Vince McMahon
Born	(1945-08-24) August 24, 1945 (age 78) Pinehurst, North Carolina
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Vince McMahon Mr. McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon Dr. McMahon
Billed from	Greenwich, Connecticut

Dr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon better known as Vince McMahon or Mr. McMahon/Dr. McMahon1 (born August 24, 1945) is an American wrestling promoter, wrestler, and film producer. He is the Chairman of the WWE Board of Directors and majority shareholder of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE). He currently primarily appears on the RAW and ECW brands, (appearing occasionally on SmackDown!). He is the current ECW World Champion.

Pre-wrestling life/career

Vince spent the majority of his childhood in rural North Carolina living with his mother and a string of stepfathers. He did not meet his father (Vincent J. McMahon) until his teen years, and at that point became interested in following his father's footsteps in the wrestling business.

Following his graduation from East Carolina State University and a nondescript career as a traveling salesman, Vince went to work for his father in the then World Wide Wrestling Federation.

Professional career

World Wide Wrestling Federation (1971-1979)

Early in his wrestling career, Vince was the in-ring announcer and then later, became the play-by-play announcer for television matches after he replaced Ray Morgan in 1971, a role he regularly maintained until November 1997.

Throughout the 1970s, McMahon became the prominent force in his father's company, and pushed for the renaming of the company to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The young McMahon was also behind the famous Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki match of 1976, the year that his daughter Stephanie McMahon was born.

1980's wrestling boom

In 1984 Vince bought out his father's Capitol Sports company, renaming it Titan Sports and expanding the company nationally by promoting in areas outside of the company's Northeast U.S. stomping grounds, and by signing (some say stealing) talent from other companies.

The pinnacle of this national expansion experiment came in 1985 with the very first WrestleMania in Madison Square Garden and on closed circuit TV throughout the U.S.

This led to what has been considered a "Golden Age of Wrestling" with WWF seeing increased mainstream exposure, TV ratings, and house show gates all throughout the rest of the decade.

The Trial

In 1989, McMahon tested the movie producing waters by co-producing the Hulk Hogan vehicle No Holds Barred. In 1990, McMahon again ventured outside of wrestling by founding a bodybuilding company called the World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF).

However, around 1992, things began to change. The WBF went out of business as alleged steroid abuse among both McMahon's wrestlers and bodybuilders came under scrutiny. By 1994, things were slowly turning in WCW's favor, especially when they signed Hulk Hogan.

Ideally, this led to McMahon pushing the not so muscular stars such as Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Many believe that a substantial reason Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels won the world belts was because of the steroid controversy. After the steroid scandal many attempts at a new generation were attempted with champions like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Diesel leading the way. However, in the mid 90's the new generation was often considered a failure until approximately 1996 where business seemed to be on the rise again.

McMahon was put on trial in 1994, accused of distributing steroids to his wrestlers. As a legal move, his wife Linda was made CEO of the WWF during the trial. He was acquitted of all charges though he admitted to taking steroids himself in the '80s. The prosecution made Hulk Hogan its star witness, and his testimony in the trial severely damaged the two's friendship even though Hogan's testimony defended McMahon. After Hogan's testimony, McMahon would go before the media declaring that he wished that Hogan had not lied about him on the witness stand. McMahon later stated his intention by the comment was to vilify Hogan before he entered WCW. Despite not being convicted, McMahon and the WWF took a major public relations hit. The WWF's popularity sharply declined from that point, mainly in part to even more poor ideas and matches being served up in Vince's enforced absence.

Other Business

In 2000, McMahon again ventured outside the world of professional wrestling by launching the XFL. The league eventually began in February 2001 with McMahon making an appearance at the first game. The league, however, fared worse than the WBF and quickly folded. Also in 2001, McMahon acquired World Championship Wrestling and later Extreme Championship Wrestling in bankruptcy court, leaving McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation as the only major wrestling promotion left in North America.

In 2003, after being forced to rename the World Wrestling Federation to World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002, McMahon again ventured outside the wrestling ring and launched WWE Films.

