Triple H has options for his ‘right-hand man’ following retirement of WWE veteran name: recent comments may shed light on who could step up
Triple H has many options when it comes to the person he wants to replace a veteran as his ‘right-hand man’ behind the scenes in WWE. Since returning to WWE in 2018, Bruce Prichard has been an influential figure behind the scenes, with his current role being Executive Director – Creative Writing & Talent. Advertisement It was recently reported that Prichard is set to retire from his role after WrestleMania 43, though he will remain connected to WWE “on a consulting basis”. Recent comments from another veteran name have indicated a shake-up, but there are many other names who could step up: The most powerful of voices In 2020, PW Insider reported that Prichard was described as “the most powerful person in WWE right now other than a McMahon family member”. The past report noted that “everything flows through Prichard at the moment”, showing the sheer level of authority he had. Advertisement The veteran name has continued to be a powerful voice on the creative side of proceedings under Triple H’s tenure, being seen as the last remaining voice from the Vince McMahon era. “You know you’re not going to be around forever.” When it comes to leading creative voices in WWE history, Bruce Prichard no doubt features in that sphere along with the late Pat Patterson, himself an influential backstage figure. Speaking on a recent episode of What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, Michael Hayes revealed conversations with Triple H that have seen the Vice President, Creative Writing & Booking tasked with shaping a former star as his own replacement, saying: “I’ll tell you, Trips came up to me one day and he goes, ‘So, Michael, you know you’re not going to be around forever. You’re our Pat Patterson. I need you to make Bobby Roode, Michael.” Advertisement Roode transitioned into his producer role in August 2023, having undergone neck fusion surgery that would bring his in-ring career to an end, despite later being medically cleared for a return. If Bobby becomes Michael, who becomes Prichard? While Triple H may feel Hayes is “not going to be around forever”, that doesn’t necessarily mean retirement is on the cards for the 67-year-old. Prichard is currently only 63 years old and will likely have influence upon his retirement, even in a consulting capacity. There are many names that fly under the radar when it comes to WWE creative who could step up, with Alexandra Williams as Vice President and Lead Writer for Raw, while Ryan Ward serves as Vice President of Creative Writing and shares Lead Writer duties on SmackDown with John Swikata. Outside of this, there’s the likes of Shawn Michaels, Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative and currently overseeing NXT, a name that Triple H has a storied relationship with on both sides of the camera. Paul Heyman is a Creative Advisor as well as an on-screen talent, with the Hall of Famer revealing that he serves “at the pleasure of the Chief Content Officer” in his backstage capacity. Advertisement A controversial figure making a WWE return? Conrad Thompson recently reported that “the highly controversial Vince Russo was in talks to make a shocking return to WWE creative”, with those conversations taking place this past summer. As Thompson notes, Russo’s role as WWE head writer back in the late 90s turned the tide during the Monday Night Wars, with 1999 seeing the name quit and head to WCW in a lead creative capacity that would also see him as executive producer. While the conversations “died on the vine”, it’s arguably interesting that WWE would engage in such talks. The poisoned chalice Whoever steps into the creative vacuum left by Bruce Prichard will be adopting a seemingly thankless task, having to balance WWE creative, shareholders, talent and fan reaction. It’s perhaps less of a balancing act and much closer to juggling grenades, any of which could go off at any time. Advertisement Whether WWE chooses an internal candidate from the plethora of possibilities, recruits an external name or brings back a veteran voice into the fold remains to be seen. To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!
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