10 Things Fans Should Know About Triple H's WCW Career

HHH (Jean-Paul Levesque) spent a full year in WCW as "Terra Ryzing" before his official WWE debut in May of 1995. It is easy to forget that The Game didn't get his start in WWE. He was still young and new to the business in WCW, ready to make a name for himself. Rarely giving interviews and sensibly guarding his privacy, Triple H has not yet written a full-fledged autobiography (if he does, it will likely be a smash-hit). Though he did write a self-help book.

Triple H's forgotten book Making the Game from 2006 covers his youth to early bodybuilding days to his time in WCW, going over his recruitment during the 12 months in the promotion while also covering his years in WWE. It is a valuable insight for this brief but rarely discussed chapter in the great wrestler's career.

10 Worked At Gold's Gym Until Hired By WCW

Triple H continued to work at Gold’s Gym as a manager plus a consultant all the way to being signed by WCW, and he even trained four nights a week at Killer Kowalski's school. The Game has said that if he was not given Kowalski’s phone number by world champion powerlifter Ted Arcidi, he would have ended up owning his own chain of gyms. Such was his love of bodybuilding and fitness.

HHH's decision to remain at Gold's showed maturity in learning some real-world career skills as a backup plan. His parents were concerned that wrestling was not "stable employment" while he worked the independents in the northeast. HHH has said that "knowing I had their full support while I pursued my dream meant so much to me".

9 Ric Flair, Chip Burnham, & The WCW President

Saying he had five years of experience, instead of just one on his wrestling resume to boost his chances, HHH got offers from Japan (not enough money, but great experience) and Memphis (realistic next step, TV, but poor money). Pat Patterson gave encouraging words when he visited Killer Kowalski's IWF (International Wrestling Federation) and the WWE talent scout told him to "stick with it".

HHH first met Ric Flair while he was attending an event as a guest speaker through Gold's Gym. During a night out, he was introduced to Chip Burnham, a regional promotor plus WCW ticket salesman who could sense he had "the right attitude." Burnham was friends with WCW President Bob Due, and HHH had the foresight to pack his "resume and tape." He then got a call a few weeks later directly from the President of WCW.

8 Paid For Own Flight & Hotel

Bischoff wanted to know how HHH knew the WCW President after he was left a note telling him to call after returning from Japan. HHH was so keen to break into the national industry that he offered to fly himself down to Atlanta and arrange his own hotel for the try-out, convincing newly appointed Bischoff that it was a win-win situation for WCW.

Bischoff said HHH was apparently a GUD – "Geographically UnDesirable", not being located in or near Atlanta. HHH turned the situation around and negotiated his opportunity to get Bischoff to watch him wrestle. This would not be the first time he used these skills against the vice president of WCW.

7 Dusty & Bischoff Then Locker Room

On arriving at Centre Stage Theatre in Atlanta, HHH was met by Dusty Rhodes who was still running things. Nobody had told Dusty that Bischoff was taking things over and now recruiting, this caused a large fiasco later in the day. Dusty was around WCW for a week then he was gone.

During the tryout, in the locker room all the top stars from the company arrived with them all looking at him like "Who the hell is this kid?" and "what he is doing in my locker room?" making the young HHH feel very self-conscious.

6 Friendship With Arn Anderson & Tryout

Arn Anderson was the final big name to show up and sit down next to him, he introduced himself and they became fast friends by talking business. After HHH's match, Arn said, "Looks like you got yourself a job kid". Seeing the passion HHH had for wrestling was the primary factor in him being quickly accepted into the WCW locker room by many veterans.

HHH was happy a veteran "he had looked up to for years" complimented him and felt confident, after the second night of matches, but could not find Bischoff as he had left early. HHH felt the tryout had been disorganized and unprofessional, with WCW testing his attitude to winning or losing when he just wanted to show them he could "wrestle". He left the tryout with a "we'll let you know".

5 One Year Contract Instead Of Two At $50,000 Dollars

HHH used his cerebral skills regarding his contract offer. He convinced Bischoff that it was a good deal if he was "only signed for one year" and that WCW could see first if he could make money, and if not, they would save $50,000. Then he could sign for a higher amount after the first 12 months, and WCW would be happy to pay him more.

He was making good money at Gold's Gym and the finances were not hugely different. He was hoping for more. Changing tactics proved successful. Shrewd bargaining allowed him later to leave for the WWE early.

4 Terry Taylor Helped Him In & Outside Of The Ring

After claiming five years of experience, Terry Taylor the wrestler, road agent, and writer, pulled him aside. HHH was straight with him, and Terry offered to help him at the WCW Power Plant, teaching him "the rest of what he really needed to know to make it", specifically "ring psychology." Taylor also became a surrogate father with HHH, having dinner with his family in Atlanta many times, remaining close friends to this day, as he is a trainer in NXT.

If he was not there on time at the Power Plant, HHH said Taylor could have easily said "screw you, kid." So he arrived early every day to train. HHH carried this attitude over to the WWE, saying in the book "if I ask him [student] to show up at 4 and he is there on time or early in the ring waiting for me I know he wants it". HHH has always said "he gravitated towards the people that loved the business" and expected a work ethic and this is where it all began.

3 Terra Ryzing Was Not A WCW Creation

Terra Ryzing was actually brought over from Kowalski’s IWF. Kowalski wanted HHH to go by the gimmick of the cousin of Jack Scream who had left the IWF, a wrestler who screams throughout the match. HHH did not feel comfortable with this. Then it was "The Terrorizer" which HHH thought "was kind of hokey".

HHH's countered with "The Crusher". He did not want to anger Kowalski whose ideas came from a different generation. HHH suggested a real name to "smooth the whole thing over". At the time "Andre Rison" was a big NFL star so he messed around with the spelling and "Terra Ryzing" was born. HHH has said if he knew WCW would use that name, he would never have agreed to it.

2 The French Gimmick & Bluebloods

Marketing liked HHH's last name of Levesque, so "Terra Ryzing" shifted to an "Evil Frenchman". McMahon merely changed his backstory to be an "American Blueblood" in the WWE. The above knee leather boots and French Revolutionary style war clothes, riding pants, and ponytail are all artifacts from his time in WCW, and HHH could not even speak French.

He eventually developed a team with William Regal that cemented their friendship to this day. Regal scouted Levesque in November then formed a team in January, but it was short-lived as he left for WWE soon after, with Regal becoming a new unit with Bobby Eaton.

1 Barnett, Sullivan, & Flair Tried To Get Him To Stay

HHH had contacted WWE after Taylor's advice. McMahon was impressed with his Starrcade 1994 match against Alex Wright and believed he had potential. Giving him the opportunity to wrestle 300 times a year and improve, HHH took up the offer over guaranteed money and two TV tapings a week at WCW. Bischoff could not understand this logic, and their meeting ended heatedly.

Ken Barnett, Kevin Sullivan, and Flair made one last group attempt to convince him to stay. On leaving, Flair called him into the office saying: "Go make yourself a star, you are doing the right thing, Vince will make you one". HHH believed Flair acted as a friend and dropped his company position, solidifying their bond for the years ahead.