American professional wrestling promoter (born 1945)
This article is about Vincent K. McMahon. For his father, see Vincent J. McMahon.
"Mr. McMahon" redirects here. For the 2024 documentary series, see Mr. McMahon (miniseries). For other people with the surname, see McMahon (surname).
Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE,[a] the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Outside of professional wrestling McMahon has occasionally ventured into promoting other sports; his projects have included the World Bodybuilding Federation and the XFLfootball league. He is the owner of Alpha Entertainment.
McMahon graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in business in 1968, and began his tenure in professional wrestling as a commentator for WWE (then called the World Wide Wrestling Federation or WWWF) for most of the 1970s. He bought the company from his father, Vincent J. McMahon, in 1982 and almost monopolized the industry, which previously operated as separate entities across the United States. This led to the development of the annual event WrestleMania, which became one of the world's most successful professional wrestling events. WWE then faced industry competition from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s before purchasing and absorbing WCW in 2001. WWE also purchased the assets of the defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 2003.
McMahon appeared on-screen for WWE from 1969 until 2022,[4] initially as a personable play-by-play commentator. In 1997, he adopted the character of Mr. McMahon, portrayed as an irascible, villainous, swaggering tyrant who obsessed over maintaining control of his wrestling company and often growled the catchphrase "you're fired!" when dismissing an employee.[5] Under the villainous Mr. McMahon gimmick, he competed in wrestling matches and became a one-time WWE Champion, a one-time ECW Champion, a Royal Rumble winner, and a multi-time pay-per-view headliner.[3]
Following claims of hush-money agreements McMahon paid over affairs with former WWE employees,[6] McMahon stepped down as CEO and chairman of WWE in June 2022, pending the conclusion of an internal investigation. He was replaced by his daughter, Stephanie McMahon.[7][8] The following month, McMahon announced his retirement from WWE,[9] but his return to WWE as executive chairman was confirmed in January 2023.[10] That April, Endeavor Group Holdings announced a merger between WWE and Zuffa, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts promotion; McMahon served as the executive chairman of the new merged company, TKO Group Holdings (TKO).[11] McMahon was fined over $1.7 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission from undisclosed hush money payments.[12] McMahon later resigned from TKO in January 2024 after allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. McMahon is currently under a federal probe.[13][14]
McMahon was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina, on August 24, 1945,[15] to Victoria (née Hanner; 1920–2022)[16] and Vincent James McMahon (1914–1984), who left the family when McMahon was still a baby and took McMahon's older brother Roderick James McMahon III (1943–2021)[17][18] with him. McMahon did not meet his father until the age of 12.[19] McMahon's paternal grandfather was the boxing promoter Roderick James "Jess" McMahon, whose parents were Irish immigrants from County Galway.[21][22]
His paternal grandmother, Rose Davis, was also of Irish descent.[22] McMahon was raised under the name Vinnie Lupton and spent the majority of his childhood living with his mother and various stepfathers. He later claimed that one of his stepfathers, Leo Lupton, beat his mother and attacked him when he tried to protect her; he said of the experience, "It is unfortunate that [Lupton] died before I could kill him. I would have enjoyed that."[23] He graduated in 1964 from Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia,[24] where he reportedly struggled due to dyslexia.[25]
McMahon first met the promoter for Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC), his father, Vincent J. McMahon, when 12. At that point, McMahon became interested in following in his father's professional wrestling footsteps and often accompanied him on trips to Madison Square Garden. 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.[26]
In 1968, McMahon graduated from East Carolina University[22] with a business degree and after a nondescript career as a traveling salesman, he was eager to assume a managerial role in his father's World Wide Wrestling Federation promotion. In 1969, McMahon made his debut as a ring announcer for the WWWF's All-Star Wrestling.[27] In 1971, he was assigned to a small territory in Maine, where he promoted his first card. He later became the play-by-play commentator for television matches after replacing Ray Morgan in 1971, a role he regularly maintained until November 1997.
In the 1970s, McMahon became a prominent force in his father's company and, over the next decade, assisted his father in tripling TV syndication.[28] The younger McMahon was also behind the Muhammad Ali versus Antonio Inoki match of 1976.[28] He pushed for the renaming of the company to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979.
