Some of you may remember in the beginning of 2022 there was talk of someone doing a documentary about former WWE Chairman and principal owner Vince McMahon. By the time that announcement was made, Vince had agreed to Executive Producer Chris Smith's request that WWE have no oversight with the documentary's production.
Then VInce McMahon was forced step aside as WWE Chainman later that year due to a very public scandal. About 9 months later, WWE's sale to Endeavor was announced during Wrestlemania 39 weekend. Vince McMahon quietly returned to WWE a few months earlier to facilite the company's sale.
Endeavour, which was the parent company of MMA juggernaught UFC at the time bought WWE for $9.3 Billion. Then then created TKO to oversee the corporate operation of both WWE and UFC. As we would find out by September 2023, Endeavour not only likely knew Vince's legal issues would catch up to him but created a plan to surgically remove him from WWE and TKO when the time was right.
Then the latest lawsuit involving Vince, John Lauranitis and Brock Lesnar happened. For those who might not know, Lauranitis became the stepfather of Nikki and Brie Garcia (FKA the Bella Twins) about 10 years ago when he married their mother. They recently rebranded themselves as Nikki and Brie Garcia (Garcia is their maiden last name) mostly for copyright reasons as well as to publicly close the door on the last 16 years they spent involved with WWE but I digress.
Lesnar was already on hiatus when the lawsuit he was named in went public. No question both his attorneys and WWE's attorneys have advised him to wait until the public and media attention on him being a part of that situation dies down before they discuss bringing him back. There's been rumblings over the summer WWE may be looking to have him back for Wrestlemania 41. Given what happened with Gable Steveson--which also ultimately ended the NXT career of his younger brother--WWE is being very careful with when and how they reintroduce him in WWE.
If the rumors and speculation are to be believed, we could see Lesnar return as soon as during the 2025 Royal Rumble. You could have him drop in, see how the crowd reacts and go from there. As soon as Lesnar is out of the woods legally, I think that'll be enough for WWE to look into bringing him back. He was not named as a defendant like Vince and Laurenitis were but that could change later.
Lesnar has been pretty candid about the fact outside of work-related obligations, he keeps to himself backstage. He's not antisocial but he does nothing more than the bare minimum at work. Nothing more or less. While he has opened up publicly and showed the world a new side of himself since his return to WWE in 2022, he's still the same guy he's been over the last 23 years.
The reason he got along so well with Vince McMahon is because they're very similar business-wise. Lesnar was reportedly so upset when news broke Vince was being forced out ahead of the go-home episode of Smackdown before Summer Slam 2022, he almost walked out on the company. Lesnar reportedly said "If he's gone, I'm gone too" and walked out a few hours before Smackdown went on the air. He popped up in the final moments of that episode though.
It's believed Triple H and Paul Heyman intervened and talked him into coming back. Vince let Lesnar do literally whatever he wanted off-camera as that was the nature of their business relationship. This is also why the alliegations around the nature of his involvement in one Vince's current legal issues is so believable. What people do in the privacy of their own homes is no one's business but this kind of situation Lesnar got himself into...alll I can say is hopefully that isn't held against his college-age daughter if she decides to enter MMA or Professional Wrestling.
Getting back to the Docuseries. As of now it will be five episodes long with each new episode releasing on Wednesdays. In the first episode, we hear Vince's thoughts on a number of 90s-era topics as well as a few other things:
- Vince basically admits he bought steroids and handed them out to talent during the 1990s. He said it he did it because it was legal at the time and didn't see a problem with it personally. Vince and WWE were sued over that for those who might not know.
- Mark Calaway (The Undertaker) and Vince separately recall the imfamous backstage incident following The Montreal Screwjob. In short, Vince and Calaway confirm Bret Hart's account of what happened did happen exactly as he said it did: Vince approached him in the locker room, serveral superstars stepped between them and Bret knocked out Vince with a single punch to the head.
- Vince confirmed his daughter Stephanie firmly turned down a storyline idea in which his onscreen character impregnated her (!). Yes, really. You may recall 20 years ago, there was a storyline in which Vince finds out he has an illegitimate child who grew up and became a then current WWE superstar. My guess was Vince's original plan involving his daughter was changed to that.
- Getting back to Calaway. He candidly revealed in his Last Ride Docuseries he would take a bullet for Vince McMahon at the first opportunity. Vince reveals in the first episode of this Docuseries he does not believe Calaway really suffered a concussion at Wrestlemania 30 and was just in shock over The Streak ending (!). Yes, really.
