WrestleMania changes; controversial star as champion - 3 times Triple H gave fans what they wanted and 3 times he didn't after taking over WWE 

There have been several noticeable changes in WWE since Triple H took over as Head of Creative. It's been noted that he listens to fans more than previous management, but there are still times when his decisions aren't based on the audience.

The WWE product has gone through a lot under Triple H's leadership. Still, there will always be positive and negative things about the Stamford-based promotion, regardless of regime. Among the positives is how it was noted that he monitors fan reactions and takes into account the feedback to make decisions. However, there are still times when he looks the other way despite the response.

In this list, we will look at three times Triple H gave fans what they wanted and three times he didn't after taking over WWE.

#3. Gave what fans wanted: Introduced mid-card championships for the women's division

The WWE women's division has improved significantly throughout the years and is now filled with various names with different wrestling styles and characters. Due to the amount of talent, fans clamored for the company to introduce more championships for the division, which Triple H eventually provided.

The Women's United States Championship was introduced at the 2024 Saturday Night's Main Event show with Chelsea Green being crowned as its first champion. Earlier this year, the Women's Intercontinental Title was crowned to Lyra Valkyria. While there are still a lot of areas of improvement for their reigns and the division itself, it's good to see there are now more opportunities for women.

#3. Didn't give fans what they wanted: John Cena as the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble Winner

The 2025 Men's Royal Rumble was arguably one of the most stacked Rumbles in the history of the match. The 30-man match featured former World Champions like Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre, and surprise names like Joe Hendry and AJ Styles also appeared. Of course, there was also the heavy favorite to win, John Cena.

Many fans wanted the 16-time World Champion to win as it was his Farewell Tour, meaning it was his last Rumble before officially retiring and one of his last chances to headline WrestleMania. However, the honor of being the Rumble winner was given to Jey Uso instead, which received a lot of mixed reactions up to this day.

#2. Gave fans what they wanted: Cody Rhodes headlining WWE WrestleMania XL with Roman Reigns

The Road to WrestleMania XL garnered a lot of attention due to The Rock's return and supposed match with Roman Reigns at the event for the Undisputed Champion. However, fan outcry was so loud that The Game had no choice but to replace The Final Boss with Cody Rhodes.

The American Nightmare was that year's Royal Rumble winner, which caused a lot of fans to note that he should be the one to face The Tribal Chief at 'Mania. Despite plans already set for the Anoa'i cousins to face each other at last year's Show of Shows, it was agreed that the change was necessary.

#2. Didn't give fans what they wanted: Logan Paul becoming the WWE United States Champion

WWE has had some controversial stars throughout the years, and the biggest one at the moment is arguably Logan Paul. The Maverick always receives negative reactions anytime he walks out, but it's not just due to him playing a heel, it's also because a significant portion of the fans are not a fan of him at all.

Despite fans continuing to express their disdain over the YouTuber on social media, he is still continuously being put in high-profile feuds and even became the United States Champion by defeating fan-favorite Rey Mysterio.

He held the title for over 270 days and only defended the title three times. Fortunately, Triple H eventually listened to fans by crowning LA Knight the US Champion at last year's SummerSlam.

#1. Gave fans what they wanted: WWE held more international shows

One major change in the Stamford-based promotion under Triple H's rule is the frequency of international shows. While the company would previously hold shows in foreign countries for house shows, they have since hosted several Premium Live Events, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

The international crowd is more interactive and hyped when it comes to responding to superstars and chants, creating a much more enjoyable and exciting show.

It can also give foreign stars a chance to perform in front of their home country, the most recent being Axiom when SmackDown was held in Spain last week.

#1. Didn't listen to fans: John Cena has no new look or music after heel turn

One of the biggest wrestling news stories in recent weeks is how John Cena turned heel at Elimination Chamber 2025 after over two decades of being a babyface. Many fans expected him to have a different theme and wrestling gear but were let down on this week's RAW.

The Cenation Leader returned to the red brand this week still sporting the same jorts and merch, along with the same walkout song. Although he reasoned that he didn't change because fans didn't deserve anything, many were looking forward to the 16-time World Champion fully committing to his new character.

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