Mr. McMahon

Mr. McMahon is the on-screen character of Vince McMahon, with the gimmick of an often egotistical heel boss. The character spawned from the real-life hatred many wrestling fans had for McMahon following the 1997 Survivor Series incident with Bret Hart.

Although Mr. McMahon was loathed for his actions as the evil owner of the WWF, the character proved to be one of the most memorable heels in professional wrestling history. Despite Mr. McMahon's evil intentions, many fans continue to respect the character for the history it's had, particularly with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who was Mr. McMahon's nemesis at the character's apex. Much to Mr. McMahon's horror, "Stone Cold" was announced to return and was the special guest referee at the "Battle of the Billionaires" match at WrestleMania 23.

Several other gimmicks have become integral parts of McMahon's on-camera persona, such as his throaty exclamation of "You're fired!", and his "power walk" - an over-exaggerated strut towards the ring, swinging his arms and bobbing his head from side to side in a cocky manner. This is usually accompanied by a comment from Jim Ross, such as "There's only one man I know that walks like that." The power walk is used to get a reaction out of the audience (especially when he's a heel), but it also provides comic relief as well. WWE Superstar John Cena had joked on the RAW Exposed special that aired before WWE Homecoming, that Vince "somehow walks like he's got a broomstick shoved up in his ass". According to Jim Cornette, the power walk was inspired by one of Vince McMahon's favorite wrestlers as a child, Dr. Jerry Graham. However, The Fabulous Moolah claims in her autobiography that the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers, was the inspiration.

WWE Champion

After Vince tossed out Stone Cold at the WWE Royal Rumble (1999). He defeated Triple H for the WWE (known then as the WWF) Championship on September 14, 1999. But on September 20, 1999 Mcmahon vacated the title and put it up on the line in a Six-Pack Challenge match at Unforgiven, which was won by Triple H.

ECW World Champion

An effect of the Vince Mcmahon/Donald Trump feud was Vince (along with Shane McMahon and Umaga) defeating Lashley at Backlash '07 for the ECW World Championship in a 3 on 1 Handicap Match. Vince, after Lashley being softened up by Shane and Umaga, scored the winning pin fall and won his second World Title.

Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club

Following the collapse of the WCW/ECW Alliance at Survivor Series 2001, Mr. McMahon created the "Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club", which consisted of various WWE superstars or officials being ordered to kiss his buttocks in the middle of the ring.

The first member of the "Kiss My Ass Club" was William Regal, who did it on the grounds of being rehired by the WWF as he had served as the commissioner of The Alliance. The following candidate was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who assaulted McMahon rather than going through with the indignity. Laughing from ringside, Jim Ross was forced to take Austin's place. For betraying him at WrestleMania X-Seven, Mr. McMahon ordered Trish Stratus to also go through with it. The club was proclaimed closed by The Rock after he forced Mr. McMahon to kiss Rikishi's buttocks on an episode of SmackDown!

Although the gimmick was "officially" retired by The Rock, it has reappeared on various occasions. Mr. McMahon has ordered various others to undergo the indignity over the years, including Zach Gowen and Shawn Michaels(in place of Marty Jannetty). Prior to WrestleMania 22, Shawn Michaels became a member of the club after Shane McMahon forced him into it; Shawn later forced Shane to kiss Vince's buttocks. Triple H also assaulted McMahon rather than going through with it, prompting him and Shawn Michaels to re-form D-Generation X and feud with McMahon.

Mick Foley has the dubious distinction of being only the second member of the club to willingly kiss McMahon's buttocks, on the grounds that it would save Melina's job. She promptly betrayed him, and Foley was fired instead (Foley has since returned).

Mr. McMahon has been on the receiving end of the indignity on several occasions, as he's kissed the buttocks of the aforementioned Rikishi, as well as The Big Show when D-Generation X shoved his face into it at Unforgiven 2006.

The gimmick has also spawned its own Internet based cartoon entitled "Mr. McMahon's Kiss My Ass Club - The WWE's Most Valuable Asset." The cartoon series produced by Animax Entertainment debuted on WWE.com on November 22, 2006.

