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Vince McMahon is one of the most intriguing and dynamic individuals on the entire planet. The stories which have emerged about him and his personality over the years are unlike any other. His control over the WWE for many decades has seen a presence and aura grow around him, which at times made him feel more than human. Every element of his personality seems to be over-the-top, and when it comes to WWE, he is someone who ensured that everything was as big as grandiose as possible, with the spectacle of WrestleMania being an example of that. However, even when it came to things such as injuries, McMahon couldn’t help but have the most obscene and strangest injuries of all time, the most infamous of which was when he tore both his quadriceps at the same time.

UPDATE: 2023/11/19 07:30 EST BY ANDREW KELLY

Shane McMahon Repeats History At WrestleMania 39

Vince McMahon tearing both his quads is certainly one of the most infamous moments of any member of the McMahon Family. However, there is more lore to be added to quadriceps and The McMahons, and history somewhat repeated itself in 2023 - a whole 18 years after McMahon initially tore his quads at the 2005 Royal Rumble. At WrestleMania 39, the “Boy Wonder” Shane McMahon followed in his father’s footsteps, though not in the way he would have hoped. Unfortunately for the man who Jim Ross would often call as Vince McMahon’s “demon spawn”, those footsteps are ones which are going to be limping for quite some time.

A Botched Royal Rumble Match Finish Brought Out Vince McMahon

Batista Was Supposed To Eliminate John Cena Cleanly

There have been a wide range of bizarre, serious, and other sorts of injuries over the years in WWE, many of which have taken place right in front of the eyes of millions of fans. When Vince McMahon tore both his quads, he did so in front of a huge audience, in one of the strangest moments in WWE history, where everyone was confused at what they were witnessing.

RELATED: Why Vince McMahon Hates Tag Team Wrestling, Explained

It all started with the 2005 Royal Rumble match. The final stage came down to two promising stars in Batista and John Cena, with fans being guaranteed to see a first time winner of the match, and someone who had not yet become a world champion. This was very exciting, indicating that a new star was about to be made. The pair went back and forth towards the end of the match, with Batista hoisting Cena up for his patented Batista Bomb. However, the weight of Cena was too much, and the momentum took both men over the top rope and to the floor in one of the biggest botches in Rumble match history.

Match Length

Winner

Runner-Up

Cagematch.net Rating

51:27

Batista

John Cena

8.26

Thankfully, the pair landed at pretty much the exact same time, so it was nearly impossible to tell who had won the match. In the aftermath, referees from both Raw and SmackDown began to raise the hands of both men, in an attempt to improvise amongst the confusion, causing a back and forth in which no one knew who had won. Backstage, things were heated, with Vince McMahon furious at what was transpiring. He decided to take matters into his own hands and head down to the ring himself to fix things.

Vince McMahon Tore Both Quads By Sliding Into The Ring

Vince McMahon Blows Both Quads Royal Rumble 2005
  • Vince McMahon's Legs Collided Awkwardly With The Apron
  • McMahon Collapsed Due To Tearing His Quads

McMahon marched down to the ring, playing up his pre-existing anger in classic “Mr. McMahon” style, ripping off his suit jacket before sliding into the ring. However, this was when disaster would strike. When he slid into the ring, his legs smacked against the ring apron, tearing both quadricep muscles in his legs at the exact same time, in a feat which is incredibly difficult and rare to do.

RELATED: The McMahon Wrestling Family Tree, Explained

When McMahon tried to reach his feet, likely acting off adrenaline, he fell straight back down, causing him to sit on the mat, unable to stand, in one of the most surreal and peculiar moments in WWE Royal Rumble history. He ordered around the referees, likely in an unreal amount of pain, making them restart the final stages of the match.