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. McMahon then became chairman of the company and his wife, Linda, became the "co-chief executive".[29][30] In 1982, Titan acquired control of the CWC from McMahon's ailing father (who died in May 1984) and his partners.
Main article: 1980s professional wrestling boom
When he purchased the WWF in 1982, professional wrestling was a business run by regional promotions. Various promoters understood that they would not invade each other's territories, as this practice had gone on undeterred for decades.[31] The National Wrestling Alliance became the governing body for all the regional territories across the country and as far away as Japan. McMahon had a different vision of what the industry could become. In 1983, the WWF split from the NWA again (it had left the NWA in 1963 but rejoined in 1971).
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). In 1984, he recruited Hulk Hogan to be the WWF's charismatic new megastar, and the two quickly drew the ire of industry peers as the promotion began traveling and broadcasting into rival territories. 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.[32]
As a result, the WWF was able to expand its fanbase into a national mainstream audience as the promotion was featured heavily on MTV programming. 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. McMahon's success of birthing WrestleMania in the 1980s had a significant impact on the 1980s professional wrestling boom during the Golden Age Era.[32]
During the late 1980s, McMahon shaped the WWF into a unique sports entertainment brand that reached out to family audiences while attracting fans who hadn't paid attention to pro wrestling before. 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. 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. André the Giant.[33]
Main article: Attitude Era
In 1993, the company entered the New Generation Era, one of McMahon's toughest times since taking over the company as business went up and down with various projects in the company.[34]
After struggling against Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling (WCW), McMahon cemented the WWF as the preeminent wrestling promotion in the late 1990s when initiating a new brand strategy that eventually returned the WWF to prominence. Sensing a public shift toward a more hardened and cynical fan base, McMahon redirected storylines toward a more adult-oriented model. The concept became known as "WWF Attitude" and McMahon commenced the new era when manipulating the WWF Championship away from Bret Hart at Survivor Series (now known as the "Montreal Screwjob").[35] McMahon announced the beginning of the Attitude Era on the December 15th, 1997 episode of Monday Night Raw, where McMahon stated "This is a conscious effort on our part to 'open the creative envelope', in order to entertain in a more contemporary manner, extends far beyond the strict confines of sports presentation into the wide open environment of broad based entertainment. We borrow from such programs niches like soap-operas and others widely accepted forms of television entertainment and tired of the same old simplistic theory of 'good guys versus bad guys'. Surely the era is definitely, passe. Therefore, we’ve embarked on a far more innovative and contemporary creative campaign, that is far more invigorating and extemporaneous than ever before".[36]
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. 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.[33] In October 1999, McMahon led the WWF in an initial public offering of company stock. Also, during the Attitude Era, the company embraced this period by incorporating foul language, graphic violence, and controversial stipulations such as Bra and Panties matches.[37]
On June 24, 1999, McMahon appeared on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien show and said he viewed Ted Turner as his rival, stating "All I'll say about Ted is he's a son-of-a-bitch, other than that, he's probably not a bad guy, but I don't like him at all".[38]
McMahon later came out victorious against Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the television ratings in the Monday Night War after an initial 84-week television ratings loss to WCW[32] and afterward acquired the fading WCW from Turner Broadcasting System on March 23, 2001, with an end to the Monday Night War.[39] On April 1, 2001, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) filed for bankruptcy leaving WWF as the last major wrestling promotion at that time.[40] McMahon later acquired the assets of ECW on January 28, 2003.[41]
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 War in television ratings battles between WWE and WCW "Vince was petitioning a lot for Ted. He was trying to embarrass Ted, trying to create some anxiety with the shareholders of Turner Broadcasting. Vince was trying to create some unrest and anxiety by being very, very critical about WCW" and "whenever you'd see blood in WCW, Vince would write these letters from the king's court to Ted criticizing him, and WCW, and the health and welfare of the talent by saying it's gross, it's crap, and all this. And then he'd turn around and do the same thing a month later. None of us took any of those letters very seriously, and it was pretty obvious what Vince was trying to do. We all just chuckled about it".[42]
