the best position to succeed and individual effort and passion will determine who rises to the top.
"Those talent make themselves in the biggest way. You train them, you teach them how to do this [and] you try to give them all the tools necessary. And that's really what we created a few years ago with the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. [It] is just the ultimate performance center, for lack of a better term, that gives them every tool that they could need to succeed in the WWE. And then, what they do with that is up to them. If they work as hard as possible and they're dedicated and passionate [about] it and work as hard as they can, then, the sky is the limit."
Although Triple H admitted that there is nothing like performing at WrestleMania, he said that he loves his current role with WWE.
"I love what I do behind-the-scenes. The NXT brand, I'm very, very passionate about and it comes down to seeing what, in a lot of ways, my wife laughs and says it's like I'm a proud papa [and] they're all my kids or something."
As for the decision to cut off his trademark ponytail, Triple H said the long hair was not conducive to his office job with WWE.
"It's in a case on Vince McMahon's bookshelf. It's one of those things. I had long hair for years when I was wrestling [full-time] and I loved having it. And then, I was coming into the office everyday and putting my hair in a ponytail and spending all this time doing all this stuff and wearing a suit. And I started thinking to myself, 'why am I having this long hair?' Now I can tell you right now that the process of getting ready in the morning without long hair is much faster and I so enjoy it."
Click here to listen to the interview. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit 98 FM Dublin with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: 98 FM Dublin