It all started after the Second World War, when Jess McMahon (Vince’s grandfather) founded the Capitol Wrestling Corporation
WWE is unquestionably the leading wrestling company in the world today. A story that was born after the Second World War, when Jess McMahon (Vince’s grandfather) founded the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. 78 years have passed and WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) will be available live only on Netflix from April 1st. Everything happened in the middle, between moments of crisis and absolute domination, for a company that today summarizes the history of a predetermined discipline (the outcome of the matches is decided at the table), but with real athletes and performers with physical, technical and acting skills.
the first years
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The WWE world between 1950 and the 70s was completely different from the current one. Fewer characters, more a style close to what the actual fight was. Among the various name changes, the company was the WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) headed by Vincent J. McMahon, the father of Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the man capable of changing everything. In the 70s one of the most popular wrestlers was undoubtedly Bruno Sammartino, nicknamed “the living legend of wrestling”. A pride for Italy, given that the multiple champion was born in Pizzoferrato, a town in the province of Chieti (and there is a commemorative statue of him right there). But it was in the early 80s that everything changed.
the gimmick era
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In 1980 Vince McMahon founded Titan Sports and in 1982 he also bought his father’s company, changing history forever. McMahon’s main move was to sign Hulk Hogan, who thanks to his appearance in Rocky III had a national notoriety that few others could match. Vince understood that it was necessary to give a connotation to the characters, characterizing them clearly. He created the concept of the “face” – the good guy supported by the public who represents the spotless hero – and the heel – the bad guy willing to do anything to win -. Wrestlers began to be attractions for their skills on the microphone and their characters. Andrè The Giant, a gigantic athlete, was another character loved by fans. With him The Iron Sheik, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior and many other icons of the golden era, defined as the Gimmick Era (building a personality for each athlete). McMahon, in 1985, went further, inventing what is still the biggest attraction in Wrestling today: WrestleMania. A sort of SuperBowl of the discipline, a paid event where every year the most important storylines concluded and the most anticipated matches took place. It was a winning idea since March 31, 1985 and already became iconic two years later, with Hulk Hogan’s famous bodyslam on Andrè The Giant, in what was defined as the first WrestleMania Moment.
the first crisis
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After a triumphal decade, things began to change in the 1990s, when the public began to tire of overly caricatured characters and WWE’s first economic crisis arrived. WcW (World Championship Wrestling) was born, a rival federation that began to grab the most important stars of the WWE. We turned towards the New Generation, an era in which McMahon’s company tried to create new stars. Young and technical fighters, with great mobility and spectacular in the ring. The two symbols were Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. But Nitro – WCW’s Monday night program – beat Monday Night Raw, the flagship show of the Stamford (Connecticut) company, for 84 consecutive weeks in the ratings war. A total change was needed and Vince McMahon came up with the twist.
the screwjob of montreal
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Survivor Series 1997 is the most controversial event in WWE history, the moment in which the “bad” character of Mr. McMahon was born. Bret Hart would leave WWE 24 hours later, going to WCW and the agreement was that the Canadian would lose the title to Shawn Michaels the next night on Raw, but not in front of his people. But Michaels, Triple H, McMahon and referee Earl Hebner all agreed on what was called the ScrewJob. Hart is imprisoned in the Sharpshooter but does not give in, even though the bell rings. Everyone runs out of the ring and Shawn is crowned champion. Bret spits on Vince McMahon who receives a lot of boos. The next evening Vince understands that it’s time to bring that real hatred into the storylines and become the despotic and evil boss within the show. It is the definitive turning point because it facilitates the rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, icons of what is called the Attitude Era. More foul language, more violent matches, controversial characters: it is the cocktail that allows WWE to win the ratings war and buy both WCW and ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling).
RUTHLESS AGGRESSION
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In 2002 WWE obtained an absolute monopoly among the wrestling majors and decided to launch some young people who would become legends. From Brock Lesnar to Batista, from Edge to Randy Orton, passing through John Cena, who retired on December 13th last year and is recognized as “the greatest of all time”. In 2003-2004 the broadcast of SmackDown on Italia 1 represented the great boom in Italy, with characters such as Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio and Undertaker who were loved by the younger ones.
Today
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20 years have passed and the WWE (it was called the World Wrestling Federation until 2002) has lived through other eras. Pg Era with a product more aimed at children, much criticized by long-time fans. The rise of Cm Punk with his “real” promos, the Women’s Revolution and then Evolution, with great space for women’s wrestling, up to the Main Event of WrestleMania 35 played by 3 women (Lynch, Flair and Ronda Rousey). On May 31st there will be Clash in Italy, the first Premium Live Event in history in Italy (Inalpi Arena in Turin). Today, thanks to WWE Unreal on Netflix, it is possible to see what’s behind a great wrestling match or story. Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are just some of the leading figures of the current WWE, which as its slogan says is “First, today and forever”.
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