Firings

In numerous wrestling storylines, Mr. McMahon uses his ability to terminate whomever he feels from either a position or the company. The termination is usually preceded by the aforementioned throaty exclamation of "You're fired!" This is believed by many people to be a McMahon originated catchphrase, as opposed to his WrestleMania 23 opponent Donald Trump. McMahon once stated this on TV by saying that the catchphrase originated on Monday Night RAW and not Trump's NBC show The Apprentice

This is a list of those whom he has fired on-screen:

• Jim Ross - was scapegoated after friend, Steve Austin, assaulted the McMahon family at WWE Homecoming in 2005. Ross was later brought back at "Saturday Night's Main Event" and again at WrestleMania 22, until finally returning full time.
• Kane - Kane was quickly re-hired the same night.
• Shawn Michaels - was fired as WWF commissioner, although Shawn notified McMahon that he couldn't be fired as per his contract.
• Earl Hebner - was actually fired by Triple H for fast-counting him and costing him the Federation championship, although the decision was supported by McMahon.
• Mick Foley - numerous times; once as Dude Love, once as WWF commissioner, and most recently, following a segment of the aforementioned "Kiss My Ass Club."
• Paul Heyman - as an announcer for RAW. and General Manager of Smackdown
• Hulk Hogan - after it was proven that Hogan was indeed "Mr. America."
• Kurt Angle - as General Manager of SmackDown!
• Eric Bischoff - twice, once in 2003, although he was quickly rehired and permanently in December 2005.
• Steve Austin - after he failed to declare a victor in an Undertaker/Kane match in October 1998.
• Marty Jannetty - for failing to join the aforementioned "Kiss My Ass Club" and for failing to break Chris Masters' Master Lock.
• Rob Conway - for losing to Jeff Hardy on the January 1, 2007 edition of RAW.
• Every WWE fan - prior to firing Jim Ross, McMahon vented his rage by "hiring" everyone who was watching him for the sole purpose of "firing" them seconds later.
• A pyro technician - who caused a freak explosion of one of the fireworks, leading McMahon to initially believe that it was God who caused the explosion.
• Limo driver - who nearly crashed into "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's truck. McMahon promptly dragged the driver from the car, beat him unconscious, and fired him on the spot.

Feuds with non-wrestlers

McMahon vs. Bischoff

Vince McMahon began a feud with Eric Bischoff in late 2005, when he decided that Bischoff wasn't doing a good job as General Manager of RAW. He started "The Trial of Eric Bischoff" where McMahon served as the judge. Bischoff ended up losing the trial, and Vince "fired" him, and put him in a garbage truck and it drove away. Bischoff stayed gone for months. Almost a year later on RAW in late 2006, Bischoff was brought out by Vince McMahon's executive assistant Jonathan Coachman so that he could announce the completion of his book "Controversy Creates Ca$h." Bischoff began blasting remarks at McMahon, saying that he was fired "unceremoniously" as the RAW General Manager, that there would be no Mr. McMahon if it wasn't for Bischoff's over-the-top rebellious ideas, and that D-Generation X was nothing but a rip off of the nWo. Bischoff returned again in March 2007 to tell Vince his thoughts on Vince's WrestleMania 23 match, telling Vince he can't wait to see him get his head shaved bald.

McMahon vs. Trump

In January 2007, McMahon started a feud with real-estate billionaire Donald J. Trump, which was featured on major media outlets. Originally Trump wanted to fight McMahon himself but they came to a deal: Trump would pick a representative, and McMahon would pick a representative who would both fight at WrestleMania 23 in a Hair vs. Hair match. The man whose representative lost the match would have his head shaved bald. After the contract signing on RAW, Donald Trump pushed McMahon over the table in the ring onto his head after McMahon provoked Trump with several finger pokes to the shoulders. Later at a press conference, McMahon during a photo opportunity, offered a shake of hands with Trump but retracted his hand as Trump put out his. McMahon went on to fiddle with Trump's tie and flick Trump's nose. This angered Trump as he then slapped McMahon across the face. McMahon was then restrained from retaliating by Trump's bodyguards and Bobby Lashley, Trump's representative. At WrestleMania 23, McMahon's representative (Umaga) lost the match, and as a result, McMahon's hair was shaved bald by Trump and Lashley with the help of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was the special guest referee of the "Battle of the Billionaires" match.

