5 Potential Replacements For Triple H In WWE
Triple H walked into 2025 as the savior of WWE creative and ended the year getting booed in arenas, with fans chanting that he ruined John Cena’s retirement match.
Between repetitive spins, cold main-event programs, and that brutal Cena tap-out to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, a lot of fans and veterans now openly wonder how long Hunter can keep the big chair.
If TKO ever decides to move him aside, these candidates could take his place as the next WWE Chief Creative Officer.
#1 The Rock
The most obvious name is The Rock.
There’s been well-known creative tension between Rock and Triple H all year, especially around WrestleMania 41, where Rock’s squad and Hunter’s team reportedly clashed over finishes, Cody Rhodes’ push, and last-minute changes.
Plus, Rock brings Hollywood juice, mainstream connections, and a big-picture ‘entertainment first’ mindset that TKO would love.
#2 Brian Gewirtz
If Rock himself can’t run the day-to-day, his longtime writing partner Brian Gewirtz is the stealth option.
Gewirtz was a top WWE writer for years, especially during the Ruthless Aggression and early PG eras, and is now a key creative force behind The Rock’s Seven Bucks projects and his occasional WWE returns.
With Brian officially in the role and Rock as the voice in his ear, the fans would basically get a Rock-led vision without needing him in the office 24/7.
#3 Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard has been in and out of WWE creative since the late 80s and is currently one of the key lieutenants around TV production and storyline structure.
If TKO wants minimal drama, Bruce is exactly the kind of veteran executive they’d slide into a “head of creative” title because he already understands network calls, rights partners, and the weekly grind.
#4 Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels has been running NXT’s creative and talent development and has been killing it in the department.
That said, Triple H was the creative head of NXT for many years before he took over the main roster’s creative direction. Therefore, his best friend, Shawn, could follow the same path.
He already has the trust of talent, knows the developmental pipeline, and would keep the current “wrestling-first” philosophy.
#5 A current top talent (Cody Rhodes or someone else)
On ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike show in September, Cody Rhodes openly said that in about ten years, he’d love for his name to be in the conversation to sit where Triple H sits now.
Cody even joked there’s “starting to become a fight for it,” hinting that several vets like himself, Seth Rollins, and even CM Punk, see creative control as the real endgame.
It mirrors Triple H’s own path. He started out as a wrestler, then became a locker room leader, then the guy calling the shots.
A future where an ex-top star takes over feels probable; the only question is which one gets there first.
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