For those of you following current wrestlers or just beginning to follow wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), there is a long and interesting story if you are interested in learning how it all began.
The WWE went by numerous names before it became the WWE.
- Upon its inception in the early 1950’s, it was called the Capital Wrestling Corporation. It was initially founded by Raymond Mondt and Roderick McMahon.
- In 1963, a dispute occurred, and the Capital Wrestling Corporation became the World Wide Wrestling Federation, WWWF.
- In 1979, the WWWF joined the National Wrestling Association, NWA, and along with that move came a name change to World Wrestling Entertainment.
Wrestling has nearly always been a staple on TV, dating back at least to the mid 1960’s with the lines of Verne Gagna and The Bruiser. During those days, you would often see wrestlers start out with one persona, take a short break and come back as a completely different character. It was fun for both the audiences and the wrestlers.
Some of the Biggest Names in the Industry:
Anyone that has followed wrestling is sure to know some of the most recent wrestlers like John Cena and The Rock, but there are so many other wrestlers that deserve kudos for attracting audiences early on. Here are some of the wrestlers that made a name for themselves in years past:
- Buddy Rogers (Nature Boy): Buddy was a main character during some of the first televised matches.
- Andre the Giant (The Eighth Wonder of the World): Andre wrestled from 1973 to 1987 and scored a huge fan draw. One of his biggest matches was against the up-and-comer Hulk Hogan, which he lost.
- Hulk Hogan dominated a lot of the 1980s, and had a nearly rockstar-like following. He helped gain new fans for the sport during the 1980s.
- Dwayne Johnson (The Rock): The Rock dominated the wrestling ring after watching his dad do the same. Today he is successful as a movie actor and humanitarian.
The wrestling industry is a very interesting one. With interesting characters, match-ups and rivalries. Right there in the middle of all of it was Vince McMahon. McMahon and many members of his family, including his wife, have been at the helm of the industry for years. His own daughter is a wrestler and has encouraged more females to enter the ring. Though women have had a presence early on, who could forget the fabulous Moola? But McMahon helped even more women start their careers in the ring.