- Vince spoke about constantly seeking his father's approval and didn't get it until after he bought WWE from him. Shane spoke about seeking his father's approval for much of his life until finally he accepted the fact he would never get it in the same way his sister did. A lof ot the stuff Shane did when he returned including jumping off the top of Hell in a Cell was done in his mind to specificlally earn his father's approval. He seems to since have accepted the fact that nothing he ever does will ever be "good enough" to earn his father's approval though.
- Speaking of his relationship with his son. Vince and Paul Heyman separately recall an exchange between Vince and Shane. Vince apparently handed a knife to Shane and told him he's gonna have to take the company (WWE) from the same way he took it from his own father if he wants it. As for the knife, Vince told Shane he'll have to kill him before he entertains the idea of selling the company to him.
- On a related note. She's not featured in this episode but Stephanie revealed in an interview about 20 years ago she made a mistake as an executive that really pissed off her father. She doesn't say what the mistake was but it was from that experience she learned things about how father as a serious businessman and the leader of a multi-billion dollar wrestling promotion. She meant it in an endearing and positive light just to be clear.
- Vince comments on the Rape alliegation from a former female referee in the early 1990s. He doesn't flat-out deny wrongdoing but basically said if he was guilty of committing a crime, the statue of limitations on it ran out a long time ago (!). If you ever wondered why it would be over over 20 years before WWE would hire a female referee, that incident is likely why. Former indie wrestler Jessica Carr was hired as a referee in the early 2010s. She worked first in NXT but has since been promoted to the main roster.
- Vince talked about his decision to continue Over The Edge '99 after Owen Hart plunged to his death. He said had it happened today he would have cancelled the rest of the event (he said the same thing about Mick Foley falling off the top of Hell in a Cell twice a year earlier). At the time, his thought on the decision that got him and WWE sued by Owen's widow was "These people came to see a show, not see someone die". Yes, really.
It goes without saying the documentary series will be a double shovel burial of Vince. Even more so in the aftermath of his recent legal issues.
Over a thousand hours worth of interview footage was recorded. When Vince's scandals first broke out two years ago, they recorded additional footage to reflect that and recent events. Smith will not confirm or deny if he interviewed the plaintiff at the center of Vince's scandal likely to generate intrigue.
Kevin Nash and Mark Calaway both have podcasts that update Sundays (YouTube) and Mondays (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.). I'm sure Nash will comment on it but it'll be interesting to see if Calaway does. Due to how close he and Vince are--he insisted Vince be the one to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame--don't expect Calaway to publicly say anything negative about his former boss now. You might not like it but you should respect it.
Aside from Mick Foley, most WWE legends and hall of famers have largely refused to say anything negative about Vince publicly. As Nash and Ric Flair separately put it, Vince is the reason they don't have to worry about money for the rest of their lives. It's understandable most would be made to feel like they're biting the hand that fed them. Even more so for active WWE talent who have largely avoided commented on Vince's legal situation despite him being GONE gone from WWE.
At this point there's growing speculation from some legal scholars Vince may be opening himself up to future legal trouble with the self-incriminating things he's said in just the first episode (!). Stephanie and Shane will certainly try to shield their children from this as much as they can but they probably don't have to worry too much about people messing with them because of this. Steph and Shane are both well liked and respected publicly. I doubt people will mess with their kids or give them a hard time because of the alleged actions of their grandfather.
I'll end with this and I'd remiss if I didn't comment on it.
Shane McMahon and Tony Khan met in person at an airport in Dallas this past July. They were connected via a mutual friend and that was the first time they ever spoke to each other as well. Apparently, Shane spoke to Khan about possibly having an on-screen role in AEW (!). The timing is interesting given his sister has recently started making baby steps toward possubly returning to WWE herself.
It's worth noting Shane's oldest son Declan, who plays football for Alabama State revealed last year he and his cousin Aurora (Steph and Triple H's older daughter) are in a friendly competition to see which of them will get into WWE first. What if Shane convinces Declan to become #AllElite instead? The idea of a McMahon choosing to sign with a rival promotion over WWE would break the internet and send shockwaves through the industry.
It'll be something to watch for in the next 2 to 4 years. Bron Breakker--son of WWE Hall fo Famer Rick Steiner-- went from college to NXT so there's that. Many expect his cousin--son of Scott Steiner--to follow in his footsteps into Professional Wrestling too. We'll see.
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