[121] In February 2008, after months of "tough love" antics towards Hornswoggle, John "Bradshaw" Layfield revealed that Hornswoggle was not McMahon's son but Finlay's. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) boss Vince McMahon, who turned the firm from a regional player to global giant, says he will retire amid a flurry of misconduct claims. Sensing a public shift toward a more hardened and cynical fan base, McMahon redirected storylines towards a more adult-oriented model. [161] Other criticisms of McMahon include Arn Anderson and Bret Hart commenting that McMahon has minimized tag team wrestling,[162] while Assael also writes that "Steroids will always be a part of [his] legacy" because of his legal trial and the controversies that arose in the aftermath of Chris Benoit's death. As Sportskeeda and Pro Wrestling Stories report, he once even got in a physical fight with Kofi Kingston. "[151] Promoter and former WWF manager Jim Cornette called McMahon "the most successful promoter ever",[152] stating: "If you could cross a genius with P. T. Barnum and [Trump], you would get the love child that would be Vince McMahon. The 76-year-old McMahon said his daughter, Stephanie, and current WWE Nonprofit Quarterly noted the majority of the McMahons' donations were towards capital expenditures. Vince graduated from military school in Virginia, then got his bachelors degree at East Carolina University in 1968. [58] McMahon will serve as the executive chairman of TKO and oversee the new company's WWE and UFC divisions. Stephanie McMahon also returned to help her father, as he was attended to by WWE officials.[138][139]. After the contract signing on Raw, Trump pushed McMahon over the table in the ring onto his head after McMahon provoked Trump with several finger pokes to the shoulders. In February 2014, McMahon helped launch an over-the-top streaming service called the WWE Network. McMahon wanted to be a wrestler, but his father did not allow him, explaining that promoters did not appear on the show and should stay apart from their wrestlers.[21]. The next week, during the Trump is Raw show, McMahon bought the brand back from Trump. McMahon warned him that his lawsuit would result in him being fired, but McMahon has the cash to deal with that empty threat. [212], Chatterton and a separate tanning spa worker, who alleged that McMahon assaulted her in California in 2011, filed sexual abuse lawsuits against McMahon in December 2022. According to Wrestling Inc., he once hired the vampire-themed wrestler Gangrel for a single, short match at Madison Square Garden just because he wanted the wrestler's messy, blood-spitting entrance to soak Donald Trump, who was sitting in the front row. He is also the founder and owner of Alpha Entertainment, which he established in 2017 to oversee the 2020 revival of the XFL American football league. [21], McMahon eventually became the regular play-by-play commentator and maintained that role until November 1997, portraying himself originally as mild-mannered and diplomatic until 1984. [119] McMahon appeared the next night on ECW on Sci Fi in which after acknowledging that a tribute to Benoit had aired the previous night, he announced that there would be no further mention of Benoit due to the circumstances becoming apparent and that the ECW show would be dedicated to those that had been affected by the Benoit murders. [189] The McMahons have donated $5 million to Donald Trump's former charity, the Donald J. Trump Foundation. Orton then challenged McMahon to a match that night, in which Legacy assaulted him, and Orton also hitting him with the RKO. McMahon made his commentary debut in 1971 when he replaced Ray Morgan after Morgan had a pay dispute with McMahon's father, Vincent J. McMahon, shortly before a scheduled television taping. After Shane ran Raw for the rest of April, at Payback, McMahon announced Shane and Stephanie had joint control. [140] He also appeared at Survivor Series introducing The Undertaker to the ring during his retirement celebrations,[141] and in night 1 of WrestleMania 37 on April 10, 2021, to welcome the fans back in person at the Raymond James Stadium after a year of halting live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. after stepping down amid a board investigation", "WWE's McMahon says he is retiring amid misconduct probe", "Vince McMahon retires as WWE chief amid probes into alleged misconduct of pro wrestling boss", "WWE & Board of Directors announce new Co-CEOs Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan", "Vince McMahon back at WWE ahead of media rights negotiations", "WWE provides update regarding composition of its Board of Directors and exploration of strategic alternatives", "WWE agrees to merge with