WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther had high praise for Paul “Triple H” Levesque during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, crediting the WWE Chief Content Officer with revitalizing the industry and helping usher in a new era of global talent.
In the interview, Gunther didn’t hold back when discussing the impact Triple H has had on wrestling both inside and outside WWE.
“Paul Levesque saved professional wrestling, to a big degree,” Gunther stated.
The champion expanded on the statement, noting how Triple H’s forward-thinking approach created unprecedented opportunities for international wrestlers and opened the WWE system to a much broader talent pool.
“With him opening the world to WWE and creating so many jobs and opportunities back then for so many of the guys like us, all the European guys,” Gunther explained. “He opened the floodgates for the wrestling world outside of WWE.”
Gunther, who rose to prominence through NXT UK before transitioning to WWE’s main roster, is one of several international stars who benefited from Triple H’s global recruitment and developmental vision. That vision, according to Gunther, marked a fundamental shift in the way WWE engaged with talent from outside North America.
“I think that change has been very positive, and I think that was a big achievement,” he concluded.
Gunther also commented on Triple H convincing him to join WWE:
“When there’s an opportunity and everybody jumps at it at the same time… it gives me a weird feeling. I was like, man, maybe I sit this out first and see how it goes. It worked out in the end, but Hunter was always the guy that said… Hey man, I see a big future here for you and if you want to do it, then I’m on board.”
Gunther continues to lead WWE’s World Heavyweight division while embodying the global evolution Triple H helped cultivate — now giving back by raising the bar for future generations in the ring.
"[Paul Levesque] saved professional wrestling, to a big degree… With him opening the world to WWE and creating so many jobs and opportunities back then for so many of the guys like us, all the European guys.
He opened the floodgates for the wrestling world outside of WWE. I… pic.twitter.com/6JXsT7DBdT
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 9, 2025
Gunther shares that he initially wasn't interested in joining WWE and Triple H convinced him to make the move:
"When there's an opportunity and everybody jumps at it at the same time… it gives me a weird feeling. I was like, man, maybe I sit this out first and see how it goes.… pic.twitter.com/f2Ifjon84T
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 9, 2025
