Triple H Might Win The WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 30?

On the March 17, 2014 edition of Monday Night Raw, I realized again why I love Triple H so much. Last week, I wrote that there's no way Hunter books himself to go over Daniel Bryan in their match at WrestleMania 30. I still feel that way, but he has now given me reason to doubt, which is exactly what a great professional wrestler should do.

In case you missed it, Triple H confronted his former Evolution running buddies Batista and Randy Orton in the opening Raw segment and screamed that he was tired of Bryan, Batista and Orton. So if the COO beats Bryan at Mania, he will get added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match rather than the fan-favorite Bryan.

The IWC gives HHH so much abuse that it borders on irritating. I have never met Paul Levesque and maybe never will. All I know about his personality is what I read from those who do know him and who have met him (along with what I've seen on that HHH documentary). Maybe he really didn't like putting people over in his full-time days. Maybe he does prefer to push bigger guys and hold back smaller guys. Maybe he does sleep with a shovel next to his bed (okay, I'm pretty sure this one isn't true).

But this is the genius of what Hunter Hearst Helmsley did on Monday. He took the perception of himself, cranked it up to 11 and put it on TV for everyone to see. The IWC joked for weeks (maybe longer) that HHH would somehow get into the title match and leave with the gold. It was only a joke until Hunter made it a possibility.

Does this version of Triple H remind you of anyone? A certain tyrannical boss who dictated WWF in the late 90s and early 2000s, perhaps? Triple H is the new Vince McMahon (at least on screen), only he's not as demonstrative and cartoonish as Vince was. "The fans think I'm going to bury everyone and give myself the gold? Fine. Watch this."

The best wrestling characters are the ones who play themselves with a healthy dose of seasoning. Vince McMahon was such a great heel because he played the "evil boss" role with gusto. Randy Orton became a great heel again when he addressed head-on the fact that everyone thinks he's a spoiled golden boy who had everything handed to him and only got where he is because of HHH. Batista is a great heel because he embraced the hate from fans who can't stand a 45-year-old man in skinny jeans and sunglasses. Say what you want about Triple H, but he has always known how to get heat, and he's doing it again.

But perhaps more importantly, Triple H has made his match with Bryan at WrestleMania 30 even more critical now. It was a foregone conclusion that Bryan would win, but now Hunter has forced everyone to pay attention with just a few simple words. "Holy crap, what if he actually does beat Bryan?" That doubt alone is enough to make this match twice as compelling than it was a week ago.

Contrast this with Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker. You'd probably have to search for a while to find someone who doesn't want to see the Undertaker compete at WrestleMania. The man is an institution and has earned the right to show up and sit at ringside for the entire show with women feeding him grapes if he wants. But is anyone really that invested in Lesnar-Taker? It'll be a great match, I'm sure. Taker's matches always are. But at this point, there's only real juice in these matches if there's doubt The Streak might end. Does anyone think Lesnar is actually going to destroy the most hallowed accomplishment in the history of the company?

The possibilities for the WrestleMania 30 main event increased with Hunter's promo on Monday. There are about 10 or so possible outcomes for the end of Mania now, and I for one can't wait to see in which direction WWE decides to go.

What do you think, fellow fans? How will this all play out? What did you think about Triple H's new stipulation on Monday? Let me know in the comments below.