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Vince McMahon was instrumental in making WWE the global juggernaut and multi-billion dollar industry. Aside from his long tenure behind the scenes as an executive and creative head, McMahon was a prominent figure on television.
The former Chairman of the Stamford-based promotion was a color commentator, an on-screen authority figure, a special guest referee, and a performer. Considering the wide array of roles he has fulfilled, McMahon has interacted with superstars across generations.
Some of his interactions resulted in the 78-year-old receiving a beating. In this list, we narrow down five instances where Vince McMahon got beat up on WWE television:
Disclaimer: This list is far from exhaustive and only represents the views of the author alone.
#5. Stone Cold Steve Austin stuns Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 38
It is impossible to discuss Mr.McMahon's on-screen character without bringing up his historic and thoroughly entertaining rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Austin-McMahon saga defined WWE's Attitude Era and laid the footprint for future employee-employer programs in the coming years.
From Stunning his boss in the ring to invading his hospital bedroom, Austin went to extreme lengths to humiliate Vince McMahon in his prime. Watching McMahon eat a Stone Cold Stunner was a common feature during The Attitude Era, but this list includes the latest one.
At WrestleMania 38, the aged McMahon stepped into the ring to face Pat McAfee. He won the match by kicking a ball into McAfee's stomach. The former Chairman celebrated in the ring with his on-screen protege, Austin Theory, before the sound of breaking glass resonated through the stadium.
The Texas Rattlesnake came out to dish out another beating on his former boss. Austin first stunned Theory, who sold it much like The Rock did in his prime. The Hall of Famer turned his attention to McMahon.
McMahon suffered a similar fate, but the 78-year-old sold the move in an unconventional manner that saw him stumble all over the ring. Nevertheless, the sight of old-time rivals sharing the squared circle again was a magical experience.
#4. Kevin Owens assaulted the former Chairman on SmackDown in September 2017
From one rebellious figure to another, Kevin Owens is considered the modern version of Stone Cold Steve Austin in many ways. His no-nonsense behavior and lack of respect for authority drew parallels to The Texas Rattlesnake in his prime.
Naturally, the McMahon family bore the brunt of the torment. While KO's rivalry with Shane McMahon is well-known, Owens also put his hands on the former Chairman of WWE during an episode on SmackDown in September 2017.
As tensions between Shane-O-Mac and Kevin Owens escalated, Vince McMahon showed up on SmackDown to resolve the dispute and work out a deal with the former Universal Champion.
Unfortunately, Owens was not in a cooperative mood. Upon shaking hands with McMahon, he head-butted his boss and followed it up with a devastating Frog Splash.
This built-up heel heat heading into KO's encounter with Shane-O-Mac. However, it was surprising to see McMahon take such a scary bump.
#3. AJ Styles punched Vince McMahon on SmackDown in December 2018
After AJ Styles lost the WWE Championship to Daniel Bryan in November 2018, the creative tried adding fuel and energy to The Phenomenal One's character.
On the final show of 2018, Mr. McMahon invited Styles to his office for a chat. However, this quickly turned into The Boss belittling the former WWE Champion and slapping him across the face. The Phenomenal One retailed it with a stiff blow to the face, knocking the former Chairman to the ground.
This was a short-lived angle, as WWE never built up on that angle. It would have been intriguing to see the potential angle the company would have taken with both men. Either way, Styles was one of the many brave men who stood up to Vince McMahon in the most physical way possible.
#2. Randy Orton brutally assaulted his boss in January 2009
According to the wrestling fan base, the 2009 version of Randy Orton is considered one of the best heels in WWE history. The legendary performer's ruthless aggression and malice were in full force during his program with Triple H on The Road to WrestleMania 25.
The Apex Predator went to extreme lengths to torture the McMahon family. Fans may recall The Viper delivering an RKO Stephanie McMahon before kissing The Billion Dollar Princess in front of her handcuffed husband. However, a less-forgotten misdeed saw Orton attack Vince McMahon.
The Boss was about to fire the 2009 Royal Rumble winner for the disrespect. Unfortunately, Orton slapped him across the face and laid McMahon out with the Punt Kick.
#1. Roman Reigns Superman punched Vince McMahon, en-route to winning the World Title in December 2015
In 2015, WWE was adamant about pushing Roman Reigns as ''The Face of the Company" in a loveable underdog babyface role. Unfortunately, the promotion faced severe fan backlash.
The backup plan saw Reigns enter a feud with the McMahon family. After viciously attacking Triple H at TLC 2015, The Big Dog was confronted by the returning Vince McMahon, who promised to put the star in his place.
McMahon booked Reigns for a title match against Sheamus in December 2015. The Boss tried to interfere during the match but ate a massive Superman Punch. The Big Dog won the WWE Championship to a nice ovation.
Fans loved this side of Reigns that had little regard for others, which included authority figures. Eventually, they turned Roman heel, and he became The Tribal Chief.
