10 Most Powerful People in the Pro Wrestling Business

#1 Vince McMahon Jr.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon

Who is he?

The CEO of the WWE, the world's largest pro wrestling promotion, but that's just the tip of the ice berg.

There's a good chance that if you watch wrestling today, you do so because of the efforts of Vince McMahon in the 1980s.

Frustrated with the limitations of the old territorial models of the pro wrestling industry, Vince McMahon decided to expand nationally across the USA.

This rankled a great many of his fellow promoters, but since McMahon broke no laws there wasn't much they could do but consolidate themselves. By and large two entities divvied up the lion's share of the old territories, Jim Crockett Productions and the WWE.

JCP would eventually be sold to Ted Turner and re branded World Championship Wrestling.

McMahon used the Rock and Wrestling connection and the surging popularity of MTV networks to leverage the WWE into the national spotlight. He took wrestling out of bingo halls and into major arenas, and helped make the industry that much bigger.

The biggest challenge to the WWE came in the form of WCW during the Monday Night War.

History tells that McMahon won the Monday Night War and bought out his competition, thus becoming the most powerful figure in pro wrestling history.

Influence he has in the pro wrestling industry: Mr. McMahon is often backstage at every Raw and Smackdown, overseeing every nuance of the performance from top to bottom. He can make or break careers, and continues to influence almost every aspect of sports entertainment.

There you have it; Ten of the most powerful and influential people in wrestling. Questions or comments? Please leave them after the article and as always thanks for reading!