Triple H is catching heat for being placed front and center on the official WrestleMania promotional poster—and wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer didnâ€t hold back when calling out WWEâ€s strategy behind it.
During the November 1, 2025 episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer and co-host Garrett Gonzales tore into the decision, noting that Triple H, who doesnâ€t wrestle or perform on the show, is being presented as the face of the entire operation. Meltzer compared him to someone very specific.
“You know who he is? Heâ€s Joe Weider. Thatâ€s who he is. After every Mr. Olympia, Joe Weider was standing there with the guy who won Mr. Olympia. He claimed he trained him even though he didnâ€t. But the magazines created the image of Joe Weider, the all-knowing sage. Thatâ€s Paul Levesque in WWE. Itâ€s an image.â€
Meltzer also called Triple H the “Dana White†of WWE, explaining how heâ€s become the visible frontman for a company that used to keep its decision-makers behind the scenes.
“Triple H is the sage. We donâ€t have bad Vince McMahon anymore. Itâ€s a new era, itâ€s Triple H. Heâ€s more open-minded, friendly to the talent, doesnâ€t berate them, doesnâ€t make everybody feel bad.â€
But Meltzer questioned the optics of WWEâ€s poster choices in general, especially when it comes to representation.
“I get why some people are mad. Thereâ€s no women on the poster. In this day and age, you have to be smart enough not to fall into that trap. You need to have at least two women on there.â€
Gonzales chimed in with a warning: if the product cools off, Triple H is going to be the one fans hold accountable.
“In the 2010s, Triple H was at least by hardcore fans who were tired of him at the top. That was a negative—that he was so overexposed. And now, if the product goes sideways, heâ€s the one whoâ€s going to get the blame.â€
Meltzer agreed, pointing out that fans are already placing blame on both Levesque and Tony Khan.
“Theyâ€re complaining about him and Tony all the time. Some complaints are valid, most are not, but many are.â€
He also noted how Triple H has increasingly inserted himself into WWEâ€s visual branding.
“Whoâ€s the guy on the roof in the WrestleMania commercial? It wasnâ€t Roman Reigns. It wasnâ€t Seth Rollins. It was Paul Levesque.â€
Despite Meltzerâ€s own respect for Triple Hâ€s role as a decision-maker, he still questioned the need for Levesque to make himself part of the showâ€s visual narrative.
“If it were me, I wouldnâ€t even want to be on TV. Iâ€d want CM Punk or Seth Rollins or one of those guys up there.â€
Triple H may be orchestrating WWEâ€s current direction behind the scenes, but heâ€s also put himself in the spotlight more than ever—and according to Meltzer, that could be a double-edged sword.
WWEâ€s decision to plaster Triple H across WrestleMania branding may be about pushing the idea of a strong creative leader—but as Meltzer suggests, it also puts him on the front lines of criticism. In a business where the spotlight is often a liability, this marketing move may do more harm than good if things start to cool off.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
Whatâ€s your take on Triple H becoming the face of WWEâ€s backstage era? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
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