Who will the Cerebral COO target?

As an in-ring competitor, Triple H had earned the moniker “The Cerebral Assassin” by playing mind games with his enemies and holding grudges on his way to the pinnacle of WWE. As WWE’s Chief Operating Officer, however, several individuals may have put themselves in Triple H’s crosshairs after speaking on behalf of fellow Superstars and personnel during the walkout on Raw.

Christian, Wade Barrett, WWE official Mike Chioda, Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler may have made themselves potential targets of The Game’s wrath simply by speaking on behalf of their fellow Superstars.

Triple H’s recent history with CM Punk could be considered a prime example. The Voice of the Voiceless picked up a microphone and used it as his personal pipe bomb in the weeks prior to and following SummerSlam, until WWE’s COO, fed up with Punk’s goading on, stepped back in the ring to personally take care of business against The Second City Savior.

Of course, such conjecture won’t have any meaning until there a resolution is reached with those who walked out. Furthermore, Triple H may not get back in the ring to deal with those who spoke out during his vote of confidence on Raw SuperShow, However, as COO, he can deny them opportunities, and prevent the Superstars and Divas from reaching their goals within the squared circle.

One of the easiest ways WWE’s COO can make Christian’s life hell is to forever deny him “one more match.” Or worse - The Game could torture Christian further by ordering him into a variety of non-title matches with World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry, with each contest featuring special stipulations, such as a Last Man Standing Match or a Falls Count Anywhere Match.

Making WWE referee Mike Chioda’s life miserable would be simple for The King of Kings. Chioda protested the COO’s control of Raw SuperShow on the grounds that he and his fellow officials were put in danger during the recent attacks by The Miz & R-Truth. Should he choose to do so, Triple H could conceivably force Chioda to officiate the most brutal matches with some of the most dangerous Superstars in WWE. If Chioda is stuck calling a match inside the confines of a steel cage, the risks of something adverse happening to a WWE official in such matches are increased while The Cerebral Assassin minimizes his own liability.

It’s rather obvious that Triple H would not step inside the ring with Divas Champion Beth Phoenix. However, The Game can easily let Eve and the enraged Kelly Kelly loose on The Glamazon, perhaps in a Handicap Match with Natalya banned from ringside, at any time. A tirade by the blonde bombshell emphatically put the Divas Champion on notice last Monday night, (WATCH), and if Kelly were to receive the blessing of WWE’s COO to go after Beth at any time, that would certainly have the pin-up strong Diva looking over her shoulder.

Triple H made an interesting point when responding to Wade Barrett’s remarks about the lack of control on Raw SuperShow. The Game was quick to point out that The Bareknuckle Brawler made his impact in WWE a year ago by leading The Nexus onto Raw, and attacking John Cena and CM Punk before destroying the set. Although Barrett is indeed one of WWE’s fastest-rising Superstars, The Cerebral Assassin has the ability to stop the heat-seeking Barrett in his tracks and ensure the former Intercontinental Champion never sees another main event. Even more, The Game could send the WWE NXT Season One winner right back to being an NXT Rookie.

That leaves WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler for Triple H to deal with. Lawler is a legendary competitor and has been a commentator in WWE since 1992. Taking away the very thing “The King” loves to do would certainly strike a chord. However, as WWE COO, Triple H’s most effective way to make an example of Lawler would be to destroy his legacy. And what better way to do that than to remove him from the WWE Hall of Fame?