Is HHH past his prime?

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I feel that HHH's injury came at a time when he was at his peak.  Not to say that he won't win titles or have good matches, but could he get any better than right before his injury?  First off, he's going to need a few months to shake off the ring rust and get comfortable with the repaired injury.  He also has all this extra bulk that is affecting his moveset and mobility.  I'm not saying he's old, but is there enough time in his career for him to get back to the body weight and attitude of his pre-injury condition?

[Guest Tony149]

Isn't HHH still under 30 years old? I still think he can have good matches, but the extra bulk he put out is slowing down his mobility.

[Guest Some Guy]

After a heel turn and a few months on the road his timing will come back and his weight will go back to where it was before the injury.  He just doesn't work as a face IMO and apparently in the crowd's opinion either, considering his waning pops lately.

[Guest snowfan]

I feel that HHH's injury came at a time when he was at his peak.  Not to say that he won't win titles or have good matches, but could he get any better than right before his injury?  First off, he's going to need a few months to shake off the ring rust and get comfortable with the repaired injury.  He also has all this extra bulk that is affecting his moveset and mobility.  I'm not saying he's old, but is there enough time in his career for him to get back to the body weight and attitude of his pre-injury condition?

Not to worry he'll add some more knee based moves and actually expand his repetoire fivefold.

[Guest BlackRainbow1025]

I think he just needs to work off the rust.  I mean, how many matches has he actually had since coming back?  Not too many, including house shows.  I think he'll get back to where he was before.  He's still pretty young.

[Guest nwawildsidemark]

I think he will soon be back to the level he was at prior to the injury-the key is who he is paired against

[Guest NoCalMike]

Ermm.....either Triple H hasn't already reached his peak, or the guy really is a terrible wrestler.....

 

-Mike

[Guest MrDanger]

History has proven that rust is a major problem for guys coming back from injury/break in the WWF, it took Austin around 4 months to get back into his stride after a year back while The Rock really only started to perform in September after coming back in late July.

 

Give it a few more weeks and Triple H will be back to normal

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I think it's just way too early to say.

 

99-till the time he got hurt he was working his best matches ever...and he's only been active for a little over a month now...by the time Wrestlemanis rolls around I think we'll know for sure.

 

If you ask me Austin hit his peak about this time last year after coming back from a neck injury.

[Guest jaxlmorrison]

From the way it looks right now, I'd say that Triple H's prime was around the time of his first title run, his match with McMahon, matches with Foley, Iron Man with Rocky, etc.

[Guest KingOfMen]

HHH hasn't even had a big match yet, and people are already wondering if he's "lost it."  At least give him the opportunity to wrestle a PPV match before you start writing him off.  It's hard to look good (especially for someone like HHH who doesn't have a big moveset) in short RAW matches.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Austins prime was from 1996 until his injury.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I think a lot of you that are replying didn't really read my post clearly.  Here are the points to consider:

 

At the time of injury, was HHH at his peak?  Meaning did he still have a lot of room to improve.

 

Secondly, I indicated he is going to need months of work to shake off the ring rust.  Meaning yes, I understand you can't judge him by his raw and smackdown matches.  But my point is, even after he shakes off the rust, can he be better (not as good as but BETTER) than he was right before the injury.

 

Third, his added muscle.  If this is the look he likes, he won't shed the pounds, he'll just alter his moveset.  If that's the case, he will never surpass his pre-injury self as bigger and bulkier does not equal better in the ring.  

 

Take those points into consideration and answer again for me, Has HHH passed his prime?

[Guest dreamer420]

Remember that he hadn't wrestled in months so no doubt his first few matches are going to be slow and probably paced badly.  Wait till No Way Out when he is with Angle and has to go 30 mins.  Hopefully he'll return to the HHH of old.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I really don't think they'll let him go 30 minutes in his first real match since coming back.  I'd be suprised if it even hit 20.

[Guest Raven_Effect01]

Third, his added muscle.  If this is the look he likes, he won't shed the pounds, he'll just alter his moveset.  If that's the case, he will never surpass his pre-injury self as bigger and bulkier does not equal better in the ring.

 

Exactly.  Just ask Scott Steiner.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Austins prime was from 1996 until his injury.

 

 

 

 

I have to disagree Rasmus...

 

I never thought that Austin was as good in the WWF as he was in WCW.

 

He's booked better...more over...and given more time to work...but Stunning Steve was always the best.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

I disagree.  In the WWF he was able to carry Savio Vega of all people to **** matches.  Austin was fantastic in 1996.  Possibly the best year ever by a WWF performer.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I don't disagree with that.

 

I'm just saying that from around 92-the day he got injured/fired...Austin was the best I've seen him

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

"I'm just saying that from around 92-the day he got injured/fired...Austin was the best I've seen him "

 

Yes and no.  During the Hollywood Blondes & Dangerous Alliance, he was extremely good.  I felt his US title run kind of fell flat however, aside from the occasional good match with Johnny B. Badd.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I hate to take the middle ground but Austin in WCW and WWF pre-injury is about par. It simply depended on his opponent. He had great matches as part of the Dangerous Alliance, got to work with Steamboat (damn, I miss him) and formed the Hollywood Blondes. In the WWF, he had great matches with Bret, carried Mero and Vega, solid matches with Owen and Trips and was part of some awesome angles.

 

In both WCW and WWF, he was part of some crap. Jim Duggan, losing to Kane, Col. Parker as a manager. The Ringmaster etc.

 

It's like if you prefer cherry or apple pie. Either way, it's still pie.

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

its too early to judge hhh yet, though a big test will come on sunday.  if hhh cant go with angle and angle cannot carry him to a good match, then i will have serious doubts about hhh's future.

[Guest Tony149]

HHH won't need to worry about his future if he's still dating Steph.

[Guest HellSpawn]

I dont think HHH was on his peak when he got injured.

 

Like you and some people said too, he still needs a few weeks, maybe after WM; I read some post here sayin Austin's peak was 96, well, many people said he was in a really good health last year, I mean, he take 10 f'n german suplexes, and if you remember him on late 2K, a lot of people, me included, believe he was done, so, look what a few months of work help him.

 

Look how many primes had Flair, or Hart, or Benoit, on 2K HHH was in the beginning of his road to stardom, and most of that year he was injured, on 98 when he got a great ladder match, he was injured.

 

I think we all agree he needs to lose a few pounds, but been honest, I believe several guys here, counting SK, just jump on the bandwagon of "Great, he's back!!! now I can hate him again".

 

In resume, lets wait 2 months, after WM he will be in a really good shape and he'll be back.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I have to agree with Hellspawn on one thing. austin had a great run of matches in 2001. It also helps he was wrestling Benoit, pre-injury HHH, Jericho and Angle. You are only as good as your opponent.