Vince McMahon has made an astonishing impact on the world of professional wrestling, boasting an impressive career that spans several decades. From his childhood in the 70s to his domination of the wrestling industry in the present day, McMahon has gone through several stages of his life, each of them as exciting and monumental as the next.
Table of Contents:
1. Early Life and Career
2. The Transformation of Vince McMahon’s Career
3. McMahon’s Company Takes Over the Wrestling Industry
4. Global Impact on Wrestling
5. Life Today
6. Vince McMahon Quotes
- Early Life and Career
Vince McMahon was born on August 24, 1945, in Pinehurst, North Carolina, to Rosalind and Vince McMahon Sr., the latter of whom was a professional wrestler. McMahon followed in his father’s footsteps and devoted much of his time to the sport of wrestling. By the age of 13, he started selling wrestling programs and selling soft drinks at arenas. From there, he found various gigs in both wrestling and business, including working as a visiting iceman in a New York-based ice cream shop.
McMahon would eventually make his way back to his home state of North Carolina and form his own company, Capitol Wrestling Corporation (later known as World Wrestling Federation, or WWF). The company was backed by his father and his grandfather, Jess McMahon, and it was through this company that McMahon would truly establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in both the wrestling world and in business.
In the early days of his career, Vince McMahon had to face many obstacles. Despite his passion for wrestling, McMahon’s detractors criticized him for his lack of traditional training and his low-budget schemes. He had to scrape by on the minimum of resources, often utilizing the resources of local wrestlers and promoters. And yet, even in the face of adversity, Vince was able to make a name for himself in the industry.
- The Transformation of Vince McMahon’s Career
In the mid-1980s, Vince McMahon was in full control of the WWF and the wrestling industry at large. He had developed a vision of professional wrestling that moved away from the kayfabe-style matches that had existed previously and began to focus on a spectacle-style product. To this end, McMahon began to turn the WWF into a more theatrical, sports-entertainment product, one which focused on storytelling, larger-than-life characters, and more exciting storylines.
Throughout the 1990s, McMahon continuously improved the WWF, televising their shows not only on cable television but on pay-per-view events as well. Bigger stars, crazier storylines, and larger set pieces became the order of the day, building the WWF into a major global force. This, in turn, spawned the creation of the WCW, or World Championship Wrestling, thus furthering McMahon’s vision.
At the same time, McMahon was able to negotiate a number of lucrative deals with England’s Sky TV, as well as with several other companies around the world. This effectively put McMahon in control of the wrestling industry and cemented his reputation as the most powerful man in the business.
- Company Takes Over the Wrestling Industry
In the early 2000s, Vince McMahon’s company had become the undisputed leader of the professional wrestling world. In fact, it had become so dominant that McMahon began to use the “WWF” name for all of his products, including its own clothing line and video game developers. In addition, McMahon began to focus more on the entertainment aspect of wrestling, launching film and television projects, as well as pay-per-view events that featured some of the biggest names in the industry.
By this time, the WWF was at the peak of its power. McMahon had successfully created a wrestling empire and was widely acclaimed as the most influential person in the world of wrestling. This included his high-profile feuds with WCW, as well as his well-known competition with former wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin.
- Global Impact on Wrestling
Throughout the world, Vince McMahon’s influence on wrestling can be felt. His impact has been especially evident in the United States, where he helped to establish the country’s first major professional wrestling company, WCW. He has also been credited with making wrestling much more mainstream and family oriented.
McMahon has also been credited with introducing mainstream celebrities into the wrestling business. This includes the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pete Rose, and other A-list stars. As a result, McMahon and the WWE are now major draws on television, featuring matches and storylines that are enjoyed by millions of viewers worldwide.
It can also be argued that McMahon was instrumental in helping to launch the careers of some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Cena, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Steve Austin. These superstars went on to become major forces in wrestling and have made their marks in the entertainment world outside of wrestling.
- Life Today
Vince McMahon is still the Chairman and CEO of WWE and still has a major influence on the wrestling industry. Today, his role in the company is mostly focused on the creative side of things, with creative decisions such as the launch of NXT, as well as the launch of the WWE Network, being credited as McMahon’s vision.
McMahon is still a major force in the world of wrestling and continues to shape the industry. He has also become a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to various charities, particularly those related to children’s health and education.
McMahon has also been heavily involved in politics, as well as in a number of other business ventures. Most recently, he has co-hosted the reality show The Million Dollar Man, which sought to promote financial literacy and help entrepreneurs reach their goals.