In a conference call in 2021, McMahon described the "situation where 'rising tides' because that was when Ted Turner was coming after us with all of Time Warner's assets as well".[43]
On May 5, 2002, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. announced that it would be changing both its company name and the name of its wrestling promotion to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) after the company had lost a lawsuit initiated by the World Wildlife Fund over the WWF trademark.[44] The name change officially occurred the following day on May 6. Although mainly caused by the ruling in favor of the World Wildlife Fund regarding the "WWF" initialism, the company noted it provided an opportunity to emphasize its focus on entertainment.[45]
Main article: PG Era
Shortly after its name change, WWE transitioned into its Ruthless Aggression Era; McMahon officially referred to the new era as "Ruthless Aggression" on June 24, 2002.[46] This period still featured many similar elements of its predecessor the Attitude Era, including the levels of violence, sex, and profanity, but there was less politically incorrect content, and a further emphasis on wrestling was showcased.[47]
In July 2008, all WWE programs shifted to TV-PG ratings. McMahon also stated that the Attitude Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s was the result of competition from WCW and forced the company to "go for the jugular".[48] Due to WCW's demise in 2001, McMahon says that they "don't have to" appeal to viewers in the same way and that during the "far more scripted" PG Era, WWE could "give the audience what they want in a far more sophisticated way".[48] 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".[49] McMahon also had the most say in the WWE company's creative direction.[50] The move into the PG Era made the promotion more appealing to corporate sponsors.[37]
On April 7, 2011, McMahon's company ceased using the full name World Wrestling Entertainment and henceforth referred to itself solely as WWE, making the latter an orphan initialism. This was said to reflect WWE's global entertainment expansion away from the ring with the ultimate goal of acquiring entertainment companies and putting a focus on television, live events, and film production. WWE noted that their new company model was put into effect with the relaunch of Tough Enough, being a non-scripted program (contrary to the scripted nature of professional wrestling) and with the launch of the WWE Network (at the time scheduled to launch in 2012; later pushed back to 2014). The legal name of the company remained World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. for the time.[51]
Main article: Wednesday Night Wars
In 2019, Tony Khan's All Elite Wrestling (better known as AEW) emerged as the second largest professional wrestling promotion in the market after WWE, and during a conference call on July 25, 2019, McMahon announced a new direction for WWE where he stated that it would "be a bit edgier, but still remain in the PG environment".[52] In another conference call on July 29, 2021, McMahon stated that he doesn't consider AEW competition and that he was "not so sure what their investments are as far as their talent is concerned".[53]WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite competed in the Wednesday Night Wars, from October 2, 2019, to April 7, 2021, which ended with AEW Dynamite emerging victorious and NXT moving to Tuesday nights.[54] This eventually led WWE to revamp NXT with major changes to "NXT 2.0" starting from the September 14, 2021, episode.[55]
McMahon voluntarily stepped down as chairman and CEO of WWE on June 17, 2022, pending an internal investigation, with his daughter Stephanie McMahon being named the interim CEO and interim chairwoman of the WWE.[7][56][57] McMahon continued to oversee WWE creative and content development.[58] On July 22, Vince McMahon officially announced his retirement from WWE and named his daughter Stephanie McMahon, the company's new permanent chairwoman and co-CEO (alongside Nick Khan).[9][59][60][61]Triple H then replaced Vince McMahon as Head of WWE creative.[62]
It was announced on January 6, 2023, by The Wall Street Journal that McMahon was planning a return to WWE as executive chairman, ahead of upcoming media rights negotiations in 2024 and also to explore a potential sale of the company. On January 6, WWE published a filing with the SEC, appointing Vince McMahon by himself, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson back to the WWE Board of Directors.[63][64][65] On January 10, McMahon assumed the role of executive Chairman of the WWE.[10] On April 3, Endeavor Group Holdings announced a deal under which WWE would merge with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to form a new publicly traded company trading under the symbol "TKO". Endeavor will hold a 51% stake in TKO, with WWE's shareholders having a 49% stake, valuing WWE at $9.3 billion.[66] McMahon will serve as the executive chairman of TKO and oversee the new company's WWE and UFC divisions.[66] Upon completion of the deal, McMahon was expected to personally own 34% of TKO Group.[67]
