WWE News: Triple H Says Former European Champion Came Up With Idea For D-Generation X
D-Generation X is one of the most popular factions in the history of WWE, and it’s always been synonymous with Triple H and “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. However, according to “The Game,” neither superstar came up with the name. As quoted by Fightful, the Hall of Famer recently sat down with Loudwire, where he explained the origins of the stable’s moniker.
“I believe the name came from Shane [McMahon]. The first time I ever heard it was from Shane. Bret [Hart] had said we were nothing but a bunch of degenerates, right? Like, we were just losers, a bunch of degenerates, but [Bret] had said this backstage. But Shane was saying to somebody these guys represent, like, they’re young and this is kids today, they’re like Generation X, man. They are that thing. He combined the two and he’s like ‘it’s like degenerates, But they’re generation X or D-Generation X.'”
Afterward, the superstars mentioned the name in a promo and the crowd responded positively. The rest is history, and now the stable members are all Hall of Fame inductees who still reunite from time to time on WWE television. However, it’s unsurprising to learn that a McMahon came up with the name, as they have always been in charge of WWE’s creative direction for superstars.
.@TripleH gave @ShawnMichaels a very interesting birthday gift on #RAW in 2002… pic.twitter.com/rQnkjORKpy
— WWE (@WWE) July 23, 2018
However, it’s also interesting to learn that Hart inadvertently contributed to the stable’s legacy. It’s well-known that he didn’t get along with Michaels and Triple H back in the day, and he even left the company because of the former’s involvement in the infamous “Montreal Screwjob” incident at Survivor Series 1997. Therefore, it’s possible that he was insulting the performers when he called them “degenerates.”
D-Generation X was founded in 1997. The original members were Triple H, Michaels, Chyna, and Rick Rude. However, after Rude left and Michaels was forced to take a hiatus for a couple of years, the stable added X-Pac, Billy Gunn, and Road Dogg, and they are just as linked with the faction’s legacy as its founders.
The group reformed sporadically during the 2000s with Triple H and Michaels. One of their most memorable runs happened in 2006 and 2007, when they teamed up for a comedic storyline that saw them feud with the McMahons.
Triple H and Michaels also reunited for one last match in 2018, where they faced off against the Brothers of Destruction — Kane and The Undertaker — at a Saudi Arabian Crown Jewel event. However, that match won’t go down in history as one of the best of their respective careers.
