Vincent Kennedy McMahon changed professional wrestling from regional carnival entertainment into a $9.3 billion global empire, only to see his legacy permanently complicated by scandal. At 79, he’s no longer the powerful WWE chairman who ruled wrestling for decades. Instead, he’s facing federal investigations, multiple lawsuits, and a dramatic fall from the very top of sports entertainment.
Born on August 24, 1945, in Pinehurst, North Carolina, McMahon spent over 50 years building WWE into the world’s dominant wrestling promotion. But his reign ended abruptly on January 26, 2024, when he resigned as TKO Executive Chairman amid explosive allegations of sexual misconduct. Today, McMahon holds no corporate role at WWE or TKO Group Holdings, and he’s separated from his wife of 58 years, though his estimated net worth still sits between $2.5 and $3.2 billion.
Biography
Vince McMahon’s early life couldn’t have been further from the billionaire lifestyle he’d eventually achieve. His parents separated when he was young, leaving him without parental stability. He spent much of his childhood in a trailer park with his mother and stepfather, facing circumstances that would have broken many people. The experience built his resilience, though it’s clear he doesn’t look back on those days fondly.
Things shifted when McMahon met his biological father, Vince McMahon Sr., at age 12. That introduction sparked his lifelong passion for professional wrestling, though it wasn’t an immediate path. McMahon initially had his sights set on the business world, which led him to pursue a Business Administration degree at East Carolina University.
McMahon struggled with dyslexia, making basic concepts more challenging to grasp than they should’ve been. But rather than letting it defeat him, he poured countless hours into developing his ideas and strategies. His determination to rise above mediocrity became one of his defining traits.
During his teenage years, McMahon met Linda, who’d become his wife and business partner. Their romance began when he was still young, and they married on August 26, 1966, when she was just 17, and he was 21. They’d met at church years earlier when Linda was only 13.
Career
McMahon started his wrestling career modestly in the late 1960s as a ringside announcer for his father’s World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). By 1971, he’d moved into the play-by-play commentator role, learning the industry from the ground up. It gave him an insider’s perspective on how wrestling actually worked, knowledge he’d use to upgrade the entire business.
In 1982, McMahon bought the WWF from his ailing father and immediately set about shattering the old regional territory system that had defined American wrestling. He poached talent from rival promotions, consolidated fan bases, and built something far bigger than what existed before. His vision wasn’t just wrestling; it was entertainment on a massive scale.
The creation of WrestleMania on March 31, 1985, was his genius for spectacle. He brought in celebrities like Mr T and Cyndi Lauper, turning wrestling matches into storytelling events that attracted mainstream attention. WrestleMania III in 1987 reportedly drew 93,173 fans to watch Hulk Hogan battle André the Giant.
His career wasn’t without serious obstacles. Federal prosecutors indicted him on steroid distribution charges in November 1993, though he was acquitted in July 1994. When WCW dominated ratings for 84 straight weeks in the late 1990s, McMahon reinvented himself as the villainous “Mr McMahon” character, creating the edgier Attitude Era that brought WWE back to the top. He purchased WCW in March 2001, ending major competition.
McMahon took WWE public in October 1999, raising $170 million. The company rebranded from WWF to WWE in 2002 after losing a trademark lawsuit. He launched the WWE Network streaming service in 2014. By 2023, he’d built WWE into a company worth $9.3 billion.
His ventures extended beyond wrestling. He attempted to launch the XFL football league twice, with the 2020 revival proving particularly costly. After investing $200 million, COVID-19 forced the suspension after just five weeks. McMahon sold the bankrupt league to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s group for only $15 million, a staggering $185 million loss.
The end came swiftly. McMahon stepped down in July 2022 amid internal investigations into alleged misconduct and undisclosed hush money payments. He reinstated himself as Executive Chairman in January 2023, positioning WWE for sale. The September 2023 merger with Endeavor’s UFC created TKO Group Holdings, valued at $21.4 billion combined.
Then came January 25, 2024. Former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit alleging sexual assault, trafficking, and coercion. McMahon resigned the very next day. The lawsuit contains explosive claims that he coerced Grant into a sexual relationship as an employment condition and subjected her to increasingly disturbing demands. A federal investigation by the Southern District of New York has been ongoing, though McMahon’s attorneys claimed it concluded without charges in February 2025.
McMahon agreed to an SEC settlement in January 2025, paying $1.7 million for failing to disclose NDA agreements totalling $10.5 million. A separate lawsuit filed in October 2024 names both Vince and Linda McMahon for allegedly enabling sexual abuse of minors in the 1980s and 1990s.
Personal Life
McMahon’s marriage to Linda endured 58 years and tremendous business pressures before finally fracturing. Linda’s attorney confirmed in November 2024 that the couple is separated, reportedly triggered by McMahon’s affair with Janel Grant. Despite the separation, they remain legally married.
Linda McMahon, now 76, has forged her own career. She was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education on March 3, 2025, following President Trump’s nomination. She previously served as head of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 and was instrumental in WWE’s growth, serving as CEO for several years.
McMahon’s two children both made their marks in WWE. Shane McMahon, 54, is no longer contracted with WWE as of June 2024. His last appearance came at WrestleMania 39 in 2023. He runs the investment firm Ideanomics and has three sons with his wife, Marissa.
Stephanie McMahon, 48, resigned as WWE co-CEO and Chairwoman on January 10, 2023, the same day her father returned to the company. She currently holds no official role, though her husband, Triple H, confirmed that she remains passionate about the business. She’s set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
The scandals have affected the next generation. Stephanie revealed on her podcast that her daughter Aurora, who’d trained with Natalya and dreamed of a WWE career, has reconsidered after “everything that happened with my dad and the business.”
Despite his fall from grace, McMahon maintains his legendary fitness discipline. At 79, he still trains seven days per week with personal trainer Michael Monteforte, often conducting 90-minute sessions at 3 am after late-night television productions. His routine combines traditional bodybuilding with CrossFit-inspired exercises, including 315-pound bent-over rows for 10 repetitions. He operates on just 4 to 5 hours of sleep nightly.
Net Worth
Vince McMahon’s current net worth is estimated at between $2.5 and $3.2 billion, according to Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth, and Sports Illustrated. That’s down from his 2019 peak of $3.2 billion, which dropped to $1.8 billion during the pandemic’s impact on the XFL.
Since the TKO merger, McMahon has systematically converted his equity into cash, selling over $2 billion in TKO stock. His sales included $670.3 million in November 2023, $411 million in March 2024, $311 million in April 2024, and $250 million in June 2025. He currently retains approximately 6.44 million shares (roughly 4% of TKO), worth around $1 billion depending on the share price.
His real estate portfolio includes a $40 million Greenwich estate, penthouses in Manhattan and Stamford, Florida property, a private jet valued at $27 million, and a yacht cheekily named “Sexy Bitch.” The XFL represented his biggest financial disaster, costing him approximately $185 million after the 2020 collapse.
McMahon has launched a new investment firm, 14TH & I Holdings, suggesting he’s not done with business entirely. Meanwhile, WWE has thrived without him. Under Triple H’s creative leadership, the company posted 2024 revenue of $2.575-$2.650 billion, with a 49% adjusted EBITDA margin. The historic Netflix deal moved Monday Night Raw to streaming in January 2025, with the premiere drawing 4.9 million global views.