Vmnc

Vince McMahon: A Pursuit for Power

  • Vince McMahon is born

    Vincent Kennedy McMahon is born in Pinehurst, North Carolina, the son of Vicky McMahon and second-generation wrestling promoter Vincent James McMahon (Rathjen 1). He was born with dyslexia and was an only child (Rathjen 1).
  • Vince meets Vince

    At the age of 12, Vince finally meets his father, who had left the family shortly after he was born to continue promoting (Rathjen 1). It is here when Vince gains initial interest in the professional wrestling business.
  • Period: to

    Studies at ECU

    Vince is accepted to East Carolina University where he attends college. He graduates in 1968 with a degree in marketing.
  • Vince gets a Bride

    Just before his 21st birthday, Vince marries his childhood friend turned girlfriend Linda Edwards. The two would relocate to Greenwich, Connecticut, the future headquarters of WWE. Their children, Shane & Stephanie, would also have huge roles in the WWE.
  • Period: to

    Vince's first jobs in the WWWF

    After college, Vince goes to work for his father's World Wide Wrestling Federation company as a ring announcer (Rathjen 1). He later becomes a play-by-play announcer for the company, and at the same time, triples the increase in market clearances (Rathjen 1),
  • Vince's first big scores

    Vince's first big scores
    Vince McMahon buys the now renamed World Wrestling Federation from his father and assumes ownership (Rathjen 1). He brings Hulk Hogan back into the company, and creates the global phenomenon "Wrestlemania". The WWF grows into a national and global success, and Vince is still just calling matches for his own company.
  • Vince ushers in RAW

    Vince ushers in RAW
    Vince McMahon starts the WWF's first flagship house show, WWF Monday Night RAW. RAW would go on to become the longest-running-weekly-episodic show on television, as it still airs to this day, nearing it's 1,100th episode.
  • Period: to

    The Monday Night Wars

    Vince McMahon finds himself at war with Ted Turner, Eric Bischoff, and rival promotion WCW (World Championship Wrestling). WCW Monday Nitro debuts on Septembet 4, 1995, and the ratings war is on between WWF's RAW & WCW's Nitro. McMahon ends the near 6-year ratings war by purchasing WCW for an estimated sum of $88 million. With this and the demise of ECW, Vince McMahon becomes the most powerful figure in professional wrestling.
  • The Montreal Screwjob

    The Montreal Screwjob
    WWF hosts its annual November tradition, Survivor Series, in Montreal. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart clash in the main event for the world title. Near the end, Michaels locked Hart in his own finisher, the Sharpshooter. Seconds after it was applied, the referee called for the bell, per Vince McMahon's orders. Hart then cursed at McMahon and spat in his face, abruptly leaving the WWF. This would be the first indication of Vince's power behind the scenes with match outcomes.
  • Vince's power is recognized (Part 1)

    Vince's power is recognized (Part 1)
    Vince McMahon is given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in recognition to how he revolutionized porfessional wrestling into sports-entertainment, and that he runs the two longest running weekly episodic shows on television: WWE Monday Night RAW & WWE Friday Night Smackdown.
  • Vince's power is recognized (Part 2)

    Vince's power is recognized (Part 2)
    Vince McMahon is inducted into the Professsional Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is inducted as a part of the Colleauge category ("Lawler, McMahon, Road Warriors among PWHF Class of 2011"). Here, he is recognized for being Chairman of the company since 1982, being a 2-time world champion, and continuing the McMahon power legacy in professional wrestling.