Vincent Kennedy McMahon is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter best known as the co-founder (with his then-wife Linda) of WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Beyond wrestling, McMahon has pursued ventures in other sports, including the World Bodybuilding Federation and the XFL football league, demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit across the sports and entertainment landscape.
On August 24, 1945, Vincent Kennedy McMahon was born. He is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter, co-founder of the modern WWE.
In 1963, the WWF left the NWA
In 1964, Vince McMahon graduated from Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia.
On August 26, 1966, Vince McMahon married Linda Edwards in New Bern, North Carolina. They met in church during their teenage years.
In 1968, Vince McMahon graduated from East Carolina University with a business degree.
In 1969, McMahon began appearing on untelevised WWWF events as a ring announcer.
In 1969, Vince McMahon made his debut as a ring announcer for the WWWF's All-Star Wrestling.
The end of the mid 20th century, in 1969, marks a historical time period.
In 1971, McMahon made his commentary debut when he replaced Ray Morgan, who had a pay dispute with McMahon's father.
In 1971, Vince McMahon was assigned to a small territory in Maine and promoted his first card. He later became the play-by-play commentator for television matches.
In 1971, the WWF rejoined the NWA.
In 1976, Vince McMahon was behind the Muhammad Ali versus Antonio Inoki match.
In 1977, McMahon and Arnold Skaaland were struck from behind by Captain Lou Albano as part of a kayfabe "Manager Of the Year" storyline.
In 1979, Vince McMahon pushed for renaming the company to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
In 1979, Vince and Linda McMahon 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.
On February 21, 1980, Vince McMahon officially founded Titan Sports, later to become WWE.
In 1982, Titan Sports acquired control of the CWC from Vince McMahon's ailing father.
In 1982, Vince McMahon bought the company, then called the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), from his father, Vincent J. McMahon.
In 1983, the WWF split from the NWA again.
In May 1984, Vince McMahon's father, Vincent J. McMahon, passed away.
In 1984, Vince McMahon recruited Hulk Hogan to be the WWF's charismatic new megastar, leading to the promotion expanding nationally.
Until 1984, McMahon portrayed himself as mild-mannered and diplomatic as a commentator.
On March 31, 1985, Vince McMahon ran the first WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden, available on closed-circuit television, marking a significant impact on professional wrestling.
In 1985, Andre the Giant grabbed McMahon by the collar during an interview on Tuesday Night Titans, due to irritation with McMahon's questions regarding his feud with Big John Studd and their match at the first WrestleMania.
On July 16, 1986, Rita Chatterton alleged that Vince McMahon tried to force her to perform oral sex on him in his limousine and then raped her.
Since 1986, the McMahons have supported the Special Olympics, first developing an interest through their friendship with NBC producer Dick Ebersol and Susan Saint James, who encouraged them to participate.
At the 1987 Slammy Awards, McMahon performed in a musical number and sang the song "Stand Back".
In 1987, the WWF reportedly drew 93,173 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome for WrestleMania III, featuring Hulk Hogan vs. André the Giant.
During the May 26, 1990, episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, McMahon can be seen screaming at medics and WWF personnel after Hulk Hogan was attacked by Earthquake during a segment of The Brother Love Show.
In 1990, McMahon founded the World Bodybuilding Federation organization.
On September 28, 1991, on WWF Superstars of Wrestling, Roddy Piper mistakenly hit McMahon with a folding chair aimed at Ric Flair, requiring McMahon to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher.
On April 3, 1992, Rita Chatterton appeared on Geraldo Rivera's show 'Now It Can Be Told' and alleged that on July 16, 1986, Vince McMahon sexually assaulted her.
In 1992, Kevin Wacholz wrestled for the company as Nailz
In 1992, the World Bodybuilding Federation organization folded.
In 1992, wrestler Kevin Patrick Wacholz, known as Nailz, filed a lawsuit alleging Vince McMahon sexually assaulted him. McMahon then filed a counter-lawsuit against Nailz the same year.
On November 8, 1993, on Monday Night Raw, Randy Savage hurled McMahon to the floor in an attempt to attack Crush, after McMahon attempted to restrain him.
In November 1993, Vince McMahon was indicted in federal court due to a steroid controversy within the WWF, leading him to temporarily cede control to his wife, Linda.
In 1993, McMahon commentated on Monday Night Raw when the shows started.
