Triple H Tweeting After WWE TLC Latest Example Social Media Is Killing Kayfabe

Triple H took quite the beating at WWE's TLC event on Sunday, December 13.  That beating came at the hands of Roman Reigns, following his loss to Sheamus in the main event.  Reigns was beyond frustrated at the three-on-one attack he suffered that led to his loss, and he took that frustration out on The Game.

But while the spot got Reigns over like fans have not seen in quite some time, the impact of seeing Triple H laid out was lessened the very next day.  The Cerebral Assassin reappeared on Twitter and proved once again that social media is killing kayfabe.

Why do this?  Why tweet at all?  Was it really necessary to do it?  Couldn't the tweets have waited until Tuesday?  To believe that a man could take a mauling the way Hunter did, only to be back on his phone the next day as if everything was fine, is to believe that the mauling meant nothing.

That wasn't the case at TLC, of course.  TLC was a prime example of how much Triple H can do for a guy when the situation calls for it.  

Hunter bumped for Reigns, he sold for him and he made him look like a million bucks.  Roman went from getting a lukewarm house in terms of reaction to the crowd chanting "Thank you, Roman."  Triple H is the only heel that could have put Reigns over like this, and this effort meant more for the former Shield strongman than anything that could have been done by the company.

But for any fan paying attention the next day on Twitter, it suddenly meant nothing.

Triple H was once a full-time wrestler, and he is still in fantastic shape, but if WWE cared anything about kayfabe, he would have kept a low profile on Monday.  Appearing to still be hurt when he was likely just fine would have fed into the notion that Reigns did indeed put him on the shelf.

This seemingly small event is a big sign of a bigger problem; kayfabe is dying in WWE, and it has been for quite a while.

WWE's fictional storyline is the glue that should hold the company together, but it just doesn't anymore. Instead of giving fans stories they can lose themselves in and feel connected to, the company would rather keep reminding everyone of its sports entertainment status.

Matches are not true, legitimate competitions, and the guys working those matches are actors who immediately leave their roles behind when the program goes off the air.  This is what WWE apparently believes as a company, and it might as well be advertised on the marquee next to the Monday Night Raw logo.

credit: wwe.com

Pro wrestling etiquette says a talent should live and breathe his character all the time. Unless he is at home behind closed doors, he should consider himself on the job.  It's the best way for him to convince everyone around him that he is who he says he is.

This should include any form of social media, especially when it can be viewed by fans all over the world. If two Superstars hate each other on TV, they should not be friendly on Facebook.  If a Superstar is heel, maybe posting sentimental Instagram pics of family is not the best idea.

If Triple H takes a beating the likes of which fans have not seen since Brock Lesnar took him down, then maybe he shouldn't be active on Twitter the next day.

It may not seem important, and it may not seem big, but to fans that are sick of WWE not playing by the rules it once did, it's massive.  WWE is unlike any other entertainment entity in existence because the players involved live and die by how much the fans believe in them.  

Fans don't want to see Roman Reigns the loving father; they want to see him as the edgy and violent brawler that beat Sheamus for the championship on Raw.  Reigns had his back against the wall in a must-win situation, and he did just that.  The Philadelphia crowd popped for him, finally giving him the response that WWE surely wanted for him this whole time.

Had kayfabe constantly been in play and Reigns' character featured more than his life off-camera, perhaps he would have gotten over long before now.

WWE may have pulled it out with this one, but Triple H's work at TLC was nearly for nothing, and it would have been his fault.  If the man in charge cannot stay on board and believe in what he's doing, how can any fan possibly believe in him or his company at all?

There can be no suspension of disbelief if fans are always reminded it's not real in the first place, and WWE would be well-served to remember that.

Tom's work can regularly be found on Bleacher Report, and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here