The merger between WWE and UFC as TKO was completed on September 12, 2023, with WWE and UFC continuing to operate as separate divisions of TKO by focusing on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts respectively.[68] On October 15, it was announced that Endeavor Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel made the call to remove McMahon from WWE creative power and then granted the responsibility to Triple H to drive 99.9% of the creative moving forward.[69] As a result, McMahon is no longer involved in the WWE creative direction of the company.[70]
On January 26, 2024, one day after a report about alleged sexual assaults committed by McMahon was published by The Wall Street Journal, Deadline confirmed that McMahon had resigned from TKO. In a statement, he said the decision was made "out of respect for the WWE Universe, TKO, shareholders, and business partners."[71]
In March 2024, McMahon filed to sell $411.95 million worth of TKO stock amidst allegations of sexual assault, following a previous sale of shares worth $670.3 million in November. McMahon, who resigned from the TKO board earlier due to a lawsuit alleging abuse and sexual exploitation, owns approximately 15 million shares of TKO Group's Class A shares after the recent transactions.[72]
In 1979, Vince and Linda purchased the Cape Cod Coliseum and the Cape Cod Buccaneers of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. 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. This venture led the McMahons to join the International Association of Arena Managers, learning the details of the arena business and networking with other managers through IAAM conferences, which Linda later called a great benefit to WWE's success.[73]
In 1990, McMahon founded the World Bodybuilding Federation organization,[74] which folded in 1992.
In 2000, McMahon again ventured outside the world of professional wrestling by launching the XFL, a professional American football league. The league began in February 2001, with McMahon making an appearance at the first game, but folded after one season due to low television ratings.[75] This wasn't until January 25, 2018, when he announced its resurrection. The league filed for bankruptcy on April 13, 2020.[76]
In February 2014, McMahon helped launch an over-the-top streaming service called the WWE Network.
In 2017, McMahon established Alpha Entertainment, a separate entity from WWE.[77]
Vince and Linda McMahon donated over $8 million in 2008, giving grants to the Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University. Nonprofit Quarterly noted the majority of the McMahons' donations were toward capital expenditures.[78] In 2006, they paid $2.5 million for construction of a tennis facility in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.[78] The McMahons have supported the Special Olympics since 1986, first developing an interest through their friendship with NBC producer Dick Ebersol and Susan Saint James, who encouraged them to participate.[79]
Before the evolution of the Mr. McMahon character, McMahon appeared as a commentator on television. His executive role was not publicized to maintain the illusion of wrestling's staged story lines, or kayfabe. While McMahon did publicly identify himself as the owner of the WWF outside of WWF programming, on television his ownership of the WWF was considered an open secret through the mid-1990s. Jack Tunney was portrayed as the president of WWF instead of McMahon.
In 1969, McMahon began appearing on untelevised WWWF events as a ring announcer. 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. The elder McMahon let Morgan walk instead of giving in to his demands and needed a replacement on the spot, offering it to his son. For the younger McMahon, it was also somewhat of a compromise, as it allowed him to appear on television. McMahon wanted to be a wrestler but his father did not let him, explaining that promoters did not appear on the show and should stay apart from their wrestlers.[26]
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. In addition to matches, McMahon hosted other WWF shows, and introduced WWF programming to TBS on Black Saturday, upon the WWF's acquisition of Georgia Championship Wrestling and its lucrative Saturday night timeslot. McMahon sold the time slot to Jim Crockett Promotions after the move backfired on him. He eventually acquired JCP's successor company, World Championship Wrestling, from AOL Time Warner in 2001. At the 1987 Slammy Awards, McMahon performed in a musical number and sang the song "Stand Back".[80] The campy "Stand Back" video has since resurfaced several times over the years as a running gag between McMahon and any face wrestler he is feuding with at that particular time, and was included on the 2006 McMahon DVD.[26]
As a commentator, McMahon was a babyface "voice of the fans", a contrast to the heelcolor commentator, usually Jesse Ventura, Bobby Heenan or Jerry Lawler. While most of McMahon's on-screen physicality took place under his "Mr. McMahon" persona later in his career, he was involved in physical altercations on WWF television several times as a commentator or host. First, in 1977, when he and Arnold Skaaland were struck from behind by Captain Lou Albano, as part of a kayfabe "Manager Of the Year" storyline, when Albano was disgruntled over losing to Skaaland.
