Who Founded WWE?

Vince McMahon Sr. founded WWE in 1952. His son, Vince McMahon Jr., took over the company in 1982 and turned it into a global phenomenon.

Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon is the current Chairman and CEO of WWE. He founded WWE in 1980 with his wife Linda McMahon. Linda and Vince McMahon have two children together, Stephanie McMahon and Shane McMahon. Vince McMahon is also the father-in-law of Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

Vince McMahon Sr.

Vince McMahon Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter and executive, and the founder of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). He promoted the culture of pro wrestling, built it into a major industry, and helped transform it into entertainment for television audiences.

Linda McMahon

Linda McMahon is an American businesswoman who is the co-founder and former CEO of WWE. She is a two-time U.S. Senate candidate, losing to Democratic incumbent Richard Blumenthal in 2010 and to Democratic challenger Chris Murphy in 2012. McMahon was born on October 4, 1948, in New Bern, North Carolina, the daughter of Evelyn and Henry Edward McMahon. She has two siblings: brother Edward Jr., and sister Patricia.

The World Bodybuilding Federation

Vince McMahon Sr. was the one who originally founded the World Bodybuilding Federation in the 1970s. McMahon Sr. was a former athlete who had also been involved in promoting boxing and professional wrestling. The World Bodybuilding Federation was created with the goal of holding bodybuilding competitions for both men and women.

Lou Albano

Lou Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. His career spanned 30 years, lou beginning his professional wrestling career in 1953 as a singlet-wearing “toughguy” wrestler. Through the 1960s and 1970s lou became well known for his work as a tag team wrestler. Lou also worked as a singles wrestler from time to time, winning the WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship in 1969. Lou also won titles outside of WWF including the AWA Tag Team Championship with Tony Garea in 1970, the NWF World Tag Team Championship with Rocky Johnson in 1974 and he was a five-time NWA World Tag Team Champion.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) was an international professional bodybuilding organization founded in 1990 by Ben Weider and Jim Manion, with Arnold Schwarzenegger as its first president. The WBF ceased operations in 1992.

The World Wrestling Council

WWE was founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as the World Wrestling Council (WWC). The company was originally based in Washington, D.C., but it later relocated to New York City in 1963. WWE is currently the largest professional wrestling company in the world, and it is also one of the most popular entertainment companies.

Gorilla Monsoon

Gorilla Monsoon was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play commentator, promoter and referee best known for his work in the World Wrestling Council.

Born Robert James Marella in Cleveland, Ohio, Monsoon is of Italian descent and was orphaned at a young age. He was adopted by a family in Glens Falls, New York and attended Glens Falls High School. He dropped out of high school to enlist in the United States Air Force, but was later discharged for being underage.

After his discharge from the Air Force, Monsoon became a professional wrestler. Using the name “Gino Marella”, he debuted in 1961 for All-Star Wrestling in California. He later moved to Pennsylvania and wrestled for various promotions there under multiple personas, including “Mr. Magnificent” and “The Italian Hercules”. In 1964, he defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship, but lost the title back to Sammartino two days later.

Pedro Morales

The World Wrestling Council (WWC) is a professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. WWC also promoted in the Virgin Islands and Dominican Republic. Founded in 1973 by Carlos Colón Sr., it is the oldest wrestling promotion still in existence in Puerto Rico. His son, promoter Carlo Hugo Colón Struggle, took over the company upon his retirement in 2008.

The company’s headquarters are located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. WWC has held many notable events and produced many notable wrestlers throughout its history. Among them are Abdullah the Butcher, André the Giant, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero, The Honky Tonk Man, Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, Ric Flair, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker.

The American Wrestling Association

The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promoting company founded by Verne Gagne and Oscar Goodman in 1960. It was based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and recognized as a regional promotion throughout most of its existence.

Verne Gagne

Verne Gagne was an All-American collegiate wrestler at the University of Minnesota. After college, Gagne joined the Marine Corps and served during World War II. When he returned home, Gagne decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

Gagne began wrestling in 1949 and soon became one of the biggest stars in the business. He quickly rose to the top of the American Wrestling Association (AWA), which he founded in 1960. Gagne was the AWA World Heavyweight Champion 10 times and is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

In addition to his success in the ring, Gagne was also a successful promoter and businessman. He ran the AWA for almost 30 years, until he sold it to Vince McMahon Sr. in 1988. Gagne continued to promote wrestling until his retirement in 1995.

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is one of the most iconic figures in the history of professional wrestling. He was Born Terry Gene Bollea in 1953 in Augusta, Georgia, Hulk Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977, working for the American Wrestling Association (AWA) under the tutelage of legendary wrestler Verne Gagne. In 1979, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and quickly became one of the biggest stars in the organization.

He won his first WWF championship, the WWF World Heavyweight Title, in 1984 by defeating The Iron Sheik. He would go on to hold that title five more times over the course of his career. Hulk Hogan was also a member of The Mega Powers, a tag team with WWF Champion Randy Savage that dominated the tag team division in the late 1980s. In 1988, he left WWE to join rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he quickly became one of that company’s top stars as well.

In 1996, he returned to WWE (then known as the World Bodybuilding Federation) and recaptured the WWF World Heavyweight Championship from The Ultimate Warrior. He held that title until 1998, when he lost it to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV. Hulk Hogan retired from wrestling in 2003 but made sporadic appearances for WWE until 2015.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

Vincent Kennedy McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter and executive, American football executive, businessman, and film producer. He is the majority owner, chairman, and CEO of WWE, and founder of Alpha Entertainment, which is the holding company of the XFL.

Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, writer, performer, marketer, promoter, luger and professional wrestling personality. He is best known for serving as the editor and publisher of the ECW Magazine, as well as the founder and principal owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1992 until its eventual folding in 2001.

Tommy Dreamer

Tommy Dreamer is an American professional wrestler, promoter, and actor. He is the founder, owner, and operator of House of Hardcore. He is signed with WWE as a producer.

Dreamer’s first professional wrestling experience came in 1992 when he answered an ad in a local newspaper for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) tryouts. He was not selected for WCW, but did catch the eye of ECW owner Tod Gordon who was impressed by Dreamer’s passion for wrestling. In February 1993, Dreamer made his debut for Gordon’s NWA East promotion. In September 1993, he debuted for ECW and quickly became one of their top stars. He had several hardcore matches with various opponents including Raven and Sandman.