In 1993, Vince McMahon engaged in a feud with Jerry Lawler as part of a cross-promotion between WWF and the United States Wrestling Association (USWA). He sent WWF wrestlers to Memphis to challenge Lawler, marking McMahon's first physical interjection in a match.
In 1993, the company entered the New Generation Era, a challenging period for Vince McMahon.
In July 1994, Vince McMahon was acquitted of charges related to steroid distribution after a trial where a former wrestler's testimony was questioned.
On September 23, 1996, on 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.
The March 17, 1997, episode of WWF Raw Is War is cited by some as the beginning of the Mr. McMahon character, after Bret Hart's expletive-laden rant against McMahon and WWF management.
On September 22, 1997, during a Raw broadcast from Madison Square Garden, Stone Cold Steve Austin assaulted Owen Hart. When McMahon intervened, Austin attacked him with a Stone Cold Stunner and was arrested. This marked the beginning of the Austin-McMahon rivalry.
In November 1997, Vince McMahon ceased to be the regular play-by-play commentator for television matches.
McMahon maintained the role of regular play-by-play commentator until November 1997.
In 1997 the Montreal Screwjob took place during the Survivor Series event. This event was the catalyst for Vince McMahon's confrontation with Bret Hart on January 4, 2010.
In 1997, Vince McMahon adopted the character of Mr. McMahon, an irascible, villainous tyrant.
In the late 1990s, after struggling against WCW, McMahon initiated the WWF Attitude era, a brand strategy that returned the WWF to prominence and redirected storylines toward a more adult-oriented model.
On June 24, 1999, Vince McMahon appeared on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien show and discussed his rivalry with Ted Turner.
In October 1999, Vince McMahon led the WWF in an initial public offering of company stock.
In 2000, McMahon launched the XFL, a professional American football league.
In a 2000 interview, Vince McMahon reflected on the abuse he endured at the hands of one of his stepfathers.
In February 2001, the XFL began with McMahon making an appearance at the first game, but folded after one season due to low television ratings.
On March 23, 2001, Vince McMahon's WWF acquired the fading World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from Turner Broadcasting System, ending the Monday Night War.
On April 1, 2001, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) filed for bankruptcy, leaving WWF as the last major wrestling promotion at that time.
In 2001, McMahon acquired World Championship Wrestling from AOL Time Warner.
In 2001, WCW's demise allowed WWE to move away from the Attitude Era and appeal to viewers in a more sophisticated way through a "far more scripted" PG Era.
Vince McMahon first appeared on the Forbes list of billionaires in 2001 but was later removed.
On May 5, 2002, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. announced it would be changing its company name and the name of its wrestling promotion to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
On June 24, 2002, WWE officially named its new era as the "Ruthless Aggression Era", which still included violence, sex, and profanity, but with less politically incorrect content and a greater focus on wrestling.
On January 28, 2003, Vince McMahon later acquired the assets of ECW.
On February 13, 2003, during SmackDown!, Vince McMahon attempted to stop Hulk Hogan's return after a five-month absence, but Hogan thwarted him by knocking him out with a running leg drop.
In 2003, WWE purchased the assets of the defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).
On December 26, 2005, during Raw, Vince McMahon reviewed Bret Hart's DVD and threatened Shawn Michaels, warning him not to make him "screw" him like he did Hart.
On January 29, 2006, at the Royal Rumble, Vince McMahon's entrance theme music distracted Shawn Michaels, who was among the final six, allowing Shane McMahon to eliminate him.
On February 1, 2006, Vince McMahon was accused of sexual harassment by a worker at a tanning bar in Boca Raton, Florida. He was accused of showing nude photos of himself and groping/attempting to kiss her. No charges were filed.
As of 2006, Vince McMahon owned a $12 million penthouse in Manhattan, a $40 million estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, a $20 million vacation property, and a 47-foot yacht named Sexy Bitch.
Between 2006 and 2022, Vince McMahon made unrecorded payments to settle sexual misconduct claims.
In 2006, the McMahons paid $2.5 million for construction of a tennis facility in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.
The campy "Stand Back" video was included on the 2006 McMahon DVD.
In January 2007, Vince McMahon began a feud with Donald Trump, which gained significant media attention. Originally, Trump and McMahon were to fight themselves, but instead agreed to have representatives wrestle at WrestleMania 23 in a Hair vs. Hair match.
In February 2008, JBL revealed that Hornswoggle was not McMahon's son but Finlay's, which was part of a scam planned by Shane, Stephanie, Linda McMahon, and Finlay.
