Hey guys I'm back, over the last two weeks I made a 'Essential John Cena Collection' and a 'Essential Undertaker Collection' and this week I made a list of Triple H's best matches that are essential to watch if you're an Triple H fan. These collection of matches comes from Dave Meltzer (his matches feature his ratings for matches rated 3 1/2+), and matches that I believe are good too (these matches will be included in honourable mentions). I have also added a link to each match as well. Also if you're into posts about Match lists and whatnot check out my other lists on this post (Matches from 2011-2016), this post (Matches from 2005 - 2010), and also this post (Matches from 2000 - 2004). Lastly, I used Meltzlers ratings as a guide but make sure to make your own opinion (or rating in this case) about the matches. Just cause he gives something a 3, doesn't mean it it isn't a 5 to you!
| Match | Event | Match Type | Meltzler Rating | Significant Because.. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple H Vs Mankind | King of the Ring 1997 | King of the Ring Final Match | 3 ½* | Triple H winning the tournament, signified that the WWF saw something in and saw him becoming a main player within the company. |
| Triple H Vs Cactus Jack | Raw September 22nd 1997 | Hardcore Match | 4* | More significant for Mick Foley, then Triple H really because it was the debut of his Cactus Jack persona, but still it’s a great match from both wrestlers. |
| Triple H, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg & Savio Vega Vs Cactus Jack, Chainsaw Charlie, Owen Hart & Steve Austin | No Way Out 1998 | 8 Man Texas Tag-Team Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs The Rock | Summerslam 1998 | Ladder Match | 4 ¼* | Great match from two wrestlers who were going to help epitomise the Attitude Era. Before the classics of the tag team ladder matches in the early 00’s this was the match that helped re-establish how good ladder matches could be. |
| Triple H Vs Kane Vs Mankind Vs The Big Show Vs The British Bulldog Vs The Rock | Unforgiven 1999 | Six-Pack Challenge | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs The Rock | Rebellion 1999 | Steel Cage Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Stone Cold | No Mercy 1999 | No Holds Barred Match | 4* | - |
| Triple H, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg & X-Pac Vs Bradshaw, Faarooq, Mankind & The Rock – | Raw January 10 2000 | 8-Man Tag-Team Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Cactus Jack | Royal Rumble 2000 | Street Fight | 4 ½* | Triple H was yet to be a fully established big player coming into 2000, but that was until he would be in a feud with Mick Foley (Cactus Jack). This to me IS the match that made Triple H as a big time player in the WWF. |
| Triple H, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn & X-Pac Vs Cactus Jack, Grandmaster Sexay, Rikishi, Scotty 2 Hotty & The Rock | Raw February 7 2000 | 10-Man Tag Team Match | 4 ¼* | Twists and turns lead us to this match, but its fast, it’s impactful and honestly it has one of the best endings to a Raw ever. I wont spoil it; I’ll just let you watch it. |
| Triple H Vs Cactus Jack | No Way Out 2000 | Hell in a Cell, Retirement Match | 4 ½* | Just like the at the PPV - Royal Rumble these two men put their bodies on the line, as well as the WWF Championship. But most importantly this was important because if Cactus Jack lost this match he would retire from wrestling. Brutal and emotional match, one of the best from that year. |
| Triple H & Chris Benoit Vs Chris Jericho & The Rock | Raw April 24 2000 | Tag-Team Match | 4* | - |
| Triple H Vs The Rock | Backlash 2000 | Special Guest Referee: Shane McMahon | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs The Rock | Judgment Day 2000 | 60-Minute Iron Man Match | 4* | This is the only 60 Minute Iron Man match in the WWF during the Attitude Era, and these are the two main eventers that pulled it off fantastically. Ignore the convoluted ending, the match is very well and also allows the return of The Undertaker… with a very interesting new look. |
