The True Story of How it All Began

Many wrestling fans love the WWE, but few know that it actually had its start way back in 1925! That's when Roderick McMahon first began promoting boxing matches in New York. While working in boxing, McMahon met Joseph Mondt, a former professional wrestler who was working to take the sport to the next level. He added more exciting moves, found wrestlers willing to perform them, and starting making wrestling a more visible sport.

Mondt and McMahon soon formed the Capitol Wrestling Corporation, or CWC, the organization that would eventually become the WWE. In 1953, they joined the National Wrestling Alliance, giving more legitimacy to the business. It was also in 1953 that Vincent J. McMahon, Roderick's son, took over for his elderly father, beginning the tradition of a McMahon being at the helm of the company. Vincent's business genius soon saw the CWC controlling almost 70% of all NWA bookings, quite a significant number. Three years later, the CWC began its first on-air wrestling matches.

In 1963, CWC's wrestler Buddy Rogers won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. However, Mondt did not want Rogers to defend his title outside of the Northeastern region, the region the CWC controlled. Both he and Vincent wanted Rogers to hold his title; however, as a title-holder, Rogers was obligated to either defend his title or pay $25,000. He chose to defend it, and he lost the title. Upset, Mondt and McMahon decided to leave the NWA. The created the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) as a result.

Vincent McMahon became the sole head of the WWWF in the late 60's following Mondt's retirement. McMahon was still on the board of directors for the NWA, and there were several matches between NWA and WWWF champions, although most ended in such a way that no real winner was determined.

In 1979, the WWWF was revamped into the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and ownership passed to Vincent J. McMahon. The next year, his son, Vincent K. McMahon, created Titan Sports, and he bought Capitol Sports and its assets, including the WWF, in 1982. While his father wanted to keep the WWF focused on the northeastern territory, his son had other plans and began expanding the WWF.

McMahon hired celebrity Hulk Hogan and other famous wrestlers then began selling the WWF TV shows to stations and on VHS outside of the northeastern area. This brought the WWF a lot of publicity, but it also put them in conflict with the NWA and wrestling promoters everywhere, especially once McMahon started luring wrestlers away from other groups.

However, it was McMahon's experiment that created what is now known as wrestling entertainment. His WWF (now called the WWE) click this became a huge success and redefined the sport.