UFC to create a new company run by Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon", "Vince McMahon's Failed Attempt to Take over Bodybuilding", "@npquarterly | The Cohen Report | Linda McMahon's Nonprofit Non-Credentials", "Bringing back Slammy Awards a good, bad idea", "Shane McMahon def. He has insinuated that he had learning abilities or some form of attention deficit disorder, but since it wasn't discovered yet the adults usually just considered him a bad kid. On the December 18 episode of Raw Is War, McMahon faced Kurt Angle in a non-title match which was fought to no contest when Mick Foley interfered and attacked both men. McMahon returned once again to WWE television on the December 17, 2018, episode of Monday Night Raw, accompanied by his son Shane, daughter Stephanie McMahon, and his son-in-law Triple H, promising to shake things up as they admitted they weren't performing as well as they should have. Damian . The two, along with Triple H, allied. At the hotel, the situation devolved into complete anarchy: Everyone urinated on Flair's king-size bed, and McMahon started trying to wrestle his underlings for real. The feud culminated at Armageddon in 1999; McMahon faced Triple H in a No Holds Barred match which McMahon lost. Talking about his illness, although Vince probably doesnt have Cancer, he was diagnosed with dyslexia, and he reportedly struggled during his school days at Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia. [113] McMahon finally lost the ECW World Championship to Lashley at One Night Stand in a Street Fight despite interference by Shane and Umaga. Originally, McMahon was acting as he if he was helping out Mankind during the match. During his speech, Stone Cold Steve Austin entered the ring with five NYPD officers following and assaulted Hart. Dyslexia caused a lot of Kingston first didn't react, but Jericho (who was extremely drunk at the time) intervened and told his colleague to go back and confront McMahon because Vince McMahon likes people who stand up to him. For decades now, Vince McMahon has portrayed the "Mr. McMahon" character on WWE programming, giving wrestling fans some of the most ridiculous and memorable moments in the history of the promotion [206][207][208] McMahon stepped down as CEO and chairman of WWE, but continued to oversee content development. ( KTLA) World Wrestling Entertainment and Vince McMahon are being sued by a former writer over what she called offensively racist and stereotypical jargon in scripts. [82], Following the collapse of The Alliance, McMahon created the "Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club", also known as the "Mr. McMahon Kiss My Ass Club", which consisted of various WWE individuals being ordered to kiss his buttocks in the middle of the ring, usually with the threat of suspension or firing if they refused reverting to a heel. They were introduced by his mother. He returned shortly afterward, as the girl later stated that the rape accusations were lies. Sylvain Grenier, the referee, gave The Rock a chair, which he then hit Hogan with. In a statement put out to WWE performers after his retirement, McMahon said: "As I approach 77 years old, I feel its And then he'd turn around and do the same thing a month later. [citation needed], McMahon purchased long-time rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in March 2001 from AOL Time Warner and signed many wrestlers from the organization. [61] This wasn't until January 25, 2018, when he announced its resurrection. [64] In 2006, they paid $2.5 million for construction of a tennis facility in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. [133] With his plan foiled, McMahon retaliated by announcing after the match that Reigns would defend his title at the Royal Rumble against 29 other men in the Royal Rumble match,[134] which was won by Triple H.[135]. If Austin lost, he would be banned from wrestling for the WWF Championship again; if he won, Vince McMahon would be banned from appearing on WWF television. [89], McMahon asked his daughter Stephanie to resign as SmackDown! [34] McMahon later acquired the assets of ECW on January 28, 2003. He threw Austin through the side of the cage thus giving him the victory.