The extreme tension between Big Show and Triple H isn’t just about what’s “best for business.” It’s not simply about The World’s Largest Athlete knocking out the WWE COO with his massive fist. It’s not about Triple H buying Big Show’s mortgage and evicting the giant from his home.

No, the rivalry between these two legendary Superstars goes further back in WWE history than most people realize. These two titans of the ring have been clashing for nearly 15 years. Broken bones, World Championships and personal pride have all played a part in the bitter battles between The Game and Big Show.

With the latest chapter in this rivalry resulting in Triple H banning Big Show from WWE for life, WWE.com felt it was time to dig a little deeper to find out why these two Superstars can never get along.

Photos of the heated rivalry |  Watch the tension boil over

Survivor Series 1999: Big Show wins the WWE Title

In fall 1999, Big Show was going through a bit of a rough patch. Grieving over the loss of his father, The World’s Largest Athlete had to deal with the merciless mocking of The Big Boss Man. He got his retribution at Survivor Series, but it would pale in comparison to  the opportunity of a lifetime.

After “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was run over by a car, a spot opened in the WWE Championship Triple Threat Match. The opportunity went to Big Show, who took full advantage of the massive break.

The giant battered WWE Champion Triple H and The Rock all over Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena. All three competitors had to deal with the meddling of D-Generation X, who were trying to keep the title around The Game’s waist. Unfortunately, Mr. McMahon was dead set on having a new champion. The WWE Chairman clocked Triple H in the head with the title, giving Big Show an opening to hit his trademark chokeslam and win his first WWE Championship. Though the moment was huge for The World’s Largest Athlete, he had made a major enemy. 

Raw, Jan. 3, 2000: Triple H wins the WWE Title

Big Show vs. Triple H - WWE Championship Match: Raw, January 3, 2000.

Livid after losing the coveted WWE Championship to a Superstar he wasn’t prepared for, Triple H quickly sought to regain the title. The Game would not get an opportunity to do so until the first Raw of 2000. Wanting to kick off the new millennium in the right way, The Game kept his DX cohorts close by as he challenged Big Show for the title on Raw.

In a contest just as heated as their Survivor Series showdown, Triple H pulled out all the stops to regain the title. The two brawled to the floor and nearly destroyed the announce table.

In the end, though, the numbers game was too much to overcome. X-Pac distracted the official, which allowed The Game to hit Big Show below the belt and reclaim the WWE Title after a stunning Pedigree.

Raw, Dec. 26, 2005: Triple H breaks Big Show’s hand

Triple makes a statement during a contract signing between him and the Big Show.

The rivalry between Big Show and Triple H was at a boiling point at the end of 2005. Both men cost each other spots in a WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match at New Year’s Revolution 2006. The two agreed to settle the score between them, one-on-one at the January spectacular.

The Game sniped at Big Show, claiming he was “just a tall guy.” The jabs went back and forth between the two, until The Game poked the giant in the eye with the pen he used to sign their contract. Triple H then grabbed a hidden sledgehammer and viciously smashed Big Show’s hand with it.

Big Show returned to Raw one week later, his broken hand enclosed in a hard cast. Cleared for competition, he proceeded to demonstrate what kind of damage his cast could cause, denting a steel chair Triple H was defending himself with and destroying a ringside monitor. The Game had given Big Show a weapon more dangerous than anything he could find under the ring.

Watch Big Show's destructive return

WWE TLC 2009: DX defeats Jeri-Show for the WWE Tag Team Titles

With no ladders left to climb, Chris Jericho and Big Show get dangerously creative to try to retain the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship over D-Generation X at WWE TLC on December 13, 2009.

In 2009, Big Show and Chris Jericho were dominating WWE’s tag team division. After joining forces that July, the duo that came to be known as Jeri-Show was seemingly unstoppable. None of WWE’s top duos could crack the code and capture the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles.

That was, of course, until the reunited DX tandem of Triple H and Shawn Michaels came after them. When Big Show cost DX’s Team Raw the Bragging Rights trophy, The Game and HBK set out to embarrass the formidable duo.

The two teams collided in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match at the inaugural WWE TLC pay-per-view in 2009. Jeri-Show’s 14-day reign of tag team terror came to an abrupt halt, as DX clobbered Big Show with a ladder to capture their only World Tag Team Titles.  

Raw, Oct. 7, 2013: Big Show knocks Triple H out

After being fired earlier in the night by Stephanie McMahon, Big Show gets some retribution on The Authority by knocking out WWE COO Triple H.

The enduring rivalry between Big Show and Triple H has exploded once again. At the financial mercy of The Authority, The World’s Largest Athlete was forced to do their bidding, knocking out Daniel Bryan and Dusty Rhodes, among others. The Game and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, dangled the giant’s WWE contract and his terrible monetary situation over his head.

After weeks of being an unwilling mercenary, The World’s Largest Athlete finally had enough. Big Show coldcocked Randy Orton and Bryan at WWE Battleground, getting himself fired the next night on Raw. With nothing left to lose, the giant was determined to make Triple H’s life miserable.

Big Show got back into Raw and fought off a 3-on-1 attack by The Shield. Finally, these two longtime rivals were face-to-face. Frozen in fear, Triple H made no move against Big Show. The giant balled up his fist and decked the WWE COO, leaving him with a concussion. In response, Triple H banned The World’s Largest Athlete from WWE for life. Still, judging by their long history of past encounters, it doesn’t seem as though Big Show will quietly walk away from this.