Paul 'Triple H' Levesque is arguably the most powerful man in WWE today. The 56-year-old currently serves as the company's Chief Content Officer, having announced his retirement from in-ring competition in March 2022 after undergoing heart surgery.
'The Game' enjoyed a remarkable career in the squared circle. A 14-time world champion, Triple H was a fixture in the main event scene for more than 15 years. Before winning his first world title, he was also a multiple-time Intercontinental Champion and won the 1997 King of the Ring.
Add in a pair of Royal Rumble match victories (in 2002 and 2016) and a Hall of Fame induction prior to WrestleMania 41, and there's little that the 'King of Kings' failed to achieve in his WWE career. However, things could have turned out very differently for the New Hampshire-born Superstar after a routine 'squash' match almost ended in disaster early in his time with the promotion.
A little over a year after his April 1995 debut for WWE, Triple H was involved in a contest that could have changed both his - and his opponent's life - forever. Then wrestling under the name 'Hunter Hearst Helmsley', Triple H appeared on an episode of Superstars on the first of June 1996, facing off against enhancement talent, Marty Garner.
The aim of these squash matches were simple. The goal was for the enhancement talent (Garner) to make the established Superstar (Helmsley) look as good as possible. Garner knew his role well and had gained a reputation for being willing to take risks in matches in order to help himself - and the match - stand out.
This was evident from his first WWE bout against Jeff Jarrett in December 1995. While attempting to dive towards Jarrett during the match, Garner got his foot caught in the ropes and ended up landing in a heap, head-first.
Garner spoke to the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast in 2023 about his early matches in WWE, admitting that his attitude to risk probably scared those behind the scenes in the company, including then-boss Vince McMahon:
"Those first couple times at WWE, I'm sure I scared the crap out of Vince McMahon, where he thought I was a danger. I was trying to do too much. I was a spot monkey. And I think that scared them away from me a little bit."
While there was likely a sense that Garner needed to be more careful in the ring, WWE were impressed enough with his performances to bring him back for enhancement matches on a number of occasions. However, in his eagerness to impress, Garner almost suffered a catastrophic injury in his match with Triple H.
Neither man at the time was particularly experienced, with Triple H still relatively new to the world's largest professional wrestling organisation. The planned finish of the pair's encounter was never in doubt, though. Helmsley was booked to win a one-sided match with his finisher, the Pedigree.
The move - a kneeling variation of a double underhook facebuster - is now one of the most iconic finishing moves in WWE history. However, Garner would admit that he had no idea what the move was when he agreed to take it.
"He [Triple H] said, 'Can you take the Pedigree?' I said, 'Absolutely!' I had no idea what the Pedigree was. I was just gonna kick. When he locked me in, and I kicked, it looked like a double-underhook piledriver."
Triple H Couldn't Hide His Concern After Pedigree Went Badly Wrong on WWE Superstars
Instead of landing on his front, Marty took the impact squarely on his head. The move was so badly botched that Garner could easily have been paralysed - or worse - during the finish. Triple H instantly knew how dangerous the landing was as he checked on his opponent before going for the pin.
"He said, 'Geez, you alright?' I said, 'Bro, I'm good'. He goes, 'Oh my God,' and he pinned me."
Despite Garner assuring Helmsley that he was okay, the truth was a different story as the young grappler did suffer a neck injury. Over the years, there have been a number of rumours that Marty sued WWE over the incident. However, the man himself insists that was not the case, stating that he was simply happy to have performed on television.
"He [Triple H] goes to the back, and when I come through the curtain, he says, 'You sure you're okay?' 'Brother, I'm fine!' There was a rumour I sued WWE [but] I never thought about suing. I was just happy to be there and do a TV match."
For all of the immediate concern surrounding Garner after the match, WWE was impressed enough by the finish to name it the 'Slam of the Week' on future programming. Marty would never land a full-time role with the promotion, but did regularly return to wrestle in enhancement matches, with his most recent appearance coming in 2008. He also enjoyed brief stints in both WCW and ECW, before those companies closed their doors.
Garner's match with Triple H remains one of the scariest finishes in WWE history. It is easy to wonder whether Helmsley would have gone on to have the legendary career that he did if he had paralysed or even fatally injured his opponent. Thankfully, no long-term injuries were suffered and Garner continues to be active in the industry today.