In 2008, Vince and Linda McMahon donated over $8 million, giving grants to the Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University.
On January 5, 2009, Chris Jericho told Stephanie McMahon that Vince McMahon would be returning to Raw soon.
On January 4, 2010, Vince McMahon confronted Bret "The Hitman" Hart for the first time since the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997. They appeared to bury the hatchet but McMahon turned heel by kicking Hart.
On April 7, 2011, World Wrestling Entertainment ceased using its full name and began referring to itself solely as WWE, an orphan initialism, to reflect the company's expansion into global entertainment, with a focus on television, live events, and film production.
In 2011, Vince McMahon allegedly sexually assaulted a tanning spa worker in California.
On June 11, 2012, Vince McMahon returned to evaluate John Laurinaitis. After conflict with Cena and Big Show, McMahon declared that if Big Show lost his match at No Way Out, Laurinaitis would be fired.
In 2012, the WWE Network was scheduled to launch (but later pushed back to 2014) as part of WWE's new company model focused on television, live events, and film production.
From June 2013, the McMahon family began disputing elements of control within WWE, including the fates of Daniel Bryan, Brad Maddox, and Vickie Guerrero.
In 2013, during a performance review of Paul Heyman, Vince McMahon was attacked by Brock Lesnar, who used the F-5 move on him. McMahon reportedly broke his pelvis and required surgery.
In February 2014, McMahon helped launch an over-the-top streaming service called the WWE Network.
On the November 3, 2014, episode of Raw, McMahon made a stipulation that if Team Cena defeated Team Authority at Survivor Series, The Authority would be removed from power.
In 2014, Vince McMahon and his wife donated approximately $1 million to federal candidates and political action committees, including American Crossroads and America Rising. They also donated $5 million to the Donald J. Trump Foundation in 2014.
In early 2014, Vince McMahon stepped aside from his on-screen authority role to evaluate Triple H and Stephanie's control of the company.
The WWE Network launch was pushed back to 2014 as part of WWE's new company model focused on television, live events, and film production.
On December 14, 2015, Vince McMahon aligned himself with The Authority by confronting Roman Reigns, granting him a WWE World Heavyweight Championship rematch with the stipulation that if Reigns failed to win, he would be fired.
In 2015, Vince McMahon reentered the Forbes list of billionaires with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.
On January 4, 2016, Vince McMahon served as the special guest referee in Roman Reigns' rematch against Sheamus, where Reigns won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after McMahon was knocked out.
On the April 3, 2017, episode of Raw, Vince McMahon returned to announce Kurt Angle as the new Raw General Manager and announced the upcoming Superstar Shake-up.
In 2017, McMahon established Alpha Entertainment, a separate entity from WWE.
On January 22, 2018, Vince McMahon returned on Raw 25 Years and turned heel by calling the WWE Universe "cheap". He was later confronted and stunnered by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
On January 25, 2018, McMahon announced a resurrection of the XFL.
By 2018, Vince McMahon's wealth was estimated at approximately $3.6 billion.
During a conference call on July 25, 2019, Vince McMahon announced a new direction for WWE stating that it would "be a bit edgier, but still remain in the PG environment".
On October 2, 2019, WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite competed in the Wednesday Night Wars.
Between 2019 and 2022, Janel Grant worked at WWE global headquarters.
Between 2019 and 2022, Vince McMahon made undisclosed hush money payments to two women while he was with the WWE.
In 2019, Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) left WWE for AEW, citing WWE's creative process and singling out Vince McMahon as the problem.
In 2019, Vince McMahon involved himself in the feud between Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston, refusing Kingston a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.
In 2019, Vince McMahon was involved in a car crash.
After only five weeks of play in its inaugural 2020 season, the XFL abruptly ceased play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and filed for bankruptcy on April 13, 2020.
In September 2020, Eric Bischoff revealed that Vince McMahon was petitioning for Ted Turner and trying to embarrass him during the Monday Night War.
During 2020–2021, Janel Grant alleged that she was subjected to "extreme cruelty and degradation" by McMahon, including being defecated upon during a sexual encounter.
On April 7, 2021, the Wednesday Night Wars ended, with AEW Dynamite emerging victorious and NXT moving to Tuesday nights.
