For decades, Vince McMahon was recognized as the voice of World Wrestling Entertainment. Behind the scenes, he was a ruthless businessman who changed the industry forever by taking his company national (and later, international) and putting old school territories out of business, He was a master promoter, capable of making stars household names unlike any of his peers. More importantly, he was a visionary, a pro wrestling mastermind who understood the direction the industry was moving and was able to steer his promotion that way and ensure its success. In the mid-1990s, however, McMahon's company had stumbled tremendously. His company had been rocked by a steroid scandal and a rare failure to know his audience had led to insultingly bad gimmick characters debuting on a weekly basis. Trash men, plumbers and a mantaur invaded the company and fans everywhere rolled their eyes and flipped the channel to WCW Monday Nitro, the primary competition of McMahon's Monday Night Raw and a program gaining momentum on a weekly basis. By the end of 1996, WWE would be on the receiving end of a monumental ass kicking that had some questioning the company's ability to recover. Over the course of the next year, the product would improve exponentially but ratings and business had not followed suit. As the show took an edgier, more adult approach, McMahon's presence on Raw increased. By the end of 1997, he would be one of the most despised men in all of WWE, thanks to his role in the Montreal Screwjob and the birth of the Mr. McMahon character. As the egomaniacal character, McMahon went to war with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin on a weekly basis, leading to the second major boom in company history and its most financially successful period. The Attitude Era was born of the anti-authority, rebellious and edgy nature of the product and none of that was possible without having the Mr. McMahon character for the talent to rage against. It was only a matter of time before the promoter and play-by-play announcer added "wrestler" to his resume and he did that in January 1999 when he competed in the Royal Rumble match. It was the start of an in-ring career that exceeded expectations. A master storyteller, he makes up for his physical deficiencies and lack of in-ring experience by generating reactions from the fans and telling stories they can instantly and easily relate to. Over the course of his career, he has taken part in some of the most thrilling, entertaining and compelling matches in WWE history with a variety of opponents. Whether it was a bloody cage match with Steve Austin, a heated street fight with son Shane or a masterpiece of crowd manipulation against daughter Stephanie, McMahon has earned the reputation of one of WWE's best big-match performers. With it looking more and more likely that we have seen the end of the boss' in-ring career, take a stroll down memory lane and relive the his 10 greatest matches!
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
