Claim: Triple H is a professional wrestler.

Paul Michael Levesque -LRB- born July 27 , 1969 -RRB- , better known by the ring name Triple H -LRB- an abbreviation of his original WWE ring name Hunter Hearst Helmsley -RRB- , is an American business executive and professional wrestler . Levesque is the Executive Vice President of Talent , Live Events and Creative for WWE , as well as being the founder and senior producer of NXT and the creator of the NXT television series .   Levesque commenced his professional wrestling career in the International Wrestling Federation -LRB- IWF -RRB- in 1992 under the ring name Terra Ryzing . In 1994 , he joined World Championship Wrestling -LRB- WCW -RRB- , where he was soon repackaged as Jean-Paul Lévesque , a French Canadian aristocrat . In 1995 , Levesque moved to the World Wrestling Federation -LRB- WWF , now WWE -RRB- , where he became Hunter Hearst Helmsley and , later , Triple H . In 1997 , Triple H co-founded the influential D-Generation X stable , which became a major element of the WWF 's `` Attitude Era '' . After winning his first WWF Championship and beginning a storyline marriage with Stephanie McMahon in 1999 , Triple H became widely regarded as the best wrestler in North America and a fixture of the company 's main event scene . Over the next two decades , he won a total of 14 world championships and led stables The McMahon-Helmsley Faction , Evolution and The Authority . From 2010 onwards , Triple H curtailed his in-ring appearances as he took on a greater behind-the-scenes role within WWE . After legitimately marrying McMahon in 2003 , he became a member of the McMahon family , which maintains majority ownership of WWE .   In the course of his career , Levesque has held a total of 25 championships , including nine reigns as WWF/WWE Champion and five as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion . Triple H was also the winner of the 1997 King of the Ring tournament and the 2002 and 2016 Royal Rumbles . He has headlined WrestleMania , WWE 's flagship pay-per-view , a record seven times -LRB- tied with Hulk Hogan -RRB- .   Outside of professional wrestling , Levesque has made numerous guest appearances in film and on television , including the lead role in the 2011 WWE Studios production The Chaperone .