On April 10, 2021, Vince McMahon appeared at WrestleMania 37 to welcome back the fans in person at the Raymond James Stadium after live events were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 6, 2021, a new scripted television series called The United States of America vs. Vince McMahon was announced, focusing on the steroid case, produced by WWE Studios and Blumhouse Television, with McMahon as an executive producer.
During a conference call on July 29, 2021, Vince 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".
On September 14, 2021, WWE revamped NXT with major changes, starting with the "NXT 2.0" episode.
During 2020–2021, Janel Grant alleged that she was subjected to "extreme cruelty and degradation" by McMahon, including being defecated upon during a sexual encounter.
In April 2022, the WWE board began investigating a $3 million hush-money settlement that Vince McMahon paid over an alleged affair with a former employee.
In June 2022, Vince McMahon stepped down as CEO and chairman of WWE, but continued to oversee content development.
On June 17, 2022, Vince McMahon voluntarily stepped down as chairman and CEO of WWE pending an internal investigation, with his daughter Stephanie McMahon named as the interim CEO and interim chairwoman of the WWE. McMahon continued to oversee WWE creative and content development.
On July 22, 2022, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE.
By October 2022, WWE disclosed $19.6 million in unrecorded payments Vince McMahon made to settle sexual misconduct claims between 2006 and 2022.
In December 2022, Vince McMahon settled the sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Rita Chatterton, with his attorney stating that he maintains his innocence but settled to avoid the cost of litigation. It was reported that McMahon agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement.
In December 2022, a lawsuit was filed against Vince McMahon by a tanning spa worker alleging sexual assault in California in 2011.
Between 2019 and 2022, Vince McMahon made undisclosed hush money payments to two women while he was with the WWE.
In 2022, Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Newsletter commented that wrestling had declined in popularity due to the dwindling viewership since McMahon purchased WCW.
In 2022, Vince McMahon allegedly agreed to pay Janel Grant $3 million in exchange for a NDA, but stopped payments after $1 million was paid.
In 2022, former wrestler Leonard Inzitari corroborated Chatterton's 1986 allegation of sexual assault in an interview.
Prior to 2022, Vince McMahon and Linda Edwards reportedly separated without pursuing a legal divorce.
Vince McMahon's on-screen appearances for WWE continued from 1969 until 2022.
On January 6, 2023, it was reported that Vince McMahon was planning a return to WWE as executive chairman, ahead of media rights negotiations in 2024 and to explore a potential sale of the company; WWE also appointed Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson back to the WWE Board of Directors.
In January 2023, Vince McMahon's return to WWE as executive chairman was confirmed.
On September 12, 2023, the merger between WWE and UFC as TKO was completed, with WWE and UFC continuing to operate as separate divisions of TKO.
In 2023, Vince McMahon stated in an interview with Ari Emmanuel that "Mr McMahon is dead" signifying the permanent end to the character.
Stephanie McMahon played a prominent role in WWE both behind the scenes and as a television performer until stepping down in 2023.
In January 2024, Vince McMahon resigned from TKO Group Holdings after allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault.
In January 2024, a lawsuit was filed by Janel Grant alleging sexual coercion, trafficking, and assault by Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and a WWE wrestler between 2019 and 2022. Following the report, McMahon resigned from TKO.
On January 26, 2024, Vince McMahon resigned from TKO following a report about alleged sexual assaults committed by him.
On February 1, 2024, John Laurinaitis accused Vince McMahon of sexual misconduct, claiming McMahon held "power" and "control" over him and made "dictatorial sexual demands."
On February 2, 2024, it was reported that federal authorities in New York had launched an investigation into sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations made against Vince McMahon, including a search warrant for his phone and a subpoena for documents.
In March 2024, amidst allegations of sexual assault, McMahon filed to sell $411.95 million worth of TKO stock, following a previous sale of shares worth $670.3 million in November.
On September 25, 2024, Netflix released a documentary series titled "Mr. McMahon", detailing aspects of Vince McMahon's legacy, including his business impact and controversies.
In 2024, WWE was preparing for upcoming media rights negotiations, which was a factor in Vince McMahon's planned return to the company.
On January 10, 2025, it was announced that Vince McMahon was fined over $1.7 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission from undisclosed hush money payments from 2019 to 2022.
On July 24, 2025, Vince McMahon was speeding and crashed his Bentley in Connecticut. The crash involved three vehicles, but there were no serious injuries.
In 2025, McMahon established 14th & I, an investment firm and “entertainment hub company” pursuing opportunities in media and sports entertainment.
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