On a recent episode of Grilling JR on AdFreeShows.com, Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson went over HHH’s career in WWE in 1995-1996:
Thompson said, ‘HHH defeated Buck Zumhofe on WWF Wrestling Challenge in his television debut on 4/30. He used the Ace Crusher. Apparently, when his old pal, Diamond Dallas Page sees him pull this move off on TV, he gives him a call and asks, ‘Hey man, I’m kind of using that. Do you mind using a different finish?’ Supposedly, Hunter said, ‘No problem. He changed the finish that would wind up as the Pedigree, but he at least started with a version of the Diamond Cutter, I guess it was known back then, the Ace Crusher.’
Jim Ross responded: “‘I heard about that. He had confidence in his own game and knew that there were a lot of other finishes he could come up with that would not identify him with somebody else. In all due respect to Dallas Page at that time, Page wasn’t a household name. He was a solid hand, who continued to evolve his game after starting in his mid-30’s. For HHH to go the other direction and figure out something else to do, certainly I wasn’t surprised with that scenario. He’s going to get something that the name can fit him. He’ll get a move that anybody can take, whether you’re a huge 300 pound guy, or a cruiserweight. That Pedigree will work on anybody. That’s the magic of a great finish. It’s ubiquitous in a sense that it’s everywhere for every opponent, and I think that’s what he was looking for. I didn’t envision the pedigree, but I certainly understood the logic of it. You can use it on anybody and beat them, and that’s what he did.”
Conrad: “It was reported at the end of July (1996), Hunter signed a three year deal. Let’s add the context to what we’re talking about. He does the curtain call thing. Two of his very best friends leave for more money and fewer dates and go to WCW, where they had both been before. Hunter could have very easily done the exact same thing, been the next member of the NWO, and been a big part of some big stuff that’s happening on the other channel. In early July, Hulk Hogan joined the NWO. Nobody still knew exactly how big this thing was going to get. It was reported at the end of July that Hunter signed. You would think there was at least a conversation between him and Scott, or him and Kevin. Ultimately, even though he’s been wrestling hog matches, he’s been wrestling the Dumpster guy, he’s been squashed at WrestleMania, and he’s no longer the King of the Ring, he resigns. Are you having conversations with him in this era, or have you ever talked to him about this, and why he didn’t go?”
Ross answered, “Because WWE was always his destination. He grew up watching it. He’s trained by a WWE Hall of Fame legend. He grew up in that area. It meant more to him to be in WWE than anywhere else. That was a perfect home for him. He knew if he weathered all the storms as he had, and came through in a championship way as a professional, that the end story was going to be very positive for him, and it worked out that way. He always kept reinventing and working his a*s off even though he didn’t get the best hand dealt all the time.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Grilling JR with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription
