Triple H Paul Levesque has opened up about his move into the role of WWE Chief Content Officer and the challenges that came with taking over creative responsibilities after Vince McMahon stepped down.

Speaking on Cody Rhodes’ podcast What Do You Wanna Talk About, Levesque discussed whether WWE WrestleMania 40 felt like the moment he fully took control of WWE creative.

“I think so, and again, this is where I’m terrible with times,” Levesque said. “It’s not like one day, ‘Here, it’s yours,’ and everything else went away. There were so many aspects of, ‘Hey, Vince is stepping away. You’re going to take this spot,’ but he’s still chiming in, and he’s still meeting with me all the time. And he’s still directing traffic from the side. There’s no real clear moment for me, but I would consider it that, yes.”

HHH explained that the transition was gradual rather than a clean break, with McMahon still involved behind the scenes even after stepping away from his official position. This created a situation where responsibilities overlapped, making it difficult to pinpoint when full control shifted.

He also addressed the reality of decision-making in his current role, noting that creative direction often involves collaboration and internal discussions rather than unilateral authority.

“At the end of the day, when people are like, ‘Yeah, but it’s your decision, right?’ Yeah, sort of. And you have to defend your position, and you have to sell that to people and explain it to people. If it’s a little bit not your position or a little bit, ‘Well, why did this happen,’ and you don’t want to say, ‘Well, because that wasn’t totally my decision.’ And not because you don’t want it to seem like you totally don’t have that power, you just have to position it that way.”

McMahon initially announced his retirement in July 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He later returned to WWE as a board member, using his voting power to regain influence within the company. Text messages that surfaced publicly indicated that McMahon still had input in key creative decisions, including the main event of WWE WrestleMania 39.

Additional insight into the situation emerged through a report by Brandon Thurston, which revealed internal communications between Levesque and WWE President Nick Khan. Those messages highlighted Levesque’s concerns about McMahon’s continued involvement in creative throughout 2023.

McMahon ultimately stepped away for good in early 2024 following further controversy tied to a lawsuit filed by former employee Janel Grant. Since then, he has had no known role within WWE operations.

Triple H continues to lead WWE’s creative direction as Chief Content Officer, overseeing the company’s programming during a period of transition and change.

Triple H Details Transition to WWE Creative Control Following Vince McMahon Exit

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Chris Jericho made a major announcement regarding his in-ring future during the April 8 episode of AEW Dynamite, and it quickly led to a confirmed match for AEW Dynasty.

Jericho opened the segment by reflecting on his return to AEW and his career. He said it felt good to be back on Dynamite and ready to sign a new contract, noting the moment took place just a few kilometers from where he began wrestling at the Ponoka Moose Hall. He spoke about the risks he has taken over the years, including his decision in 2019 to join AEW. Jericho admitted not every risk paid off, but emphasized his passion for the business and his desire to continue contributing.

“Some risks paid off, some didn’t, and I’ve had my share of stinkers, but I love pro wrestling. I respect this business. That’s why I’m in the best shape of my life. Whether I’m in the opener, the main event, or not on the show at all, I want to help others and help AEW.”

As Jericho prepared to sign his contract, he was interrupted by Ricochet, who came to the ring and addressed him directly. Ricochet dismissed the idea of Jericho returning to action and questioned his readiness after time away.

“Do yourself a favor and don’t. Don’t come back. After a year off, you’re bound to be rusty. There’s a difference between sing shape and ring shape.”

Ricochet acknowledged Jericho’s past contributions, calling him one of AEW’s most important champions, but made it clear he sees himself as the current face of the company. He pointed to improved attendance and ratings, while also referencing his own accomplishments, including being the inaugural National Champion.

Jericho responded by brushing off Ricochet’s comments and revealing a key detail in his new contract. He stated that he has a clause allowing him to choose his opponent for Dynasty. After briefly joking about other potential opponents, Jericho made his decision official.

Referencing his past persona, he brought back “The List” and added Ricochet to it before signing the contract.

“Ricochet… You just made the list!”

With that, the match between Jericho and Ricochet was set for AEW Dynasty this Sunday. The segment not only confirmed Jericho’s in-ring return but also established a featured bout for the upcoming event.

Chris Jericho Sets Ricochet Match for AEW Dynasty, Brings Back “The List”

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Will Ospreay needed some backup to help him fight off the Death Riders on the April 8 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” and after his recent trip to Japan, he ran into some old friends of his. Fresh off of reuniting with the United Empire at NJPW Sakura Genesis on April 4, Ospreay managed to convince Francesco Akira, HENARE, and the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion Callum Newman to take a trip to Canada to create some chaos in Edmonton, and that’s exactly what they did.

Much like the Mile High Madness match we saw back in February, this was essentially a mini Anarchy In The Arena built for a TV audience, only with fewer split-screens and music playing over the loudspeakers to accompany the action. However, that didn’t make this match any less fun than some of its predecessors because this was great.

All eight guys got their licks in here, with the MVP award of this match from yours truly actually getting split three ways between Akira, HENARE, and Claudio Castagnoli. Those three guys knew they had to get their stuff in and made the most of every second they were the center of attention, to the point where Tony Schiavone probably dropped a text to Tony Khan saying, “If you have any money left over from the Jericho contract, give it to Akira.” Massive table spots, including a Newman double foot stomp that would make the ECW version of Tajiri extremely proud, Alex Windsor and Marina Shafir got involved. It seemed like everywhere you looked, something new was going on.

I was hesitant about this match going into it, mainly because this would have been a great fit for the actual Anarchy In The Arena setting, or even a Forbidden Door match, but sometimes when you get the chance to do something, sometimes you just have to do it there and then. I also would have liked to have seen more from Newman, considering he just made history over in Japan, and maybe it ran a little long, but it’s a multi-man AEW plunderfest, it’s going to be long, and I’m okay with that these days.

It also sets up the Jon Moxley/Will Ospreay match for Dynasty to be more unpredictable, as Ospreay and Newman both got the pin on Moxley. Does this mean Mox is retaining? Does it mean Ospreay has another summer title run in his sights? All of that will be answered this Sunday, but this was a rollercoaster of a match that built hype towards a marquee pay-per-view title match while making everyone involved look like a million bucks, and even in Canadian dollars, you can’t ask for much more than that.

Written by Sam Palmer