As we previously reported here on eWn, Paul “Triple H” Levesque has taken on a major creative role in WWE by driving 99.9% of the company’s creative direction.
Fightful Select has shared a bunch of backstage details regarding Triple H’s anointing by WWE parent company Endeavor as the new creative lead.
It is reported that Executive Chairman of TKO Group Holdings Vince McMahon is no longer involved with the creative side of WWE.
There is a “significant prevailing belief” in WWE that the locker room has seen a morale boost due to Triple H leading the charge once again, and there has been an increase in optimism backstage in recent weeks compared to the past eight months.
WWE’s locker room morale hit an all-time low in early 2022 due to McMahon and his lack of creative vision.
However, things took a 180-degree turn after McMahon stepped down as CEO and Triple H took over the creative process in July 2022.
The backstage morale has grown multifold over the last couple of weeks, starting with the September 25 edition of RAW. Several WWE talents conveyed the sentiment.
The locker room has not been outright informed about McMahon being no longer involved in the creative process.
In addition, the majority of the talents were never explicitly told that McMahon was the one making creative changes following his return to the WWE Board of Directors this past January, despite many of them knowing that was indeed the case.
Around February, many talents were vocal about McMahon’s creative influence being felt again with the WWE on-air product.
Many WWE creative team members have reportedly not worked directly with McMahon this year, and he didn’t bother to attend creative meetings either.
When McMahon made creative changes remotely, he’d submit those changes usually right before the shows were about to kick off.
One of the exceptions was the post-WrestleMania 39 edition of RAW, which reportedly had significant widespread changes throughout.
By comparison, much of McMahon’s last-minute, remote changes came to a stop in recent weeks with the exception being the last-minute changes that had to be executed due to talents not being medically cleared, i.e. Damian Priest who wasn’t medically cleared to compete on last week’s RAW.
While McMahon’s changes continued to come in, those were minimal compared to how things were earlier.
Several sources have an “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude regarding McMahon possibly being removed from the creative process “for good.”
For instance, WWE appeared adamant that McMahon would not be returning to the company after he stepped down as CEO in July 2022.
The WWE Board of Directors twice denied McMahon’s attempts to return to WWE before he forcefully regained control of the company this past January.
However, Endeavor now looks fondly at Triple H in how he’s spearheading the WWE product as the Chief Content Officer.
With regard to the morale boost, a WWE higher-up mentioned the recent return of Johnny Gargano to RAW. The individual said,
“I think you can take a look at the show — Johnny Gargano is back after his return was nixed. Tegan Nox is on the show. Dragon Lee is all over the program. Carlito is finally factored in after being under contract for months. Cameron Grimes got back on TV. Bronson Reed is winning matches. Tag team titles and IC titles are getting long matches to end Raw. I’m not going to say that all of those are direct results of the situation, but all of those parts moving at the same time is a little too much to be a coincidence for me.”
According to another WWE talent, the feeling was that several Superstars were relieved from a moral and creative perspective when McMahon went into retirement last year.
The talent added that answering for McMahon’s controversial behavior wasn’t part of their job. Moreover, there was reportedly a lack of creative confidence in McMahon’s booking.
Earlier this year, McMahon reached a financial settlement with former referee Rita Chatterton who had made rape allegations against the 78-year-old billionaire.
McMahon was named as the Executive Chairman of the Board of TKO following the WWE-UFC merger last month.
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Title: Triple H Takes Over Creative Direction in WWE, Boosting Locker Room Morale
Introduction
In recent months, WWE has witnessed a significant shift in its creative direction, with Paul “Triple H” Levesque taking on a major role in driving the company’s creative vision. This change has resulted in a boost in locker room morale and increased optimism among WWE talents. In this article, we will delve into the details surrounding Triple H’s new creative lead position and its impact on the company.
Triple H’s Anointing as the New Creative Lead
According to reports from Fightful Select, Triple H has been anointed by WWE parent company Endeavor as the new creative lead, driving 99.9% of the company’s creative direction. This move has effectively removed Vince McMahon, the Executive Chairman of TKO Group Holdings, from the creative side of WWE.
Positive Impact on Locker Room Morale
Since Triple H took over the creative process in July 2022, there has been a significant increase in optimism and morale among WWE talents. The locker room had experienced an all-time low in early 2022 due to McMahon’s lack of creative vision. However, with Triple H leading the charge, the backstage atmosphere has seen a multifold improvement.
Uninformed Locker Room
Interestingly, the majority of WWE talents were never explicitly informed about McMahon’s absence from the creative process. Despite this, many of them were aware that McMahon was responsible for making creative changes following his return to the WWE Board of Directors in January 2022. McMahon’s remote and last-minute changes often caused frustration among talents.
Reduction in McMahon’s Influence
Throughout this year, many WWE creative team members have reportedly not worked directly with McMahon, and he has not attended creative meetings either. McMahon’s last-minute changes have also reduced significantly in recent weeks, except for cases where talents were not medically cleared to compete. This reduction in McMahon’s influence has contributed to the positive shift in locker room morale.
Endeavor’s Confidence in Triple H
Endeavor, the parent company of WWE, holds a favorable view of Triple H and his role as the Chief Content Officer. With Triple H spearheading the WWE product, there has been a notable improvement in creative decisions and talent utilization. The recent return of Johnny Gargano and the involvement of other talents like Tegan Nox, Dragon Lee, and Carlito have further solidified Triple H’s impact on the show.
Relief from Controversial Behavior
When McMahon retired last year, several WWE Superstars reportedly felt relieved from both a moral and creative perspective. Answering for McMahon’s controversial behavior was no longer part of their job, and there was a lack of creative confidence in his booking decisions. McMahon’s controversial behavior, including settling a financial agreement with a former referee who made rape allegations against him, had caused significant unrest within the company.
Conclusion
Triple H’s takeover of the creative direction in WWE has brought about a positive change in locker room morale. With McMahon no longer involved in the creative process, talents have experienced increased optimism and creative freedom. The impact of Triple H’s leadership is evident in recent developments within the WWE product. As fans, we can look forward to exciting changes and fresh storytelling under Triple H’s guidance.