In the mid-late 90s, professional wrestlers had 2 major companies to choose from- WWF and WCW, to pursue a lucrative career.
As of today, hey, there are several places to work, but there’s only just one place for business if you know what we mean. And with TNA being sued by a different party every single week, career opportunities are looking bleaker than ever for the sports entertainment world.
Now, it is rumoured that Vince McMahon wants to take over TNA, to get a hold of their video library and put it on the WWE Network.
But if these rumours are true, this won’t be the first time that he’s purchased a company in his quest to monopolise professional wrestling. This educational article will travel through time, and take a look at all the companies that Vincent Kennedy McMahon has bought over several long years.
#5 ECW
Today, we only relate Paul Heyman with Brock Lesnar. But the beast’s advocate once ran his own wrestling promotion, a company that catered to the more vocal, hardcore fan who wanted wrestling entertainment that did not cater to kids.
In doing so, ECW became a name that is spoken of with great fondness even today, known for revolutionising breakneck action and hardcore wrestling. For all its acclaim, the company only lasted a total of 9 years, before Paul Heyman would declare bankruptcy and Vince McMahon would purchase the company.
Also read: Why buying TNA doesn’t make sense for WWE
ECW would be relaunched by Vince McMahon in the year 2006, and run until 2010 when it would be replaced by NXT. Several ECW stars went on to become big WWE names, such as RVD and Rhyno.
#4 Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a company that was purchased by Vince McMahon in 1984 but has since been re-purchased by the Hart family. Many of the most renowned names in WWE came from there, including Bret Hart, Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart and of course, Chris Benoit.
It was started by Stu Hart as far back as 1948, and except for a year when Vince McMahon took over; was mainly a Hart family run company. What’s funny is that while WWE had purchased the video library from Stampede Wrestling, and added the footage to the WWE Network only last year, it was removed soon afterwards.
Apparently, Bret Hart had contacted the company and said that all the footage of his own matches belonged to him. McMahon has pulled down all footage until the matter is resolved amicably.
#3 Maple Leaf Wrestling
This promotion, run at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, was only unofficially called Maple Leaf Wrestling. It was run since the 1930s by Frank and John Tunney. John Tunney passed away soon after, and Frank Tunney owned the promotion until his passing.
Following which, their sons aligned themselves with Vince McMahon who agreed to produce shows for the promotion. The Sheik, Gene Kiniski, Bruno Sammartino and Johnny Valentine were some major players from Maple Leaf Wrestling. '
Vince McMahon, in 1995, would decide to run shows without the involvement of the Tunneys. The final show happened in 1995, at the famous Gardens.
#2 WCW
Even today, the name WCW touches a sore spot in the WWE top brass. Based in Atlanta, Georgia; the company, owned by Billionaire Ted Turner would decide to go up against Monday Night Raw, with their own show - Nitro.
By acquiring talent that had gotten over in the WWE such as Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart, they would take the fight to Vince McMahon. Some of the biggest names from the promotion included Goldberg, Sting, DDP, Booker T, etc. all of whom eventually made WWE appearances after the sale.
The company was purchased by Vince McMahon, who cut a very passionate, borderline-shoot promo to celebrate the occasion. In fact, WCW’s nWo storyline is said to have brought about the ‘Attitude Era’ of WWE, that we love so dearly.
#1 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling was run by Jack and Jerry Brisco, with other partners. The brothers sold their stock to an up and coming wrestling promoter named Vince McMahon, in return for guaranteed job in his rapidly expanding promotion called the WWF.
This was a move that changed the face of regional wrestling and made it a nationwide craze. What followed is something known as ‘Black Saturday’. WWF’s cartoony ‘sports entertainment’ style was rejected by the more gritty Georgia fanbase, who longed for athletic competition.
McMahon, alarmed at the low ratings that his newly acquired company was getting, sold it again to Jim Crockett. When McMahon purchased WCW, he gained tapes of this company too!
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