The History Of Triple H's Pedigree Finisher, Explained
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As someone who knows how to play "The Game," there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Triple H is among the all-time greatest professional wrestlers in the industry. Coming a long way from making his WWE debut in 1995, Triple H is the total package of a professional wrestler, as he's got the look, charisma, and distinctive move-set. And because he's got a compelling move-set, there's a reason Triple H's finisher, the Pedigree, is regarded as among the all-time finishers in WWE.
Related: 10 Weird Triple H WWE Moments We Completely Forgot About
The Pedigree Became An Exclusive Finisher For Triple H
Triple H is one of the most decorated superstars in the company, winning many championships throughout his over two-decade career while being one of the most successful talents in the business. Triple H came a long way from his previous persona as Hunter Hurst Helmsley when first debuting in the company, as it took years before Triple H found his footing in the main-event scene and became "The Game" persona.
One way that Triple H got over to the level of stardom he achieved is the uniqueness of his overall character, as not many WWE superstars replicate him. For instance, his move-set alone is something one could recognize as exclusive to Triple H. Part of the reason Triple H's move-set stands out is his finisher, the Pedigree, as it's a maneuver he's done exclusively for most of his career.
When Triple H was a full-time WWE superstar, he'd be the only superstar who'd do the Pedigree as his official finisher. Having an exclusive finisher helped him stand out from the roster, as Triple H's overwhelming success helped put him over the move as among the all-time devastating finishers.
The Pedigree move itself stands out because even though it's a variation of a Facebuster, as many wrestlers in the industry utilize different versions of it, the "Pedigree" version of the Facebuster is not common among other wrestlers. Because it's creatively unique, one wouldn't see much of it in WWE or even the independent scene.
Related: Triple H’s Friendship With William Regal, ExplainedThe Pedigree, or the Double Hook Facebuster in its technical name, was a move that Triple H came up with as his finisher, according to a Facebook Live interview with Mohin Khan. However, he also revealed in that same interview that Michael Hayes of The Fabolous Freebirds came up with naming his finishing Facebuster maneuver as the Pedigree, once again being an influential figure behind the scenes in WWE. From that point, Triple H used the Pedigree not long after he made his WWE debut in 1995, instantly making it a credible finisher to be taken seriously.
Other WWE Superstars Have Used The Pedigree Due To Their Association With Triple H
Despite the Pedigree finisher being one of the few moves that many wrestlers don't do, that doesn't mean other wrestlers haven't used this specific variation of the facebuster. The superstars who actually do the Pedigree do so by association with Triple H though.
For instance, Stephanie McMahon would use the Pedigree as her finisher because of her on-screen relationship with Triple H when she wrestled from time to time during the Attitude Era. Also, Seth Rollins used the Pedigree maneuver as his finisher during the mid-2010s, stemming from his days with The Authority. Considering there was a time that the maneuver got banned after Seth Rollins won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the Wrestlemania 31 PPV, he took over using The Pedigree because of Triple H's influence. He continued the move as his first finisher until revising the Curb Stomp in 2018.
The Pedigree Was A Memorable Finisher
As one would expect, because the Pedigree is among the all-time favorable WWE finishers, Triple H has gotten involved in the most memorable moments of his career involving the Pedigree. For instance, who could forget Triple H turning heel by delivering the Pedigree on Daniel Bryan after he won the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2013, or what about when Triple H hit the Pedigree on The Undertaker for a near-fall during their Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania 28?
Related: 10 Things You Forgot About The Triple H Vs. Vince McMahon On-Screen RivalryWith Triple H retiring from in-ring wrestling, there's no denying his legacy will live forever in WWE. For years to come, fans will always look back at Triple H's dominance in the ring, delivering his devastating Pedigree maneuver on anyone who stood in his way.
