Triple H Announces Retirement From In-Ring Competition

Appearing on ESPN's First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Triple H announced his retirement from in-ring competition, confirming he will never perform inside the squared circle again. 

Triple H's announcement comes after he suffered a cardiac event due to a genetic heart disorder in September of 2021.

Speaking about the incident, the 52-year-old revealed he suffered from viral pneumonia. He initially started to cough up blood and he was checked out by doctors after his wife Stephanie McMahon noticed. 

It was discovered The Game had fluid around his lungs and heart and his ejection fraction in his heart was as low as 12%. A healthy ejection fraction is between 50-70%. 

He underwent procedures soon after and Triple H revealed he now has an ICD in his chest. The Game also confirmed he feared he would never wake up while undergoing procedures, noting it made him think differently about life. 

Prior to his cardiac event, Triple H was the head of NXT but he has yet to return to that role. He remains Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development in WWE. 

Triple H last wrestled on June 29, 2019, when he teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura at a WWE house show in Japan to defeat Samoa Joe and Robert Roode. His final televised match was earlier that month at Super ShowDown against Randy Orton. 

The Game made his in-ring debut back in 1992 and he ends his career as a 14-time WWE World Champion and the seventh WWE Triple Crown Champion. He was also a member of the legendary faction, D-Generation X.