Is WWE Planning to Fire Triple H? The Fallout From John Cena’s Controversial Exit
If you were watching Saturday Night’s Main Event, you probably felt the exact same disturbance in the Force that the rest of us did. It wasn’t just a wrestling match ending; it felt like someone walked into a birthday party and popped all the balloons. John Cena—the man whose entire brand, ethos, and merchandise line is built on the phrase “Never Give Up”—actually gave up. He tapped out to Gunther.
It was a moment that left the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in a state of shock that quickly curdled into rage. And now, the rumor mill is spinning so fast it might actually take flight. The word on the street (or at least, the word from one very vocal former writer) is that this creative blunder might actually cost Triple H his job.
The Controversy Surrounding Triple H and Saturday Night’s Main Event
Let’s set the scene. Triple H has been steering the WWE creative ship since late 2022. For a while, it was the “Renaissance Era.” We got long-term storytelling, we got nuance, and we got matches that actually meant something. But 2025? It hasn’t exactly been a highlight reel.
The decision to have John Cena’s illustrious career end in a submission loss is baffling to just about everyone who isn’t a contrarian wrestling hipster. We aren’t just talking about a loss; we are talking about a betrayal of character. When Triple H walked out after the match—presumably to bask in the “Thank You Cena” chants—he was instead met with a vitriolic wall of sound. The crowd chanted “You f**ked up” directly at the Chief Content Officer.
It was awkward. It was loud. And according to former WWE head writer Vince Russo, it might be the nail in the coffin for The Game’s corporate career.
Vince Russo Predicts the End for Triple H
Now, taking Vince Russo’s predictions as gospel is usually a risky bet, but his take on the Coach & Bro podcast recently highlighted a very real problem. Russo isn’t just looking at the match finish; he’s looking at the temperature of the room.
Russo argues that the boos directed at Triple H weren’t a heat-of-the-moment reaction. They were cumulative. They were the sound of a fanbase that has been tolerating subpar booking for a year, finally snapping when their hero was humiliated.
“I’m gonna make a bold prediction,” Russo said. “I think that marked the beginning of the end for Triple H… because the people have turned on him.” Russo points out the sheer illogical nature of the finish. You have a guy who has spent 25 years telling Make-A-Wish kids to never quit, and in his final moment, he quits? Russo’s take is that if he were in the room, he would have told Cena, “We ain’t doing that, John.”
Did Triple H Actually Ruin John Cena’s Legacy?
This is where the human element comes in. Wrestling is scripted, sure. We all know the outcomes are predetermined. But the emotions are real. For an entire generation of fans, Cena was Superman. Watching him tap out to a sleeper hold doesn’t build Gunther up as much as it just bums everyone out. It feels like bad fan fiction.
The backlash suggests that Triple H, in his pursuit of “cinema” or “realism,” forgot the most important part of pro wrestling: the payoff.
However, there is a twist in the narrative. Reports are surfacing that John Cena himself pitched the idea of losing via submission. Cena is an old-school guy who believes in going out on your back to elevate the next guy. If that’s true, Triple H isn’t a tyrant; he’s just an enabler of a bad idea. But in the corporate world of WWE and TKO Group Holdings, perception is reality. If the customers are chanting that the boss messed up, the shareholders start to get nervous.
The Reality: Is Triple H Really Going to Get Fired?
So, is the “King of Kings” actually about to be dethroned? It seems extreme. Triple H has overseen a massive boom period for the company regarding revenue and sponsorship. But wrestling is a “what have you done for me lately” business.
If ticket sales are dipping (as reports suggest) and the creative direction is actively alienating the loyal fanbase, Triple H’s seat gets a lot warmer. The “You f**ked up” chant is rarely a death sentence, but when it drowns out the retirement of the greatest star of the modern era, it’s a problem that can’t be ignored.
Whether he gets fired or not remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: The honeymoon phase for Triple H is officially over. He’s no longer the savior who rescued us from the previous regime; he’s just the guy in charge. And right now, the guy in charge is looking a little out of touch.
