The Power Trip

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name= Power Trip
type= T


caption=
members=Steve Austin
Triple H
Vince McMahon
with
Stephanie McMahon
former_members=
names= The McMahon Alliance The Two-Man Power Trip
The Power Trip
heights=Steve Austin:
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Triple H:
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
weights=
hometown=
debut=April 1, 2001
disbanded=July 22, 2001
promotions=WWE|

The Power Trip was a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation in 2001, consisting of Steve Austin, Triple H and Vince McMahon, usually accompanied by Stephanie McMahon.

Career

Formation

At "WrestleMania X-Seven", Stone Cold Steve Austin took on The Rock for the WWF Championship in a face vs. face match. During the match, Vince McMahon interfered, which eventually led to Austin barbarically dismantling The Rock with a steel chair to win the WWF Championship and in the process aligning himself with his long-time enemy.cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/power-trip.html|title=Power Trip Profile|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm17/mainevent/|title=Stone Cold vs. The Rock for the WWE Championship|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] The next night, there would be a rematch between the Rock and Stone Cold, this time in a Steel Cage match. Triple H would get involved in the picture when he demanded to know why Vince aligned himself with Austin. Vince arrogantly replied with "Austin was a winner at "WrestleMania"... you weren't"," which led Triple H to leave the arena in frustration.

Triple H entered the cage with his sledgehammer with the crowd believing that he would help The Rock. This was not the case, however; Triple H, along with Austin, attacked The Rock. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/010402.html|title=RAW results - April 2, 2001|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] Stone Cold showed a new, more vicious side to him as he would attack wrestlers like Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane), Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and even Lita with the steel chair. The two, whom did not christen themselves under any name, were named as The McMahon Alliance for a brief time before being officially known as The Two-Man Power Trip (or The Power Trip for short).

Gaining All of the Gold

At "Backlash 2001", the Two-Man Power Trip (as they were now called) defeated Brothers of Destruction (Undertaker and Kane) for the WWF Tag Team Championship, thus making them the "Golden Team" (Stone Cold also had the WWF Championship and Triple H also had the WWF Intercontinental Championship).cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/backlash/history/backlash2001/mainevent/|title=Stone Cold & Triple H def. Undertaker and Kane to become new World Tag Team Champions|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/30445413211111112|title=Two-Man Power Trip's first World Tag Team Championship reign|date=2001-04-29|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] They thus became the second team to ever hold all of the WWF's three primary titles (after Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash, who were WWF Champion and Intercontinental Champion, respectively, when they won the tag titles for one day on September 24, 1995). [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wweppv/inyourhouse3.html|title=In Your House 3 results|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=Online World of Wrestling]

At "Judgment Day 2001", Austin accidentally hit Triple H with a steel chair during his chain match with Kane, causing Triple H to lose his Intercontinental Championship. [cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/judgmentday/history/judgmentday2001/results/|title=Judgment Day 2001 official results|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] Triple H did not return the favor, however; instead, he helped Austin retain his title against the Undertaker.cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/judgmentday/history/judgmentday2001/mainevent/|title=Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Match for the WWE Championship|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE]

The End of the Power Trip

The next night on "RAW", the Two-Man Power Trip faced Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho with the tag titles on the line. In this match, Triple H suffered a legitimate and career-threatening injury when he misstepped, causing him to suffer a tear in his left quadriceps. Despite his inability to place any weight on his leg, Triple H was able to complete the match. Near the end of the match, Jericho tried to pin Austin, but Triple H got in the ring and tried to hit Jericho with the sledgehammer. Jericho avoided the blow and the sledgehammer instead hit Austin in the chest, a situation Jericho and Benoit took advantage of to win the match and the titles. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/010521.html|title=RAW results - May 21, 2001|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=Online World of Wrestling]

Austin and McMahon would continue this line. Austin would turn on Triple H, claiming that Triple H disrespected him and that he deserved to be on the shelf with his injury (before the Tag Team match, Triple H had spoken to Austin about teamwork, which Austin felt was disrespectful). Austin made no attempt to win back the tag titles himself, but he did interfere in a match between Benoit and Jericho against The Dudley Boyz, costing them their titles, [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/010621.html|title=SmackDown! results - June 21, 2001|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] before meeting them at the "2001 King Of The Ring". [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wweppv/kingofthering01.html|title=King of the Ring 2001 results|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=Online World of Wrestling]

Austin and McMahon's version of the Power Trip were given a comedic side to it, with Austin being a little too "attached" to McMahon by hugging him and buying him gifts. Kurt Angle also got involved, though he was not an official member of The Power Trip stable.

In July 2001, the Invasion storyline began, featuring WCW wrestlers "invading" WWF programming. The Power Trip, still nominally heels, teased a return to facedom, as in the face of the Invasion, both face and heel WWF wrestlers were seen as standing against the "true" bad guys, WCW. As the feud with WCW escalated, and as ECW entered the Invasion storyline as well, McMahon pleaded with Austin to bring back the "old Stone Cold," the one who was brutal and violent, as opposed to the "new Stone Cold," in order to lead the fight against WCW and ECW. Austin, however, was heartbroken, thinking that McMahon did not appreciate his friendship and left the arena. Several attempts to console Austin failed and Austin found himself in a bar drinking on his own while the WCW/ECW "Alliance" took over and overpowered WWF. Austin finally became angry and attacked Alliance members with a pool cue. Austin was perceived as a face, and The Power Trip combination of Kurt Angle and Steve Austin were not only established but also became a serious duo rather than comic relief. This changed however when Austin betrayed Kurt Angle and assisted The Alliance to win the Inaugural Brawl of WWF Invasion on July 22. Austin's betrayal of the WWF would lead to the return of The Rock and the end of the Power Trip.

Unofficial Reunion

On December 10, 2007 during the Raw 15th Anniversary Spectacular, the face gimmick of Power Trip had a reunion of sorts when a now-face, Austin gave Vince McMahon a Stone Cold Stunner for proclaiming himself "the greatest Raw superstar of all time." Shortly after, Austin called out all WWE stars in attendance to the ring to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Raw. The show closed as Austin and a now-face, Triple H poured beer on McMahon, who was knocked out of the ring.

Championships and accomplishments

*WWF Championship (1 time) - Steve Austin [cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/|title=WWE Championship official title history|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/3044541401111|title=Stone Cold Steve Austin's fifth WWE Championship reign|date=2001-04-01|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE]
*WWF Intercontinental Championship (2 times) - Triple H [cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/|title=WWE Intercontinental Championship official title history|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322656|title=Triple H's third Intercontinental Championship reign|date=2001-04-05|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm17/mainevent/|title=Triple H's fourth Intercontinental Championship reign|date=2001-04-16|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE]
*WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - Steve Austin & Triple H [cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/|title=World Tag Team Championship official title history|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=WWE] :Note: After winning the Tag Team titles, Triple H became the second Grand Slam Champion.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/power-trip.html Power Trip's OWW Profile]
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/stonecold/bio/ Stone Cold's WWE Profile]
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/tripleh/bio/ Triple H's WWE Profile]
* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/mrmcmahon/bio/ Mr. McMahon's WWE Profile]