| Triple H Vs Chris Jericho | Fully Loaded 2000 | Last Man Standing Match | 4 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Kurt Angle Vs The Rock | Summerslam 2000 | Triple Threat Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Chris Benoit | No Mercy 2000 | Singles Match | 4* | - |
| Triple H Vs Kurt Angle Vs Rikishi Vs Steve Austin Vs The Rock Vs The Undertaker | Armageddon 2000 | Hell in a Cell | 4 ½* | If you think of the attitude era, and don’t think of this match you’re crazy. It’s a straight up brawl with the top wrestlers at the time (and Rikishi). This match is look backed quite fondly by everyone, I like this match, but I feel as if it drags on at parts. |
| Triple H Vs Kurt Angle | Royal Rumble 2001 | Singles Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin | No Way Out 2001 | 2 Out of 3 Falls Match | 4 ¾* | This was the build up for over a year, it dates back to when Triple H arranged the hit and run of Stone Cold Steve Austin back in 1999. It’s one of my favourite Stone Cold matches, and was quite interesting to see Triple H actually win two straight falls for two big reasons. One reason being that Triple H was the heel, therefore most people expected Stone Cold to finally get his comeuppance on Triple H, and the second reason was Stone Cold was in the main event for Wrestlemania 17; so most people expected he would win to build him up for that match. |
| Triple H Vs The Undertaker | Wrestlemania 17 | Singles Match | 3 1/2* | This would be the first of three encounters between these two men at a Wrestlemania. But it just gave us a tease of what these two could pull off with each other on the grandest stage of them all. I’m glad these two found themselves facing instead of being involved in other storylines. |
| Triple H & Steve Austin Vs Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho | Raw May 21st 2001 | Tag-Team Match | 4 ¾* | This was Triple H’s last match for 8 months as he would get injured in this match. But that’s beside the point this mate is great, and the involvement of two of best technical wrestlers Jericho & Benoit adds to it. |
| Triple H Vs Chris Jericho | Judgment Day 2002 | Hell in a Cell Match | 3 ¾* | Triple H had been back for close to 6 months at this point and he was having a decent return – he won the rumble, won at ‘Mania in an alright match, nothing special though and then he lost the title at the next PPV, pretty anticlimactic. This was the match he needed, he would face Jericho in a Hell in a Cell in the mid-card, not even the main event. But it’s probably his best match form his return in 2002. |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels | Summerslam 2002 | Non-Sanctioned Street Fight | 4 ¼* | The whole Summerslam 2002 itself is actually one of the best PPV’s of all time and I recommend you watch it. But this match was very special, it was Shawn Michaels first match back again in 4 years against his ‘former’ best friend Triple H in a straight up street fight brawl. It really is a testament that Shawn Michaels who hadn’t wrestled in 4 years that him and Triple H could put on a great match, possibly a match of the year contender. |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels Vs Booker T Vs Chris Jericho Vs Kane Vs Rob Van Dam | Survivor Series 2002 | Elimination Chamber Match | 4 ¼* | This match is significant for two stand out reasons, one being that it was the first Elimination Chamber Match in WWE history, the other reason being that it was Shawn Michael’s first World Championship reign since 1997. Albeit that the reign lasted less than a month, it is still one of the most memorable moments in Survivor Series and Elimination Chamber history with the celebration of confetti falling from the sky for Shawn. |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels | Raw December 29 2003 | Singles Match | 4 ¼* | - |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels Vs Chris Benoit | Wrestlemania 20 | Triple Threat Match | 4 ¾* | It’s a shame that WWE can’t really talk (and show for that matter) about how great this match is, and the post-match celebrations were. For rightfully reasons I guess, but I digress this isn’t a ‘WWE should show and talk about Chris Benoit’ post. This is probably my favourite Triple Threat match of all time, these three men just work so well with each other. This also has one of my favourite Wrestlemania moments, and that’s the post match celebrations. Eddie Guerrero as WWE Champion and Chris Benoit as World Heavyweight Champion embracing each other in a WWE ring to end Wrestlemania 20. Emotional, perfect and very fitting. This is possibly the greatest end to a Wrestlemania of all time. |
