Triple H has been in charge of WWE's creative for a month, giving Roman Reigns enough time to formulate an opinion on how things have been going. Viewership for Monday Night Raw has been up over the last month, while Friday Night SmackDown has trended downward just a smidgen. Both products have felt different, though, and there seems to be renewed faith surrounding WWE these days.
The catalyst for this change was Vince McMahon suddenly retiring on July 22. It was a massive shift that wasn't telegraphed in any way, shape, or form. McMahon had been regularly appearing on television, almost definitely, amid allegations of past misconduct. Some more jaded fans questioned whether the wrestling lifer would be stepping away from his duties, assuming he'd still be responsible for creative control behind the scenes. Fans who have been watching Raw and SmackDown over the last month know that isn't the case. Triple H's shows are paced differently and have prominently featured former NXT standouts such as Kevin Owens, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY.
The Tribal Chief spoke with Sports Illustrated about several topics recently, including how he felt about Triple H's work with the book. "I think he's done excellent. He's like a professional wrestling babyface right now. He's a babyface for the industry right now. There's a honeymoon situation. There's a lot of excitement. If you look at the grand scheme of it and just break it down what he's stepped into just dealing with this controversy alone. Dealing with the craziness of: the impossible happened. Vince McMahon stepped down. Just wrapping your brain around that and then being the guy to be next. I thought following Cena was tough enough. Imagine following Vince McMahon. I think he's done great. I really do."
Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre A Big Triple H Test
Clash At The Castle is the first premium live event that Triple H has pushed WWE towards, and the main event is massive. Reigns is defending the unified WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre, who will have a clear-cut home-field advantage. The Game has two paths to take out of Cardiff.
If Triple H has plans to shift WWE's title landscape even more than he already has, the September 3 premium live event would be the place to do it. Either Reigns beats McIntyre, indicating that Triple H doesn't have plans to move the titles off of him soon. Or, as Ric Flair alluded to recently, Hunter gets the belts off of someone who isn't working full-time anymore, giving McIntyre the best moment of his WWE career in front of more than 70,000 fans at Clash At The Castle.
Source: Sports Illustrated