Vince McMahon Quotes
“You need to surround yourself with quality human beings that are intelligent and have a vision.” — Vince McMahon
“Shawn Michaels – the greatest WWE champion of all time!” — Vince McMahon
“If you stop building stars, which we never do, you wouldn’t be in business.” — Vince McMahon
“I believe that given the audience attention level, we could do an even more compelling 90 minutes.” — Vince McMahon
“The boyhood dream has come true for Shawn Michaels.” — Vince McMahon
“I got balls the size of grapefruits!” — Vince McMahon
“Thou art relieved of thy duties!” — Vince McMahon
“I think my idea of retirement might be to one day work a 40-hour week.” — Vince McMahon
“The biggest thrill in the world is entertaining the public, there is no bigger thrill than that.” — Vince McMahon
“It was me, Austin. It was me all along, Austin!” — Vince McMahon
“But because our organization has grown so much and in so many different ways, the delegation process places responsibility and authority on the shoulders of people you can watch grow and watch the way they treat others.” — Vince McMahon
“I’m your genetic jackhammer!” — Vince McMahon
“I’m Vince McMahon, dammit, let’s hear it!” — Vince McMahon
“The next thing you’re going to tell me is Daniel Bryan is the United States Champion.” — Vince McMahon
“One of the problems with the Internet is that a lot of times it is inaccurate.” — Vince McMahon
“Pro wrestling is what my dad did.” — Vince McMahon
“I don’t know what drives me, I don’t have a clue, but I’m driven more today than I ever have been.” — Vince McMahon
“Anything can happen in the WWF!” — Vince McMahon
“I’m not too good at lying still in the sun.” — Vince McMahon
“I don’t give a damn what the fans think cause, quite frankly, I know what the fans want better than they do.” — Vince McMahon
“I’m a guy who gets more out of life than some people – more out of one big breath of fresh air than most people get from breathing in and out for a lifetime.” — Vince McMahon
“Giving it to the audience is probably the easiest thing. Finding out what they truly want is probably the most difficult.” — Vince McMahon
“I don’t like to sleep. I’m missing something when I’m sleeping.” — Vince McMahon
“I would dare say that most anyone in public life if they stay in public long enough, is not treated fairly.” — Vince McMahon
“I understand the common man because I understand me in that regard at least.” — Vince McMahon
“We’re going to be treated very poorly, I think that goes with the territory, and you have to get over it, get beyond it and know who you are among your peers and especially among your family when you look in the mirror.” — Vince McMahon
“When I’m on vacation here in the States, I can do all kinds of stuff; I can train and keep busy.” — Vince McMahon
“I assaulted Stone Cold Steve Austin and got away with it! It was indeed a very special night for me…” — Vince McMahon
“I have to do something with my mind, or I’ll get in trouble.” — Vince McMahon
“Better than that orange crap you wear!” — Vince McMahon
“That’s right, you and God versus me, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, and the product of my semen, my son Shane!” — Vince McMahon
“What’s good in the hood?” — Vince McMahon
“If I like you, I’m going to tell you. I’m a hugger, even with men: I’m just very deep.” — Vince McMahon
“The chances of you winning are the same as the chances of HELL freezing over.” — Vince McMahon
“If I were someone named Mr. Ass, I’d be really worried about doing time.” — Vince McMahon
“You can rise above it. This country gives you an opportunity if you want to take it, so don’t blame your environment. I look down on people who use their environment as a crutch.” — Vince McMahon
“I guess maybe another gift I have is a great work ethic.” — Vince McMahon
“I do think the standards of the media have dropped to an all-time low in terms of credibility.” — Vince McMahon
“I’m a real common sense guy who caught a lot of good breaks and who has been very, very fortunate.” — Vince McMahon
“In the real world of competition, the players want to compete and they want to compete at the very highest level.” — Vince McMahon
“Regardless of how well a studio is run, it’s only as good as the product it produces.” — Vince McMahon
“We are Hollywood. We’re entertainment, and that’s what the World Wrestling Federation is all about.” — Vince McMahon
“I have balls the size of grapefruits and come this Sunday, you’ll be spitting out the seeds.” — Vince McMahon
“I’m not afraid of failing. I don’t like to fail. I hate to fail. But I’m not afraid of it.” — Vince McMahon
“I came, I saw, and I KICKED Stone Cold’s ASS!” — Vince McMahon
“We love our fans, so there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for them, and we go directly to them.” — Vince McMahon
“From a person standpoint, the old expression of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger is somewhat true.” — Vince McMahon
“I don’t mind paying people more for something if we’re getting more. But just to change a deal because you’re greedy and you want more? No. I’m not gonna go along with that.” — Vince McMahon
“If Stone Cold was to become champion, as of now, that would be a public-relations corporate nightmare.” — Vince McMahon
“You had some unexpected help. You had help from God! Essentially, it became a handicap match! Me vs you and God!” — Vince McMahon
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