WWE spent almost nine full months telling the story of the Triple H vs Brock Lesnar feud with weak results. Many fans viewed this as a dream match since Lesnar and Triple H never had a singles match or program against each other during Brock’s first run. The brand split saw them generally on different shows, with Triple H as the top heel on Raw and Lesnar as Smackown’s top dog.
Brock’s return to WWE in 2012 saw him having a quick program with John Cena before moving into a longer storyline with Triple H. The expectations for two legends mixing it up for the first time unfortunately went as poorly as possible. Triple H vs Lesnar deserves another glance back due to how pointless it was after such high expectations.
Expectations Were Set Too High For Brock Lesnar Vs Triple H
Fans did have interest in watching Triple H and Brock Lesnar since it was two legitimate legends facing off for the first time. Brock coming back to WWE was a huge return for WWE after his star power grew during his time in the UFC. Triple H was growing older, but he was also coming off his back-to-back years of classic matches with The Undertaker at WrestleMania.
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The first match between the two came at SummerSlam 2012 to main event the second-biggest show of the year. WWE unfortunately watered down the match by coming up with a weak storyline. Triple H representing WWE management tried to prevent Lesnar’s contract demands, causing friction between the two.
The biggest risk in booking a dream match on a major show is that expectations must be met. Triple H and Brock had a weak match that completely ruined the appeal of their feud. WWE built expectations to deliver a dream match on one of the biggest stages possible. Once the match failed to meet the audience’s expectations, the program faced an uphill battle.
Triple H Loses The WWE Audience
SummerSlam 2012 was meant to have a storyline continuing with Triple H getting injured during his loss to Brock Lesnar. Fans were supposed to react emotionally to Triple H teasing that it was his final match while selling the injury. Things went awry when some audience members actually booed Triple H, since the match was lackluster and the post-match angle was forced. WWE went back to the rematch about eight months later at WrestleMania 29.
There was less pressure on the match this time since it was third in the main event pecking order behind The Rock vs John Cena and The Undertaker vs CM Punk. However, it still lacked the overall importance that should have come from such a pivotal rematch. The weak SummerSlam match was the first straw, but the continuation of the build continued to disappoint.
WWE thought that adding Paul Heyman, Stephanie McMahon, and Shawn Michaels to the story would provide more interest, but it only complicated things. A convoluted stipulation saw Triple H putting his career on the line to provide a reason for his eventual victory. This second match was considered their best, but it wasn’t anything special that fans discussed after it ended.
The Brock Lesnar Vs Triple H Rivalry Ends Without A Purpose
WWE started the feud between Triple H and Brock Lesnar through the lens of a rebellious top star wanting to clash with authority. That was not the story fans wanted from this tale, and it just hurt both characters. Triple H lost all the momentum he gained from his matches vs Undertaker to boost his status as a part-time legendary attraction. Brock losing to Triple H at WrestleMania 29 harmed his credibility as a top star even though he won two of the three.
The third match came at Extreme Rules 2012 in the main event slot with a steel cage match. Everyone was already over the angle due to two disappointing matches and the preference to see them against other big names. The cage match felt weak for the one PPV known for having extreme action. Lesnar getting his win back didn’t feel like a big deal since he already lost the most important one.
Few high-profile feuds with as big of names as Triple H and Lesnar have failed to leave an impact in such a disappointing manner. None of their matches, segments, or aspects of the storyline left an impact on the viewer. Brock felt like a star booked weak in his first year until he eventually ended The Undertaker’s undefeated streak. WWE missed the mark on everything they wanted for a huge rivalry that accomplished nothing.