Vince McMahon’s Injury Was Severe Yet Iconic

vince-mcmahon-yelling
  • Vince McMahon Can Outshine Everyone - Even When It Comes To Tearing Quads
  • Mr. McMahon Didn't Sell His Injury

Once the match had begun again, Batista threw Cena out without much issue, ending the match how it should’ve. For McMahon, he was made to look like a mortal for one of the few times in his life, although only he could have an injury such as that. McMahon explained in an interview with Pat McAfee, that “not too many people can sever quad tendons at the same time. That takes talent. You have no use of your legs at all.” He had to go through rehabilitation to get back his ability to walk properly again due to the severity of the injury, but that alone makes it all the more impressive that he showcased no signs of pain whilst on-screen during the Rumble event.

RELATED: 5 Rival Wrestling Promoters Vince McMahon Liked (& 5 He Hated)

Whilst this wasn’t a by-the-book ending for a WWE PPV, it certainly made it even more memorable with this chaotic ending and obscene injury. It was a weird sight to see McMahon sitting in the ring whilst Batista and Cena were trying to declare themselves the winner of a Rumble match, but in hindsight, it is unlikely that fans would want it any different, as it was one of the wackiest yet iconic final stages in Royal Rumble match history.

Vince McMahon Recovered Quicker Than Triple H Did From The Same Injury

  • Many Wrestlers Over The Years Have Torn Their Quads
  • LIke Everyone, Mr. McMahon Saw His Recovery As A Challenge

The recovery time for a torn quad can certainly vary, but examples of wrestlers returning from these sorts of setbacks are sometimes quicker than the average person due to their physical conditioning. However, Vince McMahon wanted to recover even quicker than that of his wrestlers. On WWE’s hard-to-find McMahon DVD that was released in 2005, both Triple H and Vince McMahon discussed this incident from the Royal Rumble event in 2005. Triple H explained, “It was tough on him. And he’ll tell you a 1000 times and I’m sure he’ll tell you on this video how much tougher he is than me. Because he came back quicker than I did.” Marrying into the family, Triple H will have seen first hand the personality and mental fortitude of McMahon, and he was certainly right about what his father in law would say about the situation.

McMahon stated, “My son in law had something similar done, actually the same thing but only on one leg. I was determined to come back quicker than he did and I did.” There was really no need to try and come back quicker than anyone else, but this is what McMahon is like, and there is often no explanation for the weird and wacky obsession he has with certain things.

Vince McMahon Durag

Although he has perhaps looked selfish at times, he has almost always put his company first, and an example of that was here when he refused medical attention, despite the pleas of Shane McMahon, and was adamant to finish the show and that he was fine. All this just goes to show what a crazy individual McMahon is, with even his body doing abnormal things, such as recovering quicker from two torn quads quicker than the more fine-tuned Triple H was able to recover from just one.

Shane McMahon Took After His Father At WrestleMania 39

  • Quad Tearing On A Grand Stage Is Apparently Genetic
  • Shane McMahon Tore His Squad During A Match Against The Miz

It was father like son at WrestleMania 39. 18 years after Vince McMahon infamously tore his quads live on PPV in a WWE ring, his son Shane McMahon did the exact same thing. During a segment in which Snoop Dogg and The Miz announced the official (exaggerated) attendance for the event, Snoop Dogg stated that The Miz should have another match then and there. Pointing to the ramp, he brought out a returning Shane McMahon, who hadn’t been seen on WWE television for over a year after a very messy firing and exit at the 2022 Royal Rumble.

RELATED: Kurt Angle Vs. Shane McMahon: Why This Forgotten Match Is One Of WWE's Most Brutal Ever

McMahon came to the ring and began beating down The Miz - a man who he had feuded with previously. Just seconds into the match when they were running the ropes, McMahon leaped over The Miz, landed on his leg, and tore his quad. Much like his father 18 years prior, he attempted to get to his feet straight away but proceeded to collapse back onto the mat. It was an uncomfortable and awkward case of history repeating itself for a McMahon quad.

In what was quite a bizarre moment, a quick interaction between the referee and Snoop Dogg led to an improvised segment in which Snoop Dogg beat down The Miz, hit a People’s Elbow, and scored the win in the already ongoing match. This whole moment will likely be remembered for Snoop Dogg’s performance, but perhaps Vince McMahon will be happy that he isn’t the only one who had to have the unfortunate experience of getting an injury on a WWE Big Four PPV in the way that he did.