Controversy

On February 1, 2006, McMahon was accused of sexual harassment by a worker at a Boca Raton tanning bar ^[1]. The worker said that he "groped her and harassed her". At first, the charge appeared to be discredited because McMahon was in Miami for the Royal Rumble at the time in question; it was soon clarified that the alleged incident was reported to police on the day of the Rumble, but actually took place the day before^[2]. On March 27, a Florida television station reported that no charges would be filed against McMahon as a result of the investigation.

McMahon has also come under fire for constantly placing himself into sexual angles with many WWE Divas, including Sable, Trish Stratus, Stacy Keibler, Dawn Marie, Candice Michelle, Torrie Wilson, and Jackie Gayda. In 2002 1wrestling.com had reported that WWE had begun adding no-harassment clauses to all the contracts for both male and female wrestlers in an attempt to protect the company and its employees from sexual harassment complaints. The claim has since been verified during Q&A sessions on the quarterly stock-holders conference calls.

McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment as a whole has been the center of controversy in the past, especially in the "Attitude Era" of what was the World Wrestling Federation - including D-Generation X for their sexual references, and Stone Cold Steve Austin for his trademark drinking of beer and flipping the middle finger.

On the McMahon DVD, Stephanie comments that she had to nix a potential incest angle. According to her, Vince was to reveal himself as the father of her baby; when she said no, he pushed for Shane to be the father, but she turned that idea down as well. She also nixed Vince's idea that her wedding to Triple H be aired live on PPV, and said that the only reason Vince ever hired Eric Bischoff was to be able to say that his longtime nemesis once worked for him.

Other media

In 2001, Vince McMahon was interviewed by Playboy and performed an interview with his son Shane McMahon for the second issue of Playboy Magazine in the year.

In March 2006 (at age sixty) McMahon was featured on the cover of Muscle & Fitness magazine. In the months after its publication, it could be seen in McMahon's office during backstage segments. A large version of the cover was used as a weapon during McMahon's match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 22 and was defaced by D-Generation X upon their reunification during an episode of RAW.

McMahon DVD

On August 22 2006, a two-disc DVD set showcasing McMahon's career was released. The DVD is simply titled McMahon. The box art symbolizes the blurred reality between Vince McMahon the person and Mr. McMahon the character.

The DVD includes the following McMahon matches:

• vs. Steve Austin (RAW is WAR, April 13 1998, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• vs. Steve Austin – Steel cage match (St. Valentine's Day Massacre, February 14 1999, Memphis, Tennessee)
• with Shane McMahon vs. Steve Austin – Handicap ladder match (King of the Ring, June 27 1999, Greensboro, North Carolina)
• vs. Triple H – No Holds Barred match (Armageddon, December 12 1999, Sunrise, Florida)
• vs. Shane McMahon – Street Fight match (WrestleMania X-Seven, April 1 2001, Houston, Texas)
• vs. Ric Flair – Street Fight match (Royal Rumble, January 20 2002, Atlanta, Georgia)
• vs. Hulk Hogan – Street Fight match (WrestleMania XIX, March 30 2003, Seattle, Washington)
• vs. Stephanie McMahon – "I Quit" match (No Mercy, October 19 2003, Baltimore, Maryland)
• vs. The Undertaker – Buried Alive match (Survivor Series, November 16 2003, Dallas, Texas)