In 1985, Andre the Giant grabbed him by the collar during an interview on Tuesday Night Titans. Andre had become irritated at McMahon's questions regarding his feud with Big John Studd and their match at the first WrestleMania. On the September 28, 1991, episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, when Roddy Piper mistakenly hit him with a folding chair aimed at Ric Flair (requiring McMahon to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher), and again on the November 8, 1993, episode of Monday Night Raw, when Randy Savage hurled him to the floor in an attempt to attack Crush after McMahon attempted to restrain him.
McMahon can be seen screaming at medics and WWF personnel during the May 26, 1990, episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, after Hulk Hogan was attacked by Earthquake during a segment of The Brother Love Show, when Hogan was not moved out of the arena quickly enough.[citation needed]
See also: Montreal Screwjob
Throughout late 1996 and into 1997, McMahon slowly began to be referred to as the owner on WWF television while remaining as the company's lead play-by-play commentator. On the September 23, 1996 Monday Night Raw, Jim Ross delivered a worked shoot promo during which he ran down McMahon, outing him as chairman and not just a commentator for the first time in WWF storylines. This was followed up on the October 23 Raw with Stone Cold Steve Austin referring to then-WWF President Gorilla Monsoon as "just a puppet" and that it was McMahon "pulling all the strings". The March 17, 1997 WWF Raw Is War is cited by some as the beginning of the Mr. McMahon character, as after Bret Hart lost to Sycho Sid in a steel cage match for the WWF Championship, Hart engaged in an expletive-laden rant against McMahon and WWF management. This rant followed Hart shoving McMahon to the ground when he attempted to conduct a post-match interview. McMahon, himself, returned to the commentary position and nearly cursed out Hart before being calmed down by Ross and Lawler.[26]
McMahon largely remained a commentator after the Bret Hart incident on Raw. On September 22, 1997, on the first-ever Raw to be broadcast from Madison Square Garden, Bret's brother Owen Hart was giving a speech to the fans in attendance. During his speech, Stone Cold Steve Austin entered the ring with five NYPD officers following and assaulted Hart. When it appeared Austin would fight the officers, McMahon ran into the ring to lecture him that he could not physically compete; at the time, Austin was recovering from a broken neck after Owen Hart botched a piledriver in his match against Austin at SummerSlam. After telling McMahon that he respects the fact that he and the WWF cared, Austin attacked McMahon with a Stone Cold Stunner, leaving McMahon in shock. Austin was then arrested on charges of trespassing, assault, and assaulting a police officer. This marked the beginning of the Austin-McMahon rivalry.[citation needed]
At Survivor Series in 1997, Bret Hart defended his WWF Championship against long-time rival Shawn Michaels in the main event. During the match, Michaels applied Hart's signature submission maneuverThe Sharpshooter on Hart. Though Hart did not submit, McMahon ordered the referee to ring the bell, thus screwing Hart out of the title and making Michaels the champion and making McMahon turn heel for the first time on WWF television. This incident was subsequently dubbed the "Montreal Screwjob".[35] Following the incident, McMahon left the commentary table for good (Jim Ross replaced McMahon as lead commentator) and the Mr. McMahon character began.
Main articles: The Corporation and Corporate Ministry
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. Slaughter and commentators such as Jim Ross and McMahon himself. Mr. McMahon demanded that Austin defend his Intercontinental Championship against The Rock in a rematch. As in the previous match, Austin used his pickup truck as a weapon against The Rock and the Nation of Domination gang. Austin decided to forfeit the title to The Rock, but instead, Austin gave The Rock a Stone Cold Stunner and knocked McMahon off the ring ropes.
