10 Biggest "What If" Scenarios In WWE History
3. What If Vince McMahon Gets Busted In 1993?
For all his flaws, Vince McMahon has always been the driving force behind WWE’s transformation from north-east regional promotion to all-conquering global superpower. He’s had his hand on everything the company’s done since purchasing his father’s ownership in 1982, but it almost came crashing down in 1994.
In 1993, the Vince faced a federal court indictment for allegedly distributing anabolic steroids to his roster. The case forced him to temporarily cede control to his wife, Linda, and it went to trial in 1994. The prosecution intended to use Hulk Hogan as a primary witness against Vince, but it backfired horrendously: Hogan testified that McMahon had never told him to take steroids, and Vince was acquitted.
McMahon was staring down the barrel of some serious jail time, however, and if it had happened, it’s hard to see how WWE could’ve weathered the storms of the nineties. Linda would’ve taken control, and while there’s little indication of how she’d run the business, Vince’s resolve and persistence were vital to WWE’s survival during the Monday Night Wars.
Does Linda have the iron will required through these troubling teams, concoct the Attitude Era, and build company-saving stars like Steve Austin and The Rock? Probably not. Most likely, WWE would’ve fallen apart without Vince McMahon, WCW would’ve won the Wars, and wrestling would be a very different sport today.