12 Times Vince McMahon's Plans Blew Up In His Face

As WWE fans, we're all at the mercy of Vince McMahon. Sure, Stephanie's been the company's head writer for several years now, leading a team of Hollywood rejects who'd rather pretend they're working on sitcoms than try to embrace wrestling, and sure, WWE loves telling us that ultimately, we're the ones who decide what happens on Raw, but at the end of the day, something only makes it to television and Pay-Per-View if Vince McMahon gives the okay. While the WWE Chairman's track record speaks for itself (luck, skill, and ruthless aggression have made him the most successful wrestling promoter of all time), one doesn't need to watch wrestling for very long to understand that he has anything but a Midas touch. Over the years - and increasingly in recent years, as McMahon finds himself aging further and further away from his target demographic - the man who globalized pro wrestling has made many mistakes. No matter how well laid his plans have been, McMahon's unique brand of ambition hasn't always resulted in more money for the boss and his company. From the superstars of tomorrow who never were to the storylines that had to be abandoned to the business ventures that didn't pay off, here are 12 incidents where Vince McMahon's plans blew up in his face.

12. "MegaMan" Tom Magee As The Next Hulk Hogan

By 1986, Vince McMahon was looking for a new top star, and he thought he found him in Canadian bodybuilder/powerlifter Tom Magee. In October of that year, the 6'5", 245 pound Magee wrestled Bret Hart in Rochester, and the result was a match that had WWE brass (and McMahon especially) fawning over the huge rookie. In McMahon's mind, Magee was set as his next world champion and multi-million-dollar drawing card. Unfortunately, Magee wasn't as capable-looking when he wasn't in the ring with Hart. Despite his athleticism and agility, he lacked any command of pro wrestling, and his subsequent matches with jobber Terry Gibbs exposed Magee's weaknesses. Soon the fans turned on him and his push started to fade. He would remain with WWE until 1990, but today he's remembered as a curiosity and a trivia note rather than the superstar Vince McMahon envisioned.