[69][73]. On February 21, 1980, McMahon officially founded Titan Sports and the company's headquarters were established in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, using the now-defunct Cape Cod Coliseum as a home base for the company. [38] Shortly thereafter, the company transitioned into its Ruthless Aggression Era; McMahon officially referred to the new era as "Ruthless Aggression" on June 24, 2002. This led to the development of the annual event WrestleMania, which became one of the world's most successful professional wrestling events. Vince McMahon is an American media proprietor and former wrestling promoter who was born on August 24th, 1945 in Pinehurst, North Carolina in the United States of America. According to the New York Times, Linda McMahon says her husband is in fact a sweetheart, a total pushover, and a "marshmallow." [41] McMahon also stated that the move to PG cut the "excess" of the Attitude Era and "ushered in a new era of refined and compelling storytelling". The man even has a Guinness World Record to his name (for being the oldest WWE champion in history, naturally). Batista 2014. McMahon said in a In addition to pro wrestling and hockey, they began selling out rock concerts (including Van Halen and Rush) in non-summer months, traditionally considered unprofitable due to lack of tourists. McMahon returned on the November 3, 2014, episode of Raw, making a stipulation that if Team Cena had defeated Team Authority at Survivor Series, The Authority would be removed from power. On March 12, McMahon made an appearance in a backstage segment with Roman Reigns, announcing that Reigns would be suspended for his recent actions. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is being investigated by WWEs Board of Directors stemming from an alleged hush pact in the form of a $3 million settlement from McMahon to an ex-employee. [78] This began the McMahon-Helmsley Era. At no time was Vince McMahon or the management of WWE ever informed by Ashley Massaro or anybody else that she had been sexually assaulted, drugged, raped or sodomized by a military doctor with a nurse standing guard while on a goodwill tour in 2007 to U.S. military bases in Kuwait. On the June 15 Raw, McMahon announced that he had sold the Raw brand to businessman Donald Trump. As a result, the WWF suddenly found itself back in national pop-culture, drawing millions of viewers for its weekly Monday Night Raw broadcasts, which ranked among the highest-rated shows on cable television. It wasn't until his biological father came back into the picture that he took the name McMahon. Let's take a look at the untold truth of Vince McMahon. His executive role was not publicized to maintain the illusion of wrestling's staged story lines, or kayfabe. By directing his storylines toward highly publicized supercards, McMahon capitalized on a fledgling revenue stream by promoting these events live on pay-per-view television. Austin and Triple H held all three major WWF titles at the same time. Hair match. On the June 7 episode of Raw Is War, McMahon was revealed as the "Higher Power" behind the Corporate Ministry. [citation needed]. McMahon, along with his son Shane, then disappeared from WWF television, unable to accept the union between Triple H and Stephanie. McMahon was then restrained from retaliating by Trump's bodyguards and Bobby Lashley, Trump's representative. Career Vince McMahon followed the footsteps of his father in the wrestling industry. However, procedural errors severely undermined the case, as did allegations that star witness Kevin "Nailz" Wacholz nursed a personal vendetta against McMahon. [157] Although Hammond praised McMahon for his successes from the 1980s through the 2000s, he wrote that, "from seemingly listening to the fans and pushing the talent that got the biggest reaction to just listening to himself, McMahon has therefore taken many wrong turns in recent years". At SummerSlam in 2006, the McMahons lost to DX in a tag team match despite interference by Umaga, Big Show, Finlay, Mr. Kennedy, and William Regal. [35], In September 2020, professional wrestling promoter, WWE Hall of Famer, and former WCW president Eric Bischoff revealed that during this period of the Monday Night Wars in television ratings battles between WWE and WCW "Vince was petitioning a lot for Ted. Vince McMahon Reportedly Settles With Former WWE Referee Over Rape Allegations A former WWE referee alleges McMahon raped her in a limousine in 1986, [23] The younger McMahon was also behind the Muhammad Ali versus Antonio Inoki match of 1976. In 2019, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver pointed out some glaring problems with the way McMahon and the WWE do business. McMahon turned on Mankind after a screwjob, as The Rock had caught Mankind in the Sharpshooter. In an interview with Back Sports Page, Jonathan "Coach" Coachman recalls the most elaborate jest the chairman ever pulled on him. [185] In 2015, McMahon returned to the list with an estimated worth of $1.2 billion. WWE then faced industry competition from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s before purchasing and absorbing WCW in 2001. On SmackDown 1000 McMahon returned as face once again after dancing on TruthTV. At King of the