Triple H manipulating Eugene in 2004

[The Rick Jericho]

What did everyone think of this feud during the Summer of 2004?

It lead to a matchup with HHH and Eugene at summerslam which if I can remember correctly, HHH just buried him.

Did anyone like this feud?

[thirteen3]

What was the point of this storyline? Just to give something for Haitch to do until he got the title back...yeah it was that.

[The Rick Jericho]

Mar 2, 2022 20:04:08 GMT -5 thirteen3 said:

What was the point of this storyline? Just to give something for Haitch to do until he got the title back...yeah it was that.

I thought it was to elevate William Regal to HHH's level in a high profile feud?

[Wieners=$$$]

Are we bringing this meme back?

What does JR think?

[thegame415]

I loved it. The promo where they give Eugene an Evolution and shirt and take pictures is amazing. Regal sells it like HHH is the worst human alive.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

I thought they banned you what are you d--oh wait no you're not the Eugene guy, carry on.

[Jindrak Mark]

Mar 2, 2022 20:01:22 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

What did everyone think of this feud during the Summer of 2004?

It lead to a matchup with HHH and Eugene at summerslam which if I can remember correctly, HHH just buried him.

Did anyone like this feud?

Didn’t Eugene have the match won until there was a distraction (Flair or Regal?) which allowed HHH to win? It’s been years but I definitely recall it not being a clean win, much less a burial.

The bad look for him was that the crowd booed the hell out of him and cheered HHH. The same thing happened at the following Summerslam against Angle too. Angle destroyed him in what I think was supposed to make you feel bad for Eugene but the crowd hated him and wildly cheered Angle beating him up. It’s like fans enjoyed Eugene as a fun midcard act but wanted no part of him getting a main event push or high profile spots on the big shows.

[Instant Classic]

Loved Eugene’s office.

[The Rick Jericho]

Mar 2, 2022 21:55:32 GMT -5 thegame415 said:

I loved it. The promo where they give Eugene an Evolution and shirt and take pictures is amazing. Regal sells it like HHH is the worst human alive.

This might have been Regal's best work in the WWE.

The went from like this evil guy. To a guy who just tried to save his job. To becoming a sympathetic babyface all in a matter of weeks.

Just brilliant stuff.

[Chiral]

Even as a kid that didn't know how dis biznes worked I was pissed during this angle cuz Eugene was getting so much main event attention while Benoit was the world champ that felt like an afterthought.

[Blade]

It shouldn't have worked, but Dinsmore and Regal were so good it did.

For a time, it was one of the most entertaining and over plots on the show.

But it was always a bad idea to try to put Eugene in a serious match against the world champion. He was a midcard comedy/feelgood act and there was no really good way to pay off ACTUALLY having a feud with HHH. It always should have been Regal if they wanted to go that route, people absolutely were willing to buy into it after Regal's famous promo.

[Mozenrath]

They'd foreshadowed it, back when WWE cared about a match more than a couple of weeks before it happened. When asked who his favorite wrestler was, Eugene said it was Triple H, "because I like to play games!"

[GuyOfOwnage]

This storyline also led to one of the best promos of Regal's career:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hImofL_MgWc

[Blade]

Mar 3, 2022 2:14:50 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

They'd foreshadowed it, back when WWE cared about a match more than a couple of weeks before it happened. When asked who his favorite wrestler was, Eugene said it was Triple H, "because I like to play games!"

Oh yes, that was great.

But Eugene wasn't really meant for a serious feud with HHH, nor for getting involved with world title matches or the world title scene in general.

[johnnyk9]

I thought it was tasteless

[fw91]

EUGENE! EUGEEENE!

[Feyrhausen]

Mar 3, 2022 2:14:50 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

They'd foreshadowed it, back when WWE cared about a match more than a couple of weeks before it happened. When asked who his favorite wrestler was, Eugene said it was Triple H, "because I like to play games!"

Even before that during Eugene and Regals training montage. Eugene had a Triple H water bottle.

[thegame415]

Mar 2, 2022 22:08:49 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

Mar 2, 2022 20:01:22 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

What did everyone think of this feud during the Summer of 2004?

It lead to a matchup with HHH and Eugene at summerslam which if I can remember correctly, HHH just buried him.

Did anyone like this feud?

Didn’t Eugene have the match won until there was a distraction (Flair or Regal?) which allowed HHH to win? It’s been years but I definitely recall it not being a clean win, much less a burial.

The bad look for him was that the crowd booed the hell out of him and cheered HHH. The same thing happened at the following Summerslam against Angle too. Angle destroyed him in what I think was supposed to make you feel bad for Eugene but the crowd hated him and wildly cheered Angle beating him up. It’s like fans enjoyed Eugene as a fun midcard act but wanted no part of him getting a main event push or high profile spots on the big shows.

I think the reason for the booing against HHH is it was in Canada, which WWE was calling “bizarro land” at the time because they often cheered heels and booed faces.

[sdoyle7798]

Mar 3, 2022 2:06:04 GMT -5 Blade said:

It shouldn't have worked, but Dinsmore and Regal were so good it did.

For a time, it was one of the most entertaining and over plots on the show.

But it was always a bad idea to try to put Eugene in a serious match against the world champion. He was a midcard comedy/feelgood act and there was no really good way to pay off ACTUALLY having a feud with HHH. It always should have been Regal if they wanted to go that route, people absolutely were willing to buy into it after Regal's famous promo.

"IT WAS ME, SUNSHINE!!!"

[Deleted]