| Triple H Vs Shelton Benjamin | Raw March 29 2004 | Singles Match | 3 ¾* | This was Shelton Benjamin’s Debut Raw match, and he went OVER Triple H. But honestly it lead to nearly nothing, an Intercontinental Championship victory, then the gold-standard of the Money in the Bank, then nothing. |
| Triple H, Batista, Randy Orton & Ric Flair Vs Chris Benoit, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels & Shelton Benjamin | Raw April 12 2004 | 8-Man Tag Team Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels Vs Chris Benoit | Backlash 2004 | Triple Threat Match | 4 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels | Bad Blood 2004 | Hell in a Cell | 3 ¾* | This was builded as the ‘final encounter’ match between the two, the feud had been going on for almost two years straight and after countless amounts of matches this was be the final in their series. |
| Triple H Vs Chris Benoit | Vengeance 2004 | Singles Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Chris Benoit | Raw July 26th 2004 | Iron Man Match | 3 ½* | Triple H yet again has a 60-minute iron man match, this time against Chris Benoit, one of the best pure wrestlers of all time. This match really doesn’t get noticed much because of the whole ‘Benoit murder/suicide’, but if you get a free hour or so watch this on the WWE Network. |
| Triple H, Batista & Ric Flair Vs Chris Benoit, Randy Orton & Shelton Benjamin | Raw September 20 2004 | Six-Man Tag Team Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels | Taboo Tuesday 2004 | Single Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Edge Vs Chris Benoit | Raw November 29 2004 | Triple Threat Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H & Batista Vs Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit | Raw December 13 2004 | Tag Team Match | 3 ½* | |
| Triple H Vs Randy Orton | Raw January 3 2005 | Normal Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Batista Vs Chris Benoit Vs Chris Jericho Vs Edge Vs Randy Orton | New Years Revolution 2005 | Elimination Chamber Match | 3 ½* | The big story going into this match was would Batista be loyal to his fellow Evolution member Triple H, or would he break off on his own and try capture the World Heavyweight championship. Bonus information: Shawn Michaels who had problems with everyone in this match would be special guest referee. Triple H would also become a 10 time World Champion at this event. |
| Triple H Vs Chris Benoit | Raw May 2nd 2005 | Gold-Rush Tournament Qualifying Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Batista | Vengeance 2005 | Hell in a Cell Match | 4 ½* | This was the final in the trilogy between Batista and Triple H, and this time it was done in ‘the Devil’s favourite playground’ the Hell in a Cell. Bloody match, very underrated and rarely talked about when the conversation of best Hell in a Cell Matches is brought up. |
| Triple H Vs Ric Flair | Survivor Series 2005 | Last Man Standing Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs John Cena | Wrestlemania 22 | Singles Match | 3 ¾* | This is the match that WWE really believed would help put Cena on the map. Not to say it didn’t, but it also helps form a strong negative audience reaction to Cena. John was the poster boy, going against the most evil guy on the roster Triple H, yet the crowd still favoritely cheered Triple H. It’s also significant cause it’s Cena’s first main event at a Wrestlemania. |
| Triple H Vs John Cena Vs Edge | Backlash 2006 | Triple Threat Match | 4 ¼* | - |
| Triple H, Chris Masters & Shelton Benjamin Vs John Cena & Rob Van Dam | Raw 15/05/06 | Handicap Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs Randy Orton & Edge | New Years Revolution 2007 | Tag-Team Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Randy Orton | No Mercy 2007 | Last Man Standing Match | 4 ¼* | - |