Ring, McMahon, Shane, and WWF Champion Triple H took on The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) and The Rock in a six-man tag team match for the WWF Championship. It's a lot easier to bitch at somebody and knock them as Mr. McMahon than understand the human being that is Vince McMahon. The superstars themselves seem to know this, too: WWE legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper once said in an interview that he wouldn't live long enough to collect his WWE pension. McMahon announced that the four of them would now run both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live collectively. McMahon retired in 1966 when the U.S. was getting involved in the Vietnam War. He is the executive chairman of WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling company, having previously served as its chairman, CEO and controlling shareholder for 40 years. [citation needed], At King of the Ring, Vince and Shane defeated Austin in a handicap ladder match to regain control of the WWF. [185] In 2018, his net worth reached $3.6 billion. [22] In 1971, he was assigned to a small territory in Maine, where he promoted his first card. Cena defeated Big Show in a steel cage match, and McMahon fired Laurinaitis. [156] Cornette stated that older wrestlers dislike him for "breaking the code" by acknowledging that wrestling is predetermined, that fans who only watched during the Attitude Era will remember him well and that he will be criticized by modern fans for being "an old man [that presides] over a bland, boring product". As such, according to the Department of Defense, McMahon served during three wars. During the WrestleMania XIV main event during which Mike Tyson turned on Shawn Michaels and assisted Austin in becoming WWF Champion. [17] McMahon was raised under the name Vinnie Lupton and spent the majority of his childhood living with his mother and various stepfathers. WWE CEO Vince McMahon and Paul "Triple H" Levesque speak to Army Command Sgt. We'll find out tonight", "VINCE MCMAHON STEPS BACK AS WWE CEO & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, STEPHANIE MCMAHON RETURNS TO COMPANY", "Vince McMahon Steps Down as Head of W.W.E. [63], McMahon and Edwards donated over $8 million in 2008, giving grants to the Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University. Slaughter and commentators such as Jim Ross and McMahon himself. He began expanding the company nationally by promoting in areas outside of the company's Northeast U.S. stomping grounds and by signing talent from other companies, such as the American Wrestling Association (AWA). [196][197][198][199], On April 3, 1992, Rita Chatterton, a former referee noted for her stint as Rita Marie in the WWF in the 1980s and for being the first female referee in the WWF (possibly in professional wrestling history),[200] made an appearance on Geraldo Rivera's show Now It Can Be Told. [110] As a result, McMahon's hair was shaved bald by Trump and Lashley with the help of Steve Austin, who was the special guest referee of the "Battle of the Billionaires" match. He will continue as chairman and CEO of WWE. He points out the history of the WWE's shady business dealings and ties with less than savory institutions such as the Saudi government. ", "MATS ENTERTAINMENT! On the June 29 Raw, McMahon announced that every week, a celebrity guest host would control Raw for the night. [43] The move into the PG Era made the promotion more appealing to corporate sponsors. The older McMahon made a good impression, but there was another, cooler childhood hero young McMahon found in the squared circle. WebVincent James McMahon (July 6, 1914 May 24, 1984), sometimes referred to as Vince McMahon Sr., was an American professional wrestling promoter. In the 1970s, McMahon became prominent force in his father's company and, over the next decade, assisted his father in tripling TV syndication. Forever. Together." Austin defeated the Undertaker with help from Kane. Vince McMahon might not seem like a prankster, but he loves an elaborate practical joke. [158], Jon Moxley, who wrestled for WWE as Dean Ambrose, left WWE in favor of then-upstart AEW because of WWE's creative process in 2019 and singled out McMahon for being the problem. [111][112] At Judgment Day, McMahon defended his ECW World Championship against Lashley again in a 3-on-1 handicap match. In 1987, the WWF reportedly drew 93,173 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome (which was called the "biggest crowd in sports-entertainment history") for WrestleMania III, which featured the main event of Hulk Hogan vs. Andr the Giant. McMahon ordered the WWF Championship to be defended in a 14-man tournament named Deadly Games at Survivor Series in 1998. He says he