During the storyline between Austin and Michaels, McMahon involved Mike Tyson, who joined D-Generation X (DX). During the WrestleMania XIV main event, Mike Tyson turned on Shawn Michaels and assisted Austin in becoming WWF Champion.[citation needed] After Austin won the title, McMahon sent Dude Love to defeat Austin at Unforgiven and Over the Edge: In Your House, where Austin retained. By employing the services of The Undertaker and Kane, McMahon set up a triple threat match for the WWF Championship between Austin, The Undertaker, and Kane at Breakdown: In Your House, in which The Undertaker and Kane could only win by pinning Austin. At Breakdown, Austin lost the title after he was pinned simultaneously by The Undertaker and Kane, neither of whom became champion.[81]
The following night on Raw Is War, McMahon attempted to announce a new WWF Champion. He held a presentation ceremony and introduced The Undertaker and Kane. After saying that both deserved to be the WWF Champion, Austin drove a Zamboni into the arena and attacked McMahon before police officers stopped him, and arrested him. Because The Undertaker and Kane both failed to defend McMahon from Austin, McMahon did not name a new champion, but instead made a match at Judgment Day: In Your House between The Undertaker and Kane with Austin as the special referee. This prompted The Undertaker and Kane to attack Mr. McMahon, injuring his ankle because he gave them the finger behind their backs.[81]
At Judgement Day, there was still no champion crowned as Austin declared himself the winner after counting a double pinfall three count for both men. McMahon ordered the WWF Championship to be defended in a 14-man tournament named Deadly Games at Survivor Series in 1998. McMahon made sure that Mankind reached the finals because Mankind had visited McMahon in the hospital after McMahon was sent to the hospital by The Undertaker and Kane.[82] He also awarded Mankind the WWF Hardcore Championship due to his status as a hardcore wrestling legend. Originally, McMahon was acting as he if he was helping out Mankind during the match.[82]
At one point, The Rock turned his attention to McMahon. McMahon turned on Mankind after a screwjob, as The Rock had caught Mankind in the Sharpshooter. Mankind had not submitted but McMahon ordered the referee to ring the bell, thus giving The Rock the WWF Championship. This was a homage to the "Montreal Screwjob" that occurred one year earlier.[82] McMahon referred to The Rock as the "Corporate Champion" thus forming the corporation with his son Shane and The Rock.[83]
At Rock Bottom: In Your House, Mankind defeated The Rock to win the WWF Championship after The Rock passed out to the Mandible Claw. McMahon, screwed Mankind once again by reversing the decision and returning the belt to his chosen champion, The Rock.[84] McMahon participated in a "Corporate Rumble" on the January 11, 1999 Raw as an unscheduled participant, but was eliminated by Chyna.
McMahon restarted a long-running feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin when, in December 1998, he made Austin face The Undertaker in a Buried Alive match with the Royal Rumble qualification on the line. Austin defeated The Undertaker with help from Kane. McMahon had put up $100,000 to anyone who could eliminate Austin from the Royal Rumble match.[85] At Royal Rumble, thanks to help from the corporation's attack on Austin in the women's bathroom during the match. Austin and McMahon went under the ropes, not over them as the Royal Rumble rules require for elimination to occur, along with the 'Shawn Michaels Rule', in which both feet must touch the floor after going over the top rope.[86]
The Rock distracted Austin, and McMahon lifted Austin over the top rope from behind, winning the match and earning a title shot at WrestleMania XV against the WWF Champion The Rock. He turned down his spot, and WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels awarded it to Austin, which infuriated McMahon.[86] Austin decided to put his title shot on the line against McMahon so he could get a chance to fight Vince at In Your House: St. Valentine's Day Massacre in a steel cage match. During the match, Big Show — a future member of the Corporation — interrupted, making his WWF debut. He threw Austin through the side of the cage thus giving him the victory.[83][87]
The Corporation started a feud with The Undertaker's new faction the "Ministry of Darkness", which led to a storyline introducing McMahon's daughter Stephanie. Stephanie played an "innocent sweet girl" who was kidnapped by The Ministry twice. The first time she was kidnapped, she was found by Ken Shamrock on behalf of McMahon in a basement of the stadium. The second time she was kidnapped, The Undertaker attempted to marry her whilst she was forcefully tied to the Ministry's crucifix, but she was saved by Steve Austin. This angle saw a brief friendship develop between McMahon and Austin, cooling their long-running feud.
