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Vince McMahon and his family have been heavily featured on WWE TV for over 20 years. The WWE Chairman has faced both his children in pay-per-view matches. He lost to Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 17 and defeated Stephanie at No Mercy 2003. Joined by matriarch Linda, the family were in the corners of the four competitors during the main event of WrestleMania 2000. They have been an integral part of the company since the Attitude Era.
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The relationship between the McMahons and professional wrestling stretches back as far as 1915. Jess McMahon, the patriarch of the family, was the first McMahon to promote wrestling, although he was more famous as a boxing promoter. Vincent Sr. took advantage of his father's popularity in the Northeast territory to grow his Capitol Wrestling Company. Vince Jr bought the company, known then as World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), and turned it into what is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment.
Despite their long-term exposure and fame, there are still a few facts that are not widely known about the first family of modern professional wrestling.
Here are five things you need to know about the WWE Chairman's family.
#5: Vince McMahon's mother and brother died exactly one year apart:
Vince McMahon lost his mother on January 20, 2022. Vicki Askew sadly passed away due to natural causes at her home in The Woodlands, Texas. She was 101 years old.
Exactly one year earlier, Vince's elder brother Rod McMahon passed away for reasons unknown, leaving behind his wife of 54 years and two sons, Rome and Troy. He was 77 years old. Like his younger brother, Rod was a successful businessman, owning a family venture called North American Metals Inc.
It's safe to say that January 20th is a date that carries a lot of emotional weight in the McMahon family.
#4: Vince McMahon did not get along with his stepfather
Vince McMahon was named after his biological father. However, for the first 12 years of his life, he did not know Vince Sr. He lived with his mother and stepfather who was abusive towards her.
The WWE chairman has since stated that this was one of the factors that motivated him to look for his father and work hard to get his mother away from his stepfather's abuse. When news of his stepfather's demise surfaced, Vince McMahon reportedly expressed no sympathy for him.
The former XFL owner may be a giant in sports entertainment, but the on-screen persona and successful businessman was forged by a turbulent past.
#3: Vince McMahon started his first Wrestling promotion with wife Linda
Many people know the story of Vince McMahon's acquisition of the WWWF from his father. However, not many are aware that the future WWE champion already had a wrestling promotion under his name.
Titan Sports was founded by Vince and his wife Linda McMahon around 1980. When McMahon bought the WWWF from his father in 1982, he merged it with his young company. He went on to capitalize on the promotion's territorial popularity to take the company, which he renamed WWF, to a national audience. This would eventually lead to the worldwide entertainment powerhouse that is now the WWE.
It is clear that the entrepreneurial spirit runs strong in the McMahon blood.
#2: Vince McMahon's father did not agree with his vision of professional wrestling
It's no secret that Vince McMahon looked up to his father. The sports entertainment mogul grew up idolizing the senior McMahon, and even joined the business to foster a closer relationship with him.
After acquiring the WWWF, the now 76-year old Vince had a vision of taking the sport into the mainstream and building talent with crossover appeal. McMahon Sr. was not in favour of this philosophy. He opposed Hulk Hogan's appearance in Rocky III, fearing that the influx of other industries would dilute the professional wrestling art form.
Though they shared a love for the business, their business ideals were substantially different.
#1. Vince McMahon's children may not replace him in WWE
Vince McMahon's children hold management positions in WWE. Stephanie McMahon is the company's Chief Branding Officer while Shane is a minority owner. The Billion Dollar Princess's husband, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, is Chief Operating Officer.
For years, it was widely assumed that the three of them would run the company after the billionaire's retirement. Over the years, speculation about who would take over the roles CEO and Chairman have thrown new names into the mix. WWE President Nick Khan is one such name.
"It's kind of a board of directors thing, but you know, probably (Nick Khan replacing Vince), yeah. Unless they went and hired somebody else from the outside, but probably Nick Khan, yes,". h/t Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio.
It is almost certain, however, that the McMahon family will remain majority shareholders and keep on working in the company.