| Triple H Vs Ric Flair | Raw December 29 2007 | Career Threatening Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Chris Jericho Vs Jeff Hardy Vs John Bradshaw Layfield Vs Shawn Michaels Vs Umaga | No Way Out 2008 | Elimination Chamber Match | 4* | - |
| Triple H Vs Randy Orton Vs John Cena | Wrestlemania 24 | Triple Threat Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Randy Orton Vs John Cena Vs JBL | Backlash 2008 | Fatal-Four Way Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs John Cena | Night of Champions 2008 | Singles Match | 3 ¾* | This was the first time these two men would face at a PPV for a WWE Championship since their meeting at Wrestlemania 22. I'd go to say that this match is better than there Wrestlemania match, and it's good to see these two men have grown to mesh wall with each other. |
| Triple H Vs Edge | The Great American Bash 2008 | Singles Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Jeff Hardy | No Mercy 2008 | Singles Match | 4* | - |
| Triple H Vs The Undertaker | Smackdown 2008 | Singles Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Jeff Hardy | Cyber Sunday 2008 | Singles Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Edge Vs Jeff Hardy | Armageddon 2008 | Triple Threat Match | 4* | Jeff Hardy’s rise to being WWE Champion was an enthralling story in 2008. In January that year he was placed in a WWE Championship match with Randy Orton, but had lost. Then throughout the rest of the year he was in multiple WWE Championship matches.. Which he lost? Until Armageddon, in which is one of the best triple threat matches of all time and totally made it worth being a Jeff Hardy fan. |
| Triple H Vs Edge Vs Jeff Hardy Vs The Big Show Vs The Undertaker Vs Vladimir Kozlov | No Way Out 2009 | Elimination Chamber Match | 4 ¼* | - |
| Triple H, Batista & Shane McMahon Vs Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton & Ted DiBiase, Jr. | Backlash 2009 | Six-Man Tag Team Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Randy Orton Vs John Cena Vs The Big Show | Raw June 15 2009 | Fatal Four Way Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, Jr. | Summerslam 2009 | Tag-Team Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, Jr. | Hell in a Cell 2009 | Tag-Team Hell in a Cell Match | 3 ¾* | This was the final match in the DX/Legacy trilogy of matches, and it’s just a really great match. They take elements from their previous two matches and they make it top notch and improve things that lacked. This is the decider between the two teams, they were sudden death up to this point, highly recommend. |
| Triple H Vs John Cena | Raw October 25 2009 | Single Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs John Cena Vs Shawn Michaels | Survivor Series 2009 | Triple Threat Match | 3 ¾* | Watch it for the first 10 seconds of this match, I mean the rest of the match is great, but the start is perfect. |
| Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs Chris Jericho & Big Show | TLC 2009 | Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match | 3 ½* | This was D-Generation (Shawn & Triple H) first ever Tag Team Championship win, and it’s a really fun match between 4 of some of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. |
| Triple H Vs John Cena Vs Kofi Kingston Vs Randy Orton Vs Sheamus Vs Ted DiBiase Jr | Elimination Chamber 2010] | Elimination Chamber Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Undertaker | Wrestlemania 27 | No Holds Barred Match | 4 ½* | Follows on from the Shawn/Taker previous fights and continues on to the next year. Great match between two of the best. |
| Triple H Vs CM Punk | Night of Champions 2011 | No Disqualification Match | 3 ¾* | - |
| Triple H Vs Undertaker | Wrestlemania 28 | Hell in a Cell Match | 4 ¾* | This was match was the third in their Wrestlemania series. It was billed as ‘The End of an Era – Hell in a Cell match’ with the special guest referee: Shawn Michaels. Three men that once defined the Attitude Era, would get to put on a great performance on the grandest show of them all Wrestlemania. The match is fun, and really showcases both mens best elements. The final sequence of the match, and the post-match celebrations/farewells is satisfying closing one of the best eras. Many people, believe this is where Undertaker should have retired, on top 20-0. |
