Donald Trump has been taking on rival CEOs long before his raucous election run.
In 2007, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) staged a storyline between now President-elect Donald Trump and Chairman Vince McMahon.
At Wrestlemania 23, WWE superstar Bobby Lashley sided with Trump and defeated Umaga, who was in McMahon's corner. The loser had to have their head shaved off, resulting in McMahon going bald.
Fast forward nine years Trump is still linked to the WWE. Last week, Trump picked WWE co-founder Linda McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration.
Could this pave the way for round two of Trump versus McMahon in the so-called "Battle of the Billionaires"? Paul Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, didn't flat out deny, but didn't give much in the way of confirmation either.
"Wouldn't that be something, see who gets their head shaved," Triple H told CNBC in a TV interview when asked if Trump would return to the WWE for a match against McMahon.
The 14-time WWE champion did however say that he is proud of Linda McMahon being chosen by Trump and said that like other companies, the wrestling franchise is waiting to see what the new administration means for its business.
"We'll be waiting with the rest of the world to see what a Trump presidency means for everybody … We're honored as a family that Linda has been asked to be in that position … I think she'll do a phenomenal job. People forget that WWE started out as a tiny little company in the north east of the U.S. and has grown to a global brand, she knows a little something about small business creation," Triple H said.
"We've done a lot with Donald Trump over the years. He's been a great supporter of WWE he's been a great friend to us. We've had events at his building, he's been a participant at Wrestlemania … it's great to see him have the success he is having."
Focus on localized content
The WWE was in London to launch a new tournament where 16 wrestlers from the U.K. will fight on January 14 and 15, 2017, to be crowned the first ever U.K. Champion. The idea is to find the next breed of superstars, but it also marks the first foray for the WWE into localized content.
"I think it's important for us especially in a place like here we've had 30 years of really priming the market and building a brand here that people are really excited about … And this is an opportunity to come here and not only give them the WWE that they come to expect but also to give them localized content that super serves that fan base and makes them passionate about the people that are kind of coming from here and gives them the pride of their country and how those people do," Triple H.
The program will be available on the WWE Network, a $9.99 per month subscription service that hosts all of WWE's old content, live shows, and online-only programs. Triple H said the service now has 1.5 million subscribers and is the "second biggest revenue generator" for the company.
Triple H hinted also that there are other markets where localized content would make sense without naming specific places.
When asked if the WWE would consider expanding their content to be hosted on platforms like Netflix, the former WWE champion said the company's service is better.
"I think we're like Netflix but a little bit better. For your subscription you're getting live content, you're getting special events, but you're also getting the shows," Triple H said.
Return to ring?
Rumors have been rife across a number of wrestling blogs that Triple H - also known as "The Game" - could make a return to the ring. He currently is focused on the business-side of WWE.
But speculation that Triple H could return at WWE pay-per-view "Roadblock" on Sunday, has continued. The wrestling star did not rule out a comeback.
"I'm getting at a point where I get busier and busier everyday in my career outside of the ring. The lure of getting in the ring is very strong, any time I think for anybody who's ever done this, you have the opportunity to step in front of fans and perform. It's hard to say no. If I'm asked I'll be ready," Triple H said.