Rumours started swirling a few weeks ago that WWE had a major surprise still to reveal for WrestleMania. Supposedly this was something on par with the wrestling comeback of Stone Cold Steve Austin after 19 years.
What could this mean? With no hint of a match for The Rock, Triple H or Undertaker, fans were stumped. Things became clearer when it transpired that Vince McMahon himself might be on the card.
The WWE chairman is apparently set to mix it up with announcer Pat McAfee, with Austin Theory involved in some capacity. A Vince McMahon match has always been a special occasion. The WWE boss has wrestled more than 50 matches – but none since 2010.
If and when the 76-year-old McMahon does step between the ropes it will be a sight to behold. Why not refresh your memory with some of Vince’s most memorable outings?
6. vs Bret Hart (March 2010)
Remember, the title of this article said memorable – not good! Vince McMahon’s last wrestling match to date is probably one of his worst. But the history behind his real-life falling out with Bret Hart has become wrestling folklore.
The pair, and various others, have given their thoughts on the ‘Montreal Screwjob’ many times. Hart and McMahon left things on terrible terms in 1997 and few expected them to work together again.
They did exactly that when Bret returned to WWE in 2010, prompting a feud which culminated at WrestleMania 26. The match was, in short, diabolical. That was no great surprise. After all, they had a combined age of 116, and Hart had valiantly overcome a number of health issues.
For all the years it seemed impossible, seeing Vince McMahon and Bret Hart share a ring again was truly a moment.
5. Royal Rumble (January 1999)
Not many people can claim to have won the Royal Rumble in only their fourth match – but Vince McMahon can!
At the height of the WWF’s Attitude Era, the tyrannical Mr McMahon was determined to stop Steve Austin at all costs. No more was this on display than at the 1999 Royal Rumble.
The matches on the pay-per-view played second fiddle to the show-long story of McMahon and Austin. The arch-rivals were the first two entrants in the match and, after a convoluted series of events, the final two as well.
Plenty of smoke and mirrors were employed to mask the fact that McMahon was a non-wrestler of advancing years. Nevertheless, he triumphed and won an entertaining, one-of-a-kind Rumble.
4. Shawn Michaels and ‘God’ (April 2006)
WWE usually pulls out all the stops to get celebrities involved with WrestleMania. Who would have guessed that they would book the biggest name of all for a mere Backlash pay-per-view?
I think we can all safely assume Vince McMahon is not a God-fearing gentleman. That was certainly the case in 2006 when he put himself in one of WWE’s most ridiculous matches ever.
McMahon started feuding with Shawn Michaels, a real-life born-again Christian. The WWE Chairman leveraged Michaels’ newfound religious side into the programme, naming ‘God’ as Michaels’ tag-team partner.
‘God’ sadly no-showed Backlash which led to a handicap match beatdown by the heels. But not before Vince and Shane paid a very sacrilegious trip to a church as part of the build-up. Sacrilegious but hilarious, especially when Vince used the holy water to mimic son-in-law Triple-H’s famous water-spit.
3. vs Hulk Hogan (March 2003)
Place this alongside the McMahon-Hart match for sheer history. With the exception of Hart and Austin, if any one performer has the strongest link to McMahon it is Hulk Hogan.
Hogan’s return to the WWF in late 1983 coincided with McMahon taking full charge of the company. From that period on, the two were responsible for the meteoric rise of pro wrestling in the public consciousness throughout the 1980s and into the 90s.
They then had a well-documented parting of the ways, as McMahon looked to move away from Hogan as his top star. This culminated with Hogan signing for the competition and giving evidence against McMahon in his federal trial.
The idea of the pair facing each other would have seemed like nonsense at one point. But once Vince started working matches and Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 it was inevitable.
It finally happened in 2003 when McMahon and Hogan slugged it out in a 20-minute street fight. Not their finest work, but a notable occurrence in wrestling history for sure.
2. vs Triple H (September 1999)
McMahon has placed himself in matches and feuds to help build up other people. This is an eminently sensible way of doing things given the heel heat he can generate, and his limitations. Presumably he is hoping to give McAfee and Austin Theory the rub by doing just this.
In this role McMahon is usually most effective as a heel. One of his most significant wrestling outings saw him on the other side of the fence.
In the autumn of 1999, Triple-H was being built up as the top heel in the company – with mixed results. So McMahon did what he would do many times over the years and sacrificed himself to the benefit of one of his pet projects.
On the fifth-ever episode of SmackDown, a babyface McMahon triumphed over ‘The Game’ in an emotional, over-booked epic. He even won Triple-H’s WWF Title into the bargain.
This was all done do get Triple-H to ‘monster heel’ level. He would get there soon enough, thanks in large part to McMahon’s help.
1. vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (February 1999)
Quite simply the greatest wrestling feud of all time, to fans of a certain generation at least. The chemistry between Austin and McMahon was one of the key components behind wrestling’s resurgence in the late 1990s.
As soon as McMahon realised Austin’s worth, he smartly built his company around the tough Texan. On-screen, he was the perfect foil for the ‘Rattlesnake.’ It was the supreme leader vs supremely anti-authority, and fans lapped it up.
After the shenanigans of the 1999 Royal Rumble, Vince relinquished his title shot so as not to face fellow Corporation member The Rock. Vince though he could handpick his replacement.
Alas WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels informed him the spot would go to the Rumble runner-up…Austin. Austin then put his title shot on the line for a chance to pummel Vince one-on-one. This is what it was like in the late 90s!
That pummelling took place in (and outside) a steel cage at the St Valentine’s Day Massacre pay-per-view. An epic brawl ensued, including that memorable moment of Vince falling off the cage and through an announce table. It didn’t really need Big Show’s debut at the end, but this was won for the history books.
To make sure you stay updated with all the latest wrestling news, add WrestleTalk.com to your Google Discover feed and follow us on Twitter!
Comments.
Loading comments…