According to a recent report posted on WWE.com, Triple H won’t be retiring any time in the near future. Recently posted documents reveal that Paul Levesque will be an active wrestler for the next few years and make quite a handsome salary for doing so.
PWInsider.com was the first to spot the news on the WWE corporate website. According to the company’s 10-K report for 2011, Triple H re-signed with the company with a new contract going into effect on January 1, 2012. The new deal expires on March 20, 2016 which would make The Game 46-years young at the time of renewal.
Triple H will make a minimum of $1 million in guaranteed money for each year of the contract. Consider that for one second. Here is a guy that has wrestled in the ring a handful of times in 2012. I can’t imagine that his schedule would increase, yet he will be bringing in at minimum $1 million before bonuses, merchandise, etc. And people in the WWE locker room are upset with The Rock?
Trips will be capped at 180 dates per year under the agreement. Now keep in mind that this includes appearances whether he is wrestling or not, for example General Manager, etc. Both parties could mutually agree to extend that number.
Here is the kicker of the deal. “9.14 During the Term, WRESTLER acknowledges and agrees that he shall not work or perform in any capacity for any other martial arts or wrestling organization and/or entity not owned or controlled by PROMOTER or any affiliated or subsidiary company thereof, including without limitation appearances in live events, pay-per-view or other televised events.”
In other words, there is no chance of seeing Triple H show up in the UFC or Bellator over the next four years. I know, I know, you are crushed.
You can’t blame Triple H for signing such a sweet deal. Does he deserve $1 million a year from a company that is seeing declining buyrates and television ratings? That is not an argument for me to make because quite frankly, it is not my money. A stockholder on the other hand may think differently.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Triple H will be an active performer for the next four years in the WWE inside the ring. What it does mean is that Trips will probably be a semi-regular character whether he will be playing some authority figure or actually wrestling. For some that is great news while for many of you Triple H haters out there, it is a dark day.
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