While much of the DVD paints McMahon in a good light (the chapter on the XFL gives the impression it was a daring idea and not a massive failure), several segments did point out some of his drawbacks. Greg Gagne accuses Vince of destroying his father Verne and the AWA, almost everyone besides Vince talks of how horrible the Katie Vick angle was, and many wrestlers discuss how stubborn Vince can be and how he refuses to listen to others. It also became apparent that some have been offended by McMahon claiming to be the leader of a religion called McMahonism. Somewhat conveniently, there is no mention of the steroid trial or the failure of the WBF on the DVD. However, in the trailer for the McMahon DVD, it did give the impression the WBF would be talked about as the WBF logo appeared on the screen as the narrator was talking about McMahon's "greatest failures"

Personal life

Vince married Linda McMahon on August 26 1966 in New Bern, North Carolina. The two met in church when Linda was 13 and Vince was 16. They were introduced by Vince's mother, Vicky Askew. They have two children: Shane and Stephanie, both of whom work for WWE.

Vince McMahon admitted in an interview with Playboy magazine he had affairs on his wife. He has a $12 million penthouse in New York City, a $40 million mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, a $20 million vacation home in Boca Raton, Florida (mentioned in the McMahon DVD), and owns the $30 million WWE Challenger 604 private jet that is sometimes seen on television. However, in 2007 it was reported that WWE cannot back up its claim that McMahon is a billionaire. ^{[3] [4]}.He is also known to be a generous humanitarian. Vince wanted to be a wrestler when he was young but his father wouldn't let him (he was told that promoters do not appear on the show and should stay apart from his wrestlers).

Vince has two grandsons : Shane and wife Marissa's sons, Declan James & Kenyon Jesse. He also has one granddaughter Aurora Rose Levesque, daughter to Stephanie and Paul "Triple H" Levesque. McMahon has undergone several severe injuries in recent years, including neck surgery in 1994, a motorcycle accident in 1999, and severe quadriceps tears in both legs while sliding into the ring at the 2005 Royal Rumble. Vince sat on the mat after arriving in the ring and, remarkably, did not appear to be in any pain when the camera closed in on him.

Handshake contracts

McMahon was known at one time to work out verbal agreements with wrestlers ending with a handshake. Ric Flair stated in his autobiography that their agreement reached in 1991 called for Flair to make an uncertain salary of at least 2.4 million U.S. dollars and the understanding that Flair could leave the WWF if he ever felt that he was being pushed as anything less than a main eventer. McMahon abandoned this practice after WCW signed several stars away, such as Lex Luger, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash, and now signs talent to standard wrestler contracts.^{[citation needed]}

Wrestling facts

• Finishing and signature moves
  • MacStunner (Sitdown three-quarter facelock jawbreaker) - copied from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
  • Corporate Elbow (Feint leg drop into a high impact elbow drop) - copied from The Rock
  • Corporate Leg Drop (Running leg drop) - copied from Hulk Hogan
  • MacPedigree (Double underhook facebuster) - copied from Triple H

Championships and accomplishments

• World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment
  • WWF Championship (1 time)
  • ECW World Championship (1 time, current)
  • Royal Rumble Winner (1999)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • 1996 PWI Feud of the Year (vs. Eric Bischoff)
  • 1998 Feud of the Year (vs. Steve Austin)
  • 1999 Feud of the Year (vs. Steve Austin)
  • 2001 Feud of the Year (vs. Shane McMahon)
  • 2002 Feud of the Year (vs. Ric Flair)
  • 2003 Feud of the Year (vs. Hulk Hogan)
  • 2006 PWI Match of the Year – vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 22, April 2 2006)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
  • 1987 Best Booker
  • 1988 Best Promoter
  • 1998 Best Booker
  • 1998 Best Promoter
  • 1999 Best Booker
  • 1999 Best Promoter
  • 2000 Best Promoter
  • 1998 Feud of the Year (vs. Steve Austin)
  • 1999 Feud of the Year (vs. Steve Austin)
  • 1999 Best Non-Wrestler
  • 2000 Best Non-Wrestler
• Other Accomplishments
  • Madison Square Garden Walk of Famer
  • Sport's Illustrated 'Sportsman of the Year' 2006 Nominee
  • Created WrestleMania

References

External links

• WWE.com (Official WWE Website)
• WWE Profile
• WWE Corporate Bio