McMahon became a member of the short-lived stable The Union, during May 1999. McMahon's son Shane merged the corporation with The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness to form the Corporate Ministry. On the June 7 episode of Raw Is War, McMahon was revealed as the "Higher Power" behind the Corporate Ministry. This not only reignited McMahon's feud with WWF Champion Austin but also caused a kayfabe disgusted Linda and Stephanie McMahon to give their 50% share of the WWF to Austin.[citation needed]
At King of the Ring, Vince and Shane defeated Austin in a handicapladder match to regain control of the WWF.[88] While CEO, Austin had scheduled a WWF Championship match, to be shown on Raw is War after King Of The Ring. During the match, Austin defeated The Undertaker once again to become the WWF Champion. At Fully Loaded, Austin was again scheduled for a first blood match against The Undertaker. 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. Austin defeated The Undertaker, and McMahon was banned from WWF television.[89]
McMahon returned as a face in the fall of 1999 and won the WWF Championship in a match against Triple H, thanks to outside interference from Austin on the September 16 SmackDown!. He vacated the title on the following Monday's Raw is War because he was not allowed on WWF television because of the stipulations of the Fully Loaded contract he signed. Austin reinstated him in return for a WWF title shot. Over the next few months, McMahon and Triple H feuded, with the linchpin of the feud being Triple H's storyline marriage to Stephanie McMahon. The feud culminated at Armageddon in 1999; McMahon faced Triple H in a No Holds Barred match which McMahon lost. Afterward, Stephanie turned on him, revealing her true colors. McMahon, along with his son Shane, then disappeared from WWF television, unable to accept the union between Triple H and Stephanie. This left Triple H and Stephanie in complete control of the WWF.[90]
McMahon returned to WWF television on the March 13, 2000 Raw Is War helping The Rock win his WWF title shot back from the Big Show. He also attacked Shane McMahon and Triple H.[91] Two weeks later, McMahon and The Rock defeated Shane McMahon and The Big Show in a tag team match with help from special guest referee Mankind.[91] At WrestleMania 2000 on April 2, Triple H defended the WWF Championship in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match in which each competitor had a McMahon in his corner. Triple H had his wife Stephanie McMahon who was also the WWF Women's Champion in his corner, The Rock had Vince McMahon in his corner, Mick Foley had Linda McMahon in his corner, and Big Show had Shane in his corner. After Big Show and Foley were eliminated, Triple H and The Rock were left. Although Vince was in The Rock's corner, he turned on The Rock after hitting him with a chair, turning heel for the first time since his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, which helped Triple H win the match and retain his title.[92] This began the McMahon-Helmsley Era.
At King of the Ring on June 25, 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. This match stipulated that whoever made the scoring pinfall would become the WWF Champion. McMahon was pinned by The Rock.[93] McMahon was then absent from WWF television until late 2000. On the December 4 episode of Raw Is War, McMahon questioned the motives of WWF Commissioner Mick Foley and expressed concern of the well-being of the six superstars competing in the Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon on December 10. 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. After the match, both men beat Foley and McMahon fired him.[91]
McMahon then began a public extramarital affair with Trish Stratus, much to the disgust of his daughter, Stephanie. On the February 26, 2001 episode of Raw, McMahon and Stephanie humiliated Trish by dumping sewage on her, with McMahon adding that Stephanie will always be "daddy's little girl" and Trish was only "daddy's little toy". McMahon and Stephanie then aligned together against Shane, who'd returned and had enough of Vince's actions in recent months.[94][95]
At WrestleMania X-Seven on April 1, McMahon lost to Shane after Linda—who had been emotionally abused to the point of a nervous breakdown; the breakdown was caused after Vince demanded a divorce on the December 7 episode of SmackDown!; the breakdown left her helpless as she was deemed unable to continue being CEO of the WWF at the time, giving Vince 100% authority; finally, she was heavily sedated, in the storyline—hit Vince with a low blow.[94][95]