aims to keep the games at a more manageable two-hour length and will not allow players with criminal records to compete. In December 1997 on Raw Is War, the night after D-Generation X: In Your House, McMahon talked about the behavior and attitude of Stone Cold Steve Austin, such as Austin having assaulted WWF Commissioner Sgt. The June 25 Raw was scheduled to be a three-hour memorial. McMahon plans to use $100 million of his own money to finance the spring league, which is set to kick off in 2020 with eight teams that he will also own. During the match, Austin defeated the Undertaker once again to become the WWF Champion. [30], McMahon, who, for years, had downplayed his ownership of the company and was mostly known as a commentator, became involved in WWF storylines as the evil Mr. McMahon, who began a legendary feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, who challenged his authority. There he found that professional Outside of wrestling, he joint-owned and operated the XFL American football league twice; both the 2001 and 2020 iterations folded after a single season. To add insult to injury, he was wearing light khaki pants at the time. Later, he locked her in a tanning room with him, groped her, and attempted to kiss her. Vince McMahon revealed that military school was expensive and his mother couldnt afford the fees. To add to the eerily normal "happy old couple" vibe of that last sentence, Vince and Linda McMahon even met at church when he was 16 and she was 13. This was a homage to the "Montreal Screwjob" that occurred one year earlier. He also urged the WWE roster to stand together during what he described as a "turbulent time". [174][175], In February 2001, Playboy published an interview with McMahon and his son Shane. This match stipulated that whoever made the scoring pinfall would become the WWF Champion. Motley Fool producer Ricky Mulvey caught up with Riesman to discuss: Vince McMahon's early life as a "pretty nice kid," and the parts of his story he doesn't want wrestling fans to know. At Breakdown, he lost the title after he was pinned simultaneously by Undertaker and Kane, neither of whom became champion. Vince McMahon, Chairman & CEO of WWE, Inc., is a third generation promoter who has made WWE into the global phenomenon it is today. McMahon returned on the December 14, 2015, episode of Raw, aligning himself with The Authority, by confronting Roman Reigns over his attack on Triple H at the TLC pay-per-view. In 2014, he launched the WWE Network, a subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. A match was then booked between the two at WrestleMania XXVI, which saw Hart defeat McMahon in a No Holds Barred Lumberjack match. Despite his compromised wardrobe situation and the snickering of the production crew around him, Vince McMahon decided to maintain composure and go on with the show. [114], On June 11, 2007, WWE aired a segment at the end of Raw that featured McMahon entering a limousine moments before it exploded. At that point, McMahon became interested in following his father's professional wrestling footsteps and often accompanied him on trips to Madison Square Garden. WebVince Senior had not come back into his life. [146] According to composer Jim Johnston, the idea behind his theme song, "No Chance in Hell", was "He's got the power, the money, and , he was pretty much the only game in town. So Sr probably just had an issue with famous people making his promotion look fake. Shawn Michaels & "God", "Opinion | The Best Way to Explain the G.O.P. He held a presentation ceremony and introduced The Undertaker and Kane. Afterward, Stephanie turned on him, revealing her true colors. However, if you ask his wife, you might get a slightly different story. Vince McMahon has a reputation as a control freak there's a persistent story that he hates sneezing because he can't control it. McMahon was pinned by The Rock. Vince McMahon can be surprisingly candid when he talks about his troubled early years. Some unconfirmed news reports at the time said the state attorney's office refused to charge McMahon because the evidence was insufficient, and the case seems to be thoroughly closed as far as the law is concerned. When Michaels' former Rockers tag team partner Marty Jannetty came to the rescue of Michaels, he was forced to join McMahon's "Kiss My Ass Club". However, this all went nowhere. [104] At Unforgiven, the McMahons teamed up with The Big Show in a Hell in a Cell match to take on DX. According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, McMahon used a shady Pennsylvania-based urologist named Dr. George Zahorian to write a steady stream of recipes for his performers' enhancements. He first met her when she was 13 and he was 16, and got married a This left Triple H and Stephanie in complete control of the WWF.