| Triple H Vs Brock Lesnar | Summerslam 2012 | Singles Match | 3 ½* | - |
| Triple H Vs Brock Lesnar | Extreme Rules 2013 | Steel Cage Match | 4* | This is the best match out of their trilogy of matches, it feels fresh and re-establises Brock Lesnar as a legit superstar even though he had lost a month prior to this. Brutal match from both men, but very fun watch. |
| Triple H Vs Daniel Bryan | Wrestlemania 30 | Number One Contender Match | 4 ¼* | Probably Triple H's greatest Wrestlemania match (besides the Wrestlemania 20 match), this is anything short of a 5 star match, excellent chemistry between the two and this would be Bryan's first match of the night. |
| Triple H, Randy Orton & Batista Vs Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose | Extreme Rules 2014 | Six-Man Tag Team Extreme Rules Match | 4 ½* | This was their first match in this excellent series, old dogs Vs the new dogs. |
| Triple H, Randy Orton & Batista Vs Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose | Payback 2014 | Six-Man Tag Team Elimination Match | 4* | Rematch for the ages, absolutely on par with their first match. Very hard to choose a better match out of the two. |
| Triple H Vs Dean Ambrose | Roadblock 2016 | Single Match | 4 ¼* | - |
Honourable Mentions:
- Triple H Vs The Rock – Raw 1999 - Steel Cage Match
- Triple H Vs The Rock – Fully Loaded 1999 Strap Match
- Triple H Vs The Rock – Smackdown 1999 Special Guest Referee - Shawn Michaels
- Royal Rumble 2002 Royal Rumble Match
- Triple H Vs Kane – Raw 2003 Title Vs Mask Match
- Triple H Vs Chris Jericho Vs Goldberg Vs Kevin Nash Vs Randy Orton Vs Shawn Michaels - Summerslam 2003 - Elimination Chamber Match
- Triple H Vs Shawn Michaels – Royal Rumble 2004 - Last Man Standing Match
- Triple H, Batista, Edge & Snitsky Vs Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Maven & Randy Orton - Survivor Series 2004 - Traditional Survivor Series Tag Team Match
- Triple H Vs Ric Flair - Taboo Tuesday 2005 - Steel Cage Match
- Triple H Vs Chris Benoit - Smackdown 2005 - Eddie Guerrero Tribute Match
- Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & Big Show – Unforgiven 2006 - Hell in a Cell Match
- Triple H Vs Umaga - Cyber Sunday 2007 - Street Fight
- Triple H Vs Jeff Hardy Vs Montel Vontavious Porter Vs Shelton Benjamin Vs The Brian Kendrick - Unforgiven 2008 - Smackdown WWE Championship Scrabble Match
- Triple H Vs Sting - Wrestlemania 31 - No Disqualification Match
- Royal Rumble 2016 - Royal Rumble Match
Wrestlers in the most matches
| Wrestler | Number of Matches (not including Royal Rumble) |
|---|---|
| The Brian Kendrick | 1 |
| The British Bulldog | 1 |
| Chainsaw Charlie | 1 |
| CM Punk | 1 |
| Daniel Bryan | 1 |
| David Hart Smith | 1 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 1 |
| Eddie Guerrero | 1 |
| Farooq | 1 |
| Finlay | 1 |
| Goldberg | 1 |
| Goldust | 1 |
| Grand Master Sexay | 1 |
| Kevin Nash | 1 |
| Kofi Kingston | 1 |
| Matt Hardy | 1 |
| Maven | 1 |
| MVP | 1 |
| R-Truth | 1 |
| Scotty 2 Hotty | 1 |
| Shane McMahon | 1 |
| Sting | 1 |
| Tyson Kidd | 1 |
| Vince McMahon | 1 |
| Vladamir Kozlov | 1 |
| Booker T | 2 |
| Brock Lesnar | 2 |
| Owen Hart | 2 |
| Rikishi | 2 |
| Rob Van Dam | 2 |
| Seth Rollins | 2 |
| Sheamus | 2 |
| Umaga | 2 |
| Batista | 3 |
| Cody Rhodes | 3 |
| Dean Ambrose | 3 |
| John Bradshaw Layfield | 3 |
| Kurt Angle | 3 |
| Roman Reigns | 3 |
| Stone Cold Steve Austin | 3 |
| Ric Flair | 4 |
| Kane | 4 |
| Shelton Benjamin | 4 |
| Ted Dibiase | 4 |
| Big Show | 5 |
| Edge | 7 |
| Jeff Hardy | 7 |
| The Undertaker | 8 |
| John Cena | 10 |
| Mick Foley | 10 |
| Shawn Michaels | 12 |
| Chris Benoit | 13 |
| Randy Orton | 13 |
| Chris Jericho | 14 |
| The Rock | 14 |
Number of Best Ranked Matches in those year
| Year | Number of Matches |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 |
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