Slapping her child, stepping up to Vince – 4 most memorable moments of Linda McMahon's WWE career
WWE is one of the biggest companies in the entertainment space all over the world. Not only is their brand of pro wrestling recognized in almost every country but many of the performers have gone on to find success in other avenues.
For example, Jesse Ventura and Kane have both gotten into politics. Meanwhile, The Rock, John Cena, and Batista have become major stars in the world of Hollywood. You even have some performers, such as Chris Jericho, dabble in music.
One person who is in the headlines for non-wrestling-related reasons with ties to the Sports Entertainment juggernaut is Linda McMahon. The 76-year-old was once the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, but now she's been nominated to lead the Department of Education under Donald Trump.
While there will be plenty of debate regarding Linda's role in the United States government moving forward, it can't be debated that she made a splash in World Wrestling Entertainment. This article will look at some of Linda's most memorable moments, for better or worse, during her time as an on-screen figure.
Below are four of the most memorable moments of Linda McMahon's WWE career:
#4. Linda was Tombstoned by Kane
WWE held an episode of Monday Night RAW on July 21st, 2003, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Linda McMahon appeared and made a ruling regarding the ongoing rivalry between Eric Bischoff and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
That isn't the segment people remember from the show, however. Instead, it was the end of the show. Kane, who had recently unmasked, was meant to wrestle Rob Van Dam in the main event. Instead, once the monster was unshackled, he shockingly attacked Linda and hit her with the Tombstone Piledriver.
A Piledriver is one of the most dangerous moves in wrestling, so to see a non-wrestler like Linda take it on the entrance stage was shocking. Interestingly, both are now in politics, as Kane is a mayor. They're also both part of the Republican party.
#3. She once slapped her daughter
The McMahon family drama was a staple on WWE television throughout both the Attitude Era and the Ruthless Aggression Era. Vince McMahon was the top heel in pro wrestling during this time but his children were also focal points on television.
Stephanie McMahon gravitated towards being a villain much like her father. She "married" Triple H before the two became a real-life married couple and they were the top heels in wrestling. As such, they did anything to be looked at as truly evil.
This includes when Stephanie would taunt and belittle Linda McMahon on WWE television. At one point, Stephanie attempted to slap her mother, but Linda blocked it and hit her instead. She also slapped Shane McMahon once in a backstage segment. Needless to say, not everything she did aged well.
#2. Linda McMahon changed WWE forever by introducing the brand extension
WWE held an episode of Monday Night RAW live from the Molson Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on March 18th, 2002. This was the night after WrestleMania 18. Linda McMahon truly shook things up on this show.
Ric Flair and Vince McMahon had been battling for control over WWE for months at this point, but Linda put a stop to it. She announced the first-ever Brand Extension, which meant RAW and SmackDown would be separate brands with unique rosters, authority figures, and beyond.
The 2002 Draft was held the next week and the rest, as they say, is history. World Wrestling Entertainment would be changed forever, as there is a brand extension in effect to this very day with RAW, SmackDown, and NXT all unique shows with unique rosters.
#1. She stood up to Vince McMahon at WrestleMania X-Seven
The final entry on this list highlights Linda McMahon's role at WrestleMania 17. The WWE pay-per-view was held on April 1st, 2002, and it took place in front of over 67,000 fans at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
That show saw Vince McMahon clash with Shane McMahon in a Street Fight after years of issues between the two playing out on WWE television. The father-son clash also saw Linda McMahon wheeled out while she was in an alleged catatonic state. Wrestling was weird in 2002.
In what was one of the biggest pops of the night, the supposedly lifeless Linda rose from the wheelchair at one point and stood up to her abusive husband, nailing Vince McMahon with a low blow. From there, Shane defeated his father in what was an exciting match but one with a very strange and uncomfortable backstory, especially with the benefit of hindsight.