Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque believes charisma remains the single most important trait in professional wrestling—outweighing even in-ring ability when it comes to creating true stars.
The longtime WWE executive shared his perspective during an appearance on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike, weighing in on a debate that has long divided fans: whether it’s better to be elite in the ring or elite on the microphone.
When asked if he would prefer a wrestler who is an A+ in-ring performer but a C on the mic, or the opposite, Levesque made his stance clear.
“I’ll go on the mic. The thing about our business, when people ask me what’s key in our business, the king is charisma. It always is, it always will be. It’s not a knock on anybody, but as you go through the years, you can make a list of the biggest stars, the people that transcended the business in the biggest way, the biggest stars. Sometimes they weren’t the most athletic. Sometimes they weren’t the best wrestlers. They weren’t the best technically skilled wrestlers, but they captivated people’s emotions. It’s what they did. John Cena captivated people’s emotions. Hulk Hogan captivated emotions. Hulk Hogan wasn’t the most athletic by far of his generation, but [he] was the biggest star by far of his generation because he had charisma. It is the biggest thing that you can have.”
While emphasizing charisma as the foundation of stardom, Levesque was careful to note that in-ring ability still plays a critical role—especially in today’s wrestling landscape.
“I think that you see it in other sports as well. I think that sometimes charisma can carry people to unbelievable moments in their careers, and it makes them bigger stars all the way around. So that’s king in our business. Look, I’m not going to say that in-ring skill doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters, especially in today. You have to be able to deliver in that ring, but you’ve got to be able to get them to tune in first.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Levesque was asked to name a wrestling storyline he did not create but wishes he had. Without hesitation, he pointed to one of the most iconic rivalries in wrestling history: **Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon.
Levesque admitted he’s not sure whether he could have elevated the angle beyond what it already became, but said he would have welcomed the challenge of trying.
His comments offer a revealing look into how WWE’s current creative leadership evaluates star power—placing emotional connection and audience engagement at the very top of the hierarchy, with athletic performance serving as a crucial, but secondary, pillar.
