Netflix’s new true crime documentary series, Mr. McMahon, investigates the controversial history of WWE and Vince McMahon across six gripping episodes, documenting various shocking incidents – from allegations of sexual exploitation and assault to instances of death and dishonesty.
The docuseries premiered on the streaming platform on September 25, following a lengthy development period that began with creators Chris Smith and Bill Simmons announcing the project in 2020. However, production pivots occurred in 2022 when allegations of sexual misconduct against McMahon came to light.
In light of these events, former WWE staff member Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against the WWE co-founder, alleging sexual assault and trafficking. In addition to covering these serious claims, Mr. McMahon explores many troubling incidents in the history of WWE since McMahon’s takeover.
Here’s a summary of some of the most shocking moments from the documentary. Be advised that there are spoilers ahead, and readers may find the following content disturbing.
Death in the Ring
The docuseries investigates the devastating deaths occurring both in and around the ring, highlighting critical errors that suggest the business was prioritized over performers’ safety.
Episode 4 centers on the tragic death of Owen Hart, who wrestled under his own name as well as The Blue Angel and The Blue Blazer. In May 1999, he was to descend from the rafters at the Over the Edge pay-per-view event.
Owen Hart died in 1999
Hart fell prematurely, plummeting 78 feet onto the ropes. McMahon, who participated in the documentary via interviews conducted prior to the allegations, remarked, “Thank god, for the audience, we were in a blackout. So they didn’t really see it.”
Dave Meltzer, the editor and founder of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, criticized the decision to proceed with the show, stating, “They never should’ve continued the show. One of your buddies just died… and his blood is right there.”
A poignant news clip reveals Owen’s brother, Bret Hart, recounting how he was informed his sibling’s body was wheeled past wrestlers as they entered the ring.
The finale of the series focuses on Chris Benoit, who, in 2007, murdered his wife Nancy and their seven-year-old son Daniel before taking his own life. Initially, WWE Raw aired a tribute special for Benoit, oblivious to the horrific events that had transpired.
The Chris Benoit murder-suicide shocked the wrestling community
When the full details emerged, speculation surrounded Benoit and potential steroid abuse, as WWE had a notorious history regarding such scandals. McMahon painted Benoit as a “monster,” merely stating in the Netflix interviews that he “went nuts.”
Chris Nowinski, a neuroscientist and former WWE star, discussed how brain injuries were overlooked in wrestling, and he speculated that Benoit suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) following his own concussion experience that led him to retire.
CTE is a neurodegenerative condition related to repeated head trauma, manifesting in behavioral, mood, and cognitive issues. As McMahon was publicly labeling Benoit a monster, Nowinski sought permission from Benoit’s father to examine his brain.
The analysis revealed significant brain damage resulting from Benoit’s wrestling career. Nonetheless, McMahon and Hulk Hogan maintained that these claims were exaggerated, raising further questions about wrestler safety.
The Ring Boys Scandal
Episode 2 addresses the Ring Boys Scandal, highlighted by journalist Phil Mushnick of the New York Post, who was one of the few mainstream reporters to criticize McMahon and WWE during their peak popularity.
The allegations began in 1992 when former ring boy Tom Cole accused WWE employees Mel Phillips, Terry Garvin, and Pat Patterson of sexually harassing or abusing underage teens tasked with setting up and dismantling the rings.
Mel Phillips was among those implicated in the scandal
Cole settled out of court, while Patterson eventually returned to work, with mixed perspectives on his innocence. Longtime WWE employee Bruce Prichard did not believe the allegations against Patterson, whereas wrestler Anthony White, aka Tony Atlas, alleged, “We all knew Pat was doing this stuff.”
Atlas laughed off the notion of reporting Patterson’s alleged behavior, citing his powerful position as the booker. In 2021, Cole passed away by suicide, leading his brother, Lee Cole, to continue pursuing justice. Recently, another former ring boy surfaced with allegations against Mel Phillips.
McMahon denied responsibility, suggesting Mushnick had a personal grudge. Mushnick responded in the docuseries, asserting, “I think Vince is guilty of aiding and abetting the Ring Boy Scandal. At best, he’s guilty of gross negligence.”
Women in WWE Treated Like “Toys”
Mr. McMahon draws attention to the alarming treatment of female wrestlers and McMahon’s overall behavior towards women, including his own family members.
Atlas candidly admitted, “We abused the hell out of women. All of us did. They were like toys to us.” The portrayal of women in WWE, whether through degrading storylines or derogatory language from male fighters, illustrates a hostile environment.
Archives showcase how women were depicted in absurd and humiliating scenarios. McMahon’s drive for ratings led to increasingly sensational storylines, including one where Paul Levesque (Triple H) pretended to drug Stephanie McMahon, his real-life wife, during their wedding night, eliciting chants of “slut” from the audience when she later returned to the ring.
Triple H disclosed that McMahon responded to the storyline with excitement, suggesting, “This is money.” Another notably disturbing plot revolved around Linda McMahon being drugged by Trish Stratus, who was portrayed as Vince’s mistress, culminating in humiliating and degrading actions towards Linda.
All parties involved defended the outrageous storylines as mere entertainment, yet in light of genuine allegations regarding the treatment of women in WWE, it underscores the deeply ingrained toxic culture within the organization.
Trish Stratus pretended to drug Linda McMahon
As reported by Meltzer, Sable (Rena Marlette Lesnar) departed during her peak popularity and sued WWE for $110 million, citing sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions. In an unexpected turn, she withdrew the lawsuit and returned to the company, prompting a storyline where Stephanie chastised her father, labeling Sable’s motivations as “all about money.”
When questioned about the allegations against Sable, McMahon claimed, “I don’t remember much about Sable… It’s kind of a blur.” Earlier, the series spotlighted Rita Chatterton, who was known as the first female referee in WWE and accused McMahon of raping her, a claim that struggled for media attention amid other scandals.
Rita Chatterton accused Vince McMahon of rape
McMahon and his wife sued Rita for defamation, a lawsuit eventually dropped. In the docuseries, McMahon stated it was consensual, claiming any alleged incident happened outside the statute of limitations. Another dark incident mentioned occurred with wrestler Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend died in their hotel room in 1983 under suspicious circumstances that went unprosecuted.
Meltzer remarked on the forensic pathologist’s suspicions of homicide, speculating whether McMahon’s power influenced the situation.
Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan Caught in Lies
While many discussions in Mr. McMahon were filmed before the more recent sexual misconduct allegations against Vince emerged, numerous claims by both McMahon and Hulk Hogan (Terry Gene Bollea) are shown to be misleading or deceitful.
Both reiterated their narrative about the legendary 1987 WrestleMania III, positioning it as the pro-wrestling equivalent of Woodstock, topped by Hulk’s match against Andre the Giant.
Hulk Hogan faced Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III
According to their accounts, the event attracted more than 93,000 fans in attendance, claiming “nobody had beaten or body-slammed Andre before.” However, Meltzer quickly debunks their assertions, