D-Generation X is arguably the greatest faction in the history of professional wrestling and they finally got their moment of respect when they headlined the 2018 Hall Of Fame class, celebrating the incredible legacy and moments that they achieved.
Even though the group wouldn't have had the success it did without the other key members such as X-Pac, Chyna, and the New Age Outlaws, there was no doubt that Triple H and Shawn Michaels were the main members of the faction.
Whether it was their run as a tag team on their own or when they were part of DX with the rest of the group, Triple H and HBK were always the stars, and even though they both have had unbelievable careers, there is still an argument as to which man has been the most successful.
Within this article, we will rank five reasons why Shawn Michaels was the more successful member of the group, as well as five reasons why Triple H was.
10 Why It's Michaels: Accomplishments Outside Of WWE
Whilst a lot of people like to focus on the championships and accolades that WWE gives out, there are many prestigious awards to be won outside of the bubble that Vince McMahon has created.
ProWrestling Illustrated is often considered to be the standard bearer when it comes to all professional wrestling, with the company focusing on wrestling both in and out of WWE, which makes it impressive that HBK has so many honors with them.
Winning feud of the decade for 2000-2009 with Chris Jericho and match of the decade from the same time frame against Ric Flair are two major awards that he picked up, alongside winning the match of the year an impressive 11 times.
9 Why It's Triple H: Sports Hall Of Fame
Shawn Michaels isn't the only D-Generation X member to achieve some amazing honors outside of the WWE blanket, as he is the only member of the faction that has been inducted into the International Sports Hall Of Fame.
The Game is, without doubt, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and the fact he has been inducted into such a prestigious Hall Of Fame, that features athletes from a variety of sports is a real testament to his abilities.
Considering the fact that everyone always talks about HBK's in-ring ability and what he has given to the business, the fact Triple H has this is a really bragging point for him.
8 Why It's Michaels: Coast To Coast
Both Triple H and Shawn Michaels have won the coveted Royal Rumble match on two different occasions, and whilst that is impressive in its own right, Shawn Michaels certainly takes the victory in this achievement over his DX friend.
Even though The Game did a fantastic job in winning two Royal Rumble matches, HBK's unforgettable 1995 victory where he became the first man to go coast to coast in the match, entering at number one and out-lasting every other competitor, winning the Rumble.
Whilst other people have managed to achieve it since, HBK was the first man to do so, making it an incredible feat as nobody expected it was possible until he did it.
7 Why It's Triple H: He Has Been Doing It Longer
When thinking about Triple H and Shawn Michaels, it could be easy to think that it was HBK who had the longest career out of the two men, but when strictly talking about their WWE careers, it is actually Triple H who has been around longest.
With Michaels also taking a break due to his serious back injury that forced him to retire for several years, The Game has been at it far longer than the Heartbreak Kid and has accumulated far more miles on the body because of that.
Even though he doesn't wrestle full-time anymore, Triple H still isn't technically retired either, meaning he is still going to have more matches and that sort of service is certainly a major achievement.
6 Why It's Michaels: He Started The Crotch Chop
Whilst it isn't a major accolade or championship, the fact of the matter is that when people think about D-Generation X, one of the first things that spring to mind is the classic crotch chop that the group helped make so famous.
Even though D-Generation X would likely have still formed as a group regardless of the crotch chop, the fact that it was Shawn Michaels who actually used it first is a real feather in his cap.
The group often leaned upon the move in comedic segments and it was one of the reasons they all became as popular as they did, but Michaels was doing it months before the faction was even created.
5 Why It's Triple H: He Has Headlined More WrestleManias
Shawn Michaels might be known as "Mr. WrestleMania," but when you break it down it is actually Triple H who has been involved in the main event of WrestleMania more times between the two men.
HBK has headlined the PPV on five separate occasions, whereas Triple H has actually closed the show seven times, and hasn't technically retired yet, meaning there could possibly be an eighth on the way.
Even though an argument can be made about whose main event matches were actually better, you can't take away the fact that The Game has had the achievement more times, which is a very impressive statistic.
4 Why It's Michaels: He's A Two-Time Hall Of Famer
Whilst he shared the stage alongside his best friend, Triple H and the rest of D-Generation X at the 2019 Hall Of Fame ceremony, Shawn Michaels had already received that honor once before on merit of his own career.
HBK was inducted into the Hall Of Fame as a singles wrestler in 2011 as the main event name and was a more than worthy induction considering that he is highly regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
The fact that he has already been inducted as a singles wrestler is a major factor in him being more successful than Triple H, as this is one of the greatest achievements any wrestler can maintain.
3 Why It's Triple H: He Created NXT
Even though Shawn Michaels was eventually brought in as a coach at the WWE Performance Center (by Triple H), it was The Game who opened up the doors for some of the best wrestlers in the world to finally get their break in WWE.
Triple H creating NXT is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to the company and is clear proof that not only does he have an amazing mind for the business, but that he is more than capable of one day running the entire company.
NXT is one of the best weekly television shows for wrestling not just in WWE, but in the entire world, with a collection of brilliant talent, Triple H has changed the business for the better.
2 Why It's Michaels: His In-Ring Work
Whilst Triple H is certainly a solid, mechanical wrestler, when it comes to the pair of them there is no doubt that Shawn Michaels was always the better wrestler when it came to in-ring work.
There are very few wrestlers in history that even come close to HBK, which shows just how good he is, and that is one of the main reasons people think he is the most successful member of DX because his matches were always the best.
There's a reason why he was called Mr WrestleMania, and that is because he managed to make everybody look good, no matter how talented or green his opponent was, Michaels was simply the best.
1 Why It's Triple H: 14 World Titles
Even though Shawn Michaels was an excellent worker, putting on some of the best matches in wrestling history, when it comes to World Championship success, the battle between Triple H and HBK isn't even close.
Michaels might have been a better wrestler, but Triple H has held a World Championship 10 more times than Michaels throughout his career, with 14 different runs as champion compared to Michaels', four.
Even though some of Hunter's runs with the belt might have been short-lived, he has still managed to hold the title far more times than him, perhaps proving that he was more successful after all?