[76]. Occupation Professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor, professional wrestler Family The first time she was kidnapped, she was found by Ken Shamrock on behalf of McMahon in a basement of the stadium. Hogan hit The Rock with a running leg drop and went for the pin, but the lights went out. Damian . [185] On May 16, 2014, McMahon's worth dropped to an estimated $750 million after his WWE stock fell $350 million due to a price drop following disappointing business outcomes. Shawn, don't make me screw you". As a commentator, McMahon was a babyface "voice of the fans", a contrast to the heel color commentator, usually Jesse Ventura, Bobby Heenan or Jerry Lawler. He said he talked to his father and his father took care of it. On January 6, WWE published a filing with the SEC, appoint Vince McMahon by himself, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson back to the WWE Board of Directors. On March 31, 1985, he ran the first WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden, available on closed circuit television in various markets throughout the United States. One particular powerlifter turned informant, and the good doctor was kind enough to implicate the WWF in their discussions. In 2016, WWE.com reported that McMahon had sustained a training injury so severe that it required surgery. Despite interference from the Spirit Squad and Shane, McMahon was unable to beat Michaels. First, they walked Coachman to McMahon's office to let the chairman know what his employee was up to. Learn the true story of Vince! WebVincent James McMahon (July 6, 1914 May 24, 1984), sometimes referred to as Vince McMahon Sr., was an American professional wrestling promoter. McMahon suspended Punk but reinstated him at the behest of Punk's Money in the Bank opponent, WWE Champion John Cena. Vince McMahon, the former WWE chief executive, is retiring from the company, he said in a statement on Friday. McMahon, who still also fronted as the WWF's squeaky clean babyface announcer, created The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection by incorporating pop music stars into wrestling storylines. [85], On the February 13, 2003 SmackDown!, McMahon tried to derail the return of Hulk Hogan after a five-month hiatus but was knocked out by Hogan and received a running leg drop. Vince McMahon was the person who changed the wrestling business forever. According to Jim Cornette, the power walk was inspired by one of McMahon's favorite wrestlers as a child, Dr. Jerry Graham. At Fully Loaded, Austin was again scheduled for a first blood match against The Undertaker. At Money in the Bank, McMahon and Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis interfered on Cena's behalf but Punk was ultimately successful and walked out of the company with the championship. ", "WWE's Vince McMahon Settles With Ex-Wrestling Referee Who Accused Him of Rape", "WWE discloses another $5 million in McMahon payments, delays earnings report", "WWE's Vince McMahon Faces Fresh Demands From Women Alleging Sexual Abuse", "Lawler, McMahon, Road Warriors among PWHF Class of 2011", "Wrestling Information Archive Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Feud of the Year", "Wrestling Information Archive Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Match of the Year", "ECW Championship official title history", "WWE Championship official title history", "411MANIA Vince McMahon Will Be Inducted Into The Boys & Girls Clubs of America 25th Annual Hall of Fame", "Oldest person to win the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship", "Vince McMahon gets a star on Walk of Fame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vince_McMahon&oldid=1150981350, Businesspeople from Greenwich, Connecticut, ECW Heavyweight Champions/ECW World Heavyweight Champions, Professional wrestlers billed from Connecticut, Professional wrestlers from North Carolina, The Authority (professional wrestling) members, Wrestling Observer Newsletter award winners, Articles with dead external links from April 2023, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Portal-inline template with redlinked portals, Pro Wrestling articles written in Kayfabe, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Articles with failed verification from June 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, businessman, media proprietor and professional wrestling executive, Billed as the "Battle of the Billionaires", Best Non-wrestling Performer of the Decade (2010), Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (2022), This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 05:38.

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