Let’s look at another debut with another WWE Hall of Fame—Triple H. We’re looking at his April 1995 debut on Wrestling Challenge against Buck Zumhofe. Yes, that Buck Zumhofe, folks.
Triple H Arrives in the WWE
After some time on the New England indy scene and in WCW, Triple H headed to WWE in 1995, joining the promotion as Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The early persona was similar to his late WCW gimmick of a blueblood. It’s actually the same gimmick nose-to-tail only with an alliterated name.
Sometimes, a name can make a gimmick as Hunter Hearst Helmsley worked. Across the ring from him was a regular AWA World Light Heavyweight champion, Buck Zumhofe. He always had a weird career following his 1985 arrest for sexual misconduct.
After doing his time, he returned in 1989 and it was as if nothing happened. Of course, back it was easier to cover something like this up from the public. Four years is a long cover-up but there has been dirt and skeletons that were kept in the closet longer.
By the early 1990s, he was a regular jobber on WWE television which brings us to WWE Wrestling Challenge in 1995. By this time, Monday Night RAW was the flagship show after Superstars’ time was up. We’ve got this new youngster, there’s a veteran in the ring—we already know what time it is.
Triple H and Zumhofe mix it up a bit early on. It’s a little even then Jean-Paul Levesque manages to take control of the match and batters Zumhofe. Buck actually gets some offense in towards the end of the match. However, just look at this guy and look at Young Triple H.
Even if you didn’t know what a “push” was in 1995, you knew that Buck Zumhofe wasn’t getting one. After a sloppy whip by Zumhofe, Hunter catches him and puts him down with the Diamond Cutter for the pin.
Legendary Debut?
This isn’t one of those debuts you’ll remember or should remember. I will say that Triple H looked good in this match. That’s the goal but sometimes you get debuts that are either bad or just leave no impression whatsoever. You don’t really see “main event player” from this match but you do get the sense that this guy can do something–”I can see him being featured on TV.”
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