There are few things in this world more precious to Randy Orton than the WWE Championship. Unfortunately for the reigning champion, he’s hardly the only one who harbors such affinity for WWE’s most prized possession.

Triple H, his opponent at The Bash, has also been known to pine for the cherished gold – and to stop at nothing to obtain it.

The WWE Universe witnessed these warriors' determination vividly during the brief tenure of Donald Trump as the owner of Raw. The billionaire businessman arranged a Last Man Standing Match just a week before The Bash. After a particularly personal battle, each man was counted out for a draw when Triple H pressed Orton to the parking lot of Green Bay's Resch Center, where he proceeded to punish the WWE Champion. If The Game has his way, the punishment will hardly end there.

After Mr. McMahon bought Raw back from Trump (at twice the price), the enraged Chairman arranged for the WWE Title to be contested in a match that WWE hasn't seen in nearly seven years: A Three Stages of Hell Match. It is a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, in which the first match will be a straight-forward wrestling match, the second a Falls Count Anywhere Match and the third, if necessary, will be a Stretcher Match.

The WWE Champion and his opponent share a long and tumultuous history that spans nearly a decade. Most recently, their animosity reached tragic proportions when Orton and his Legacy henchmen Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase began systematically targeting the McMahon family, including Triple H’s wife, Stephanie.

After decimating the most storied family in the history of the squared-circle, the WWE Champion snuffed out their last shining light when he punted the skull of The Game at Backlash. In the wake of the devastating kick, Triple H wasn’t seen or heard from for weeks. That is, until the WWE Universe witnessed the return of The King of Kings to Monday Night Raw.

Prior to Triple H’s return, however, Orton and The Legacy attacked the then-WWE Champion Batista before a scheduled title match, sending The Animal from the arena on a stretcher. As The Viper waited to be ordained the WWE Champion, The Game crashed the coronation. Exacting a long-awaited vengeance, an enraged Triple H plowed through Rhodes & DiBiase en route to the man who attacked his family and put him on the shelf – obliterating his nemesis with a Pedigree onto a steel chair.

With Batista injured and the WWE Title up for grabs, a Fatal Four Way Match commenced the following week to determine who would reign. Animosity hung thick in the air as Orton, Triple H, John Cena and Big Show all collided for the honor. It was The Viper, however, who would emerge victorious among the wreckage.

And now, Orton must defend his title against the man who has vowed to extract every bit of flesh he feels he’s owed in a match that offers plenty of opportunity for just that. Can Orton possibly evade the wrath that awaits him in a Three Stages of Hell Match to retain the title? Or will Triple H be able to overcome The Viper and his network of annihilation, The Legacy?

To find out, tune into all the action live on pay-per-view Sunday at 8 ET/5 CT.