The WWE is the world’s largest wrestling promotion corporation. Founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1953 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the organization now hosts more than 500 events per year across the globe. In 1982, McMahon’s grandson Vincent K. McMahon bought Capitol Wrestling and was fundamental to turning the WWE into a widespread and enduring sports entertainment product.
Initially, McMahon built up the WWE roster with future superstars such as Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper and Jesse Ventura and launched the organization’s annual marquee event, WrestleMania, in 1985. Over the years, WrestleMania has offered plenty of unforgettable moments like the Hulk Hogan-André the Giant championship match in 1987, the generation-shifting face-off between Bret Hart and “”Stone Cold”” Steve Austin in 1997 and The Undertaker’s 21-year winning streak at the event. The WWE will celebrate the 40th annual WrestleMania in 2024.
By the late ’80s and early ’90s, there was a full roster of hardcore brawlers, including Shawn Michaels, Hart, Ric Flair and “”Macho Man”” Randy Savage, who were later joined by a new crop of “Attitude Era” stars such as Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and Mankind as the organization grew into a touring juggernaut. Another infusion of talent joined the WWE during the late aughts and early ’10s, including John Cena, Roman Reigns, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey.
The WWE continued to reinvent itself as it created the separate Raw and SmackDown brands in 2002, launched various offshoot brands including the ECW and WWE NXT and introduced a 24/7 streaming network in 2014. The companies behind the WWE and mixed-martial arts promoter Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) merged into TKO Group Holdings in 2023.