On the same night, McMahon allied with Stone Cold Steve Austin, helping him defeat The Rock to gain another WWF Championship. The two, along with Triple H, allied. Austin and Triple H put The Rock out of action with a brutal assault and suspension; this was done so The Rock could film The Scorpion King. Austin and Triple H held all three major WWF titles at the same time. The alliance was short-lived, due to an injury to Triple H and a business venture by McMahon.[citation needed]
Main articles: The Invasion and WWE brand extension
McMahon purchased long-time rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in March from AOLTime Warner and signed many wrestlers from WCW. This marked the beginning of the Invasion storyline, in which the former WCW wrestlers regularly fought matches against the WWF wrestlers. On the July 9 episode of Raw Is War, some extremists as well as several former ECW wrestlers on the WWF roster, joined with the WCW wrestlers to form The Alliance. Stone Cold Steve Austin joined the Alliance, along with Shane and Stephanie McMahon. Vince McMahon led Team WWF thus turning face. At Survivor Series on November 18, Team WWF defeated Team Alliance in a Survivor Series elimination match to pick up the victory and end the Invasion storyline.[96]
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. The club was originally proclaimed closed by The Rock after McMahon was forced to kiss Rikishi's buttocks on an episode of SmackDown!.[97] In November, Ric Flair returned to WWF after an eight-year hiatus declaring himself the co-owner of the WWF, which infuriated McMahon. The two faced each other at the Royal Rumble on January 20, 2002, in a Street Fight which Flair won.[98] Due to their status as co-owners, McMahon became the owner of SmackDown! while Flair became the owner of Raw. On the June 10 episode of Raw, McMahon defeated Flair to end the rivalry and become the sole owner of WWE.[99]
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.[100] At No Way Out on February 23, McMahon interfered in Hogan's match with The Rock. Hogan hit The Rock with a running leg drop and went for the pin, but the lights went out. When the lights came back on, McMahon came to the ringside to distract Hogan. Sylvain Grenier, the referee, gave The Rock a chair, which he then hit Hogan with. He ended the match with a Rock Bottom to defeat Hogan.[101] This led to McMahon facing Hogan in a match at WrestleMania XIX on March 30, which McMahon lost in a Street Fight.[102] McMahon then banned Hogan from the ring but Hogan returned under the gimmick of "Mr. America". McMahon tried to prove that Mr. America was Hogan under a mask but failed at these attempts. Hogan later quit WWE and at which point McMahon claimed that he had discovered Mr. America was Hulk Hogan and "fired" him.[103]
McMahon asked his daughter Stephanie to resign as SmackDown! General Manager on the October 2 SmackDown!. Stephanie refused to resign and this set up an "I Quit" match between the two.[104] At No Mercy on October 19, McMahon defeated Stephanie in an "I Quit" match when Linda threw in the towel.[105] Later that night, he helped Brock Lesnar retain the WWE Championship against The Undertaker in a Biker Chain match.[106] This started a rivalry between McMahon and The Undertaker. At Survivor Series on November 16, McMahon defeated The Undertaker in a Buried Alive match with help from Kane.[107]
He began a feud with Eric Bischoff in late 2005, when he decided that Bischoff was not doing a good job as general manager of Raw turning face again. He started "The Trial of Eric Bischoff" where McMahon served as the judge. Bischoff ended up losing the trial; McMahon "fired" him, and put him in a garbage truck before it drove away. Bischoff stayed gone for months. Almost a year later on Raw in late 2006, Bischoff was brought out by McMahon's executive assistant Jonathan Coachman so that he could announce the completion of his book Controversy Creates Cash. Bischoff began blasting remarks at McMahon, saying that he was fired "unceremoniously" as the Raw General Manager, that there would be no McMahon if not for Bischoff's over-the-top rebellious ideas, and that D-Generation X was nothing but a rip off of the New World Order.[citation needed]
On the December 26, 2005 Raw, McMahon personally reviewed Bret Hart's DVD. Shawn Michaels came out and he also started talking about Hart. McMahon replied, "I screwed Bret Hart. Shawn, don't make me screw you".[35][108]