At one time, Vince McMahon was just an announcer to WWE audiences. See, his dad wanted Vince to learn the company and only let him work as an announcer, interviewer, and commentator. When Vince took over the company from his father, he remained a commentator and also hosted his own show on Tuesday nights. However, after the Montreal Screwjob, McMahon became a significant character.
McMahon screwed over Bret Hart at the Survivor Series and then became the biggest heel in the world when he confronted Stone Cold Steve Austin and starting the Attitude Era. Since that time, McMahon has delivered some of the best promos in WWE history. Here is a look at the 10 best promos of Vince McMahon's career.
10 "LIFE SUCKS, AND THEN YOU DIE"
This Vince McMahon promo took place on WWE SmackDown on May 9, 2000. The night before, McMahon had helped screw over Chris Jericho, and he stood in the ring with DX and his Vince's stooges. Then, McMahon asked the audience if it was fair what happened to Jericho the night before.
McMahon then launched into one of his best promos when he said that it wasn't fair to Jericho. He also said it's not fair when someone more powerful cuts in line. It's not fair when someone cuts you off and steals your parking. It's not fair that the audience is fat, and the wrestlers are beautiful. "Life sucks, and then you die!"
9 "GENETIC JACKHAMMER"
In 2000, there was a family feud ongoing between the entire McMahon family. Vince McMahon saw his daughter Stephanie turning on him, his son Shane plotting against him, and eventually, even his wife Linda sticking her nose in the family business. Linda booked a match that saw Vince pinned by The Rock in a decision that cost Triple H his world title.
In his promo the next night, Vince cut a brilliant promo where he said he understands why Linda booked this match. McMahon then disbanded the McMahon-Helmsley faction because he said Linda wanted more attention and another baby so he would be the Genetic Jackhammer she needed.
8 NWO PROMO
In 2002, Vince McMahon had lost control of WWE to his rival Nature Boy Ric Flair. McMahon knew he had nothing he could do to gain it back and finally came to a harsh realization. Flair was going to run WWE how he wanted, and McMahon could either accept that or do something drastic. On SmackDown, on January 24, 2002, McMahon decided to do something about it.
He started his promo (which was an interview) by claiming that Flair was going to kill WWE with a slow eating cancer. McMahon then said he wouldn't let Flair kill what he created so he would destroy it himself. "If anybody's gonna kill my creation, I'm gonna do it. Me and the nWo." With that, McMahon brought the nWo to WWE for the first time.
7 "DO IT THE EASY WAY OR THE HARD WAY"
On March 3, 1998, Vince McMahon officially became the evil Mr. McMahon. Stone Cold Steve Austin has beaten Shawn Michaels for his first WWE world title, and it was time for the Stone Cold era to begin. On Raw the next night, McMahon came out and introduced the new world champion to the audience.
McMahon then said that he was proud to have Austin as his world champion and that together, they could turn him into the best world champion of all-time. The McMahon dropped the bomb and said, "we can either do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way, Mr. Austin. And that's gonna be your decision." Stone Cold dropped him with the stunner, and the biggest feud in WWE history began.
6 "IT WAS ME AUSTIN"
The Corporate Ministry was running all over WWE, destroying everyone. They even tried to sacrifice Stephanie McMahon at a wedding with Undertaker. Vince McMahon had been teaming with Stone Cold Steve Austin to protect his family against this faction, led by the Greater Power. Then, it turned out to be Vince McMahon in one of the worst swerves in wrestling history.
However, the promo that he cut started as crazed and boastful as he yelled, "It was me Austin, it was me all along." Vince talked about how he made fools of everyone and then said Austin made him do this because he had to teach him a lesson. Then, Linda and Stephanie came out, and Vince switched to fearful when Linda told him she was making changes and brought out Stone Cold as the new CEO of WWE.
5 MCMAHON BUYS WCW
In the most shocking moment in professional wrestling history, audiences who watched WCW Nitro on March 26, 2001, tuned in and saw Mr. McMahon's face as he dropped the stone-cold truth that sent WCW fans into the abyss. He and WWE had acquired WCW, and this was now the final episode of Nitro in history.
McMahon then cut a massive heel promo, demanding that Ted Turner come down at WrestleMania and beg him to sign the deal. He then buried some stars, including Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, and particularly Jeff Jarrett, who he said was fired. "WCW is going on the shelf. It's going nowhere. WCW is buried! WCW will remain buried."
4 "I WANT THE OLD STONE COLD"
Four months after WWE purchased WCW and Shane McMahon started the Invasion angle as the new owner of WCW, McMahon was trying to rally his troops to battle the invaders. His key weapon was Stone Cold Steve Austin, but the Texas Rattlesnake had been neutered, following McMahon, singing songs, and acting goofy.
On WWE SmackDown on July 10, 2001, McMahon called Austin into the ring to ask him for help. Austin wanted a hug, but McMahon wanted something different. "I need the old Stone Cold." McMahon practically begged Austin to stun him, but when Austin left the ring, it showed the desperation of McMahon in this perfect promo.
3 "THE ATTITUDE ERA"
This Vince McMahon promo was not in the ring but on a soundstage, with a black curtain behind him. This took place on December 15, 1997, and McMahon officially introduced the Attitude Era. While some might consider this an "announcement," it was still McMahon introducing the most critical era in wrestling history.
This was where McMahon told the audience WWE was about the "entertainment" above the "sport." He also compared it to soap operas, Jerry Springer, and Seinfeld. McMahon said that WWE would not insult the intelligence of audiences with a simple good guy vs. bad guy formula and warned that parental discretion was important from that point on. "RAW and the War Zone are definitely the cure for the common show."
2 "RUTHLESS AGGRESSION"
The Attitude Era was coming to an end in 2002 when things started to change in WWE. This was a few years before the PG-Era began, but it was the start of that change. McMahon came to the ring on Monday Night Raw on June 24, 2002, and had wrestlers surrounding the ring, and he gave them a rallying cry.
McMahon reminded everyone that he is an unqualified success and that many of them wanted to know his secret. He said the one quality that made him successful over any other is "ruthless aggression." He reminded everyone that he beat all the territories in the '80s, beat the U.S. in court in the '90s, and beat WCW. This started the Ruthless Aggression Era in WWE.
1 "BRET SCREWED BRET"
One of Vince McMahon's best promos was in response to Bret "The Hitman" Hart and the Montreal Screwjob on WWF Raw is War on Nov. 17, 1997. While Vince believed he was in the right and he was defending WWE against Hart, fans took it differently. Honestly, this was the promo that pulled back the curtains and helped create the evil Mr. McMahon, even if that was not the intention.
McMahon started the promo by saying, "Some would say I screwed Bret Hart. Bret Hart would definitely tell you I screwed him. I look at it from a different standpoint." McMahon then went on to say that he was surprised that a "traditionalist" like Hart would not show respect to other superstars and then said, "Bret screwed Bret."