- From: Greenwich, Conn.
- Career Highlights: Chairman and CEO of WWE; WWE Championship; Royal Rumble winner (1999)
He’s the boss, big cheese, head honcho, high muck-a-muck, top dog, man upstairs, taskmaster, ringleader and kingpin all rolled into one. Since purchasing Capitol Wrestling Co. from his father in 1982, The Chairman has built his empire ruthlessly and efficiently, dispatching all who stand in the way of his entertainment sovereignty — from Ted Turner and WCW to HBK and God.
During the ’80s, Mr. McMahon transformed WWE from a regionally-run business into a national juggernaut, bringing wrestling into the mainstream and pioneering the use of pay-per-views in the process. In the ’90s, he launched the ever-popular Attitude Era, highlighted by his rivalry with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. By 2001, he purchased rival WCW. And ever since, he’s entertained the WWE Universe in more ways that can be counted, clashing with D-Generation X, Randy Orton, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Donald Trump and even his own children, Shane and Stephanie.
McMahon’s been blown up, buried beneath an exploding stage, shaved bald and fingered as Hornswoggle’s illegitimate father. He’s given away millions of his own money, locked lips with Rikishi’s posterior and withstood the pain of being relieved of his day-to-day duties by his own son-in-law, Triple H and WWE’s Board of Directors.
The WWE Chairman’s been battered, humiliated, rendered incontinent (thanks, Stone Cold) … and yet he plods on like an evil Rocky Balboa, refusing to go down for the count. Belligerent, cocky, always spoiling for a fight, Mr. McMahon is the personification of steel balls. He walks to the ring like he’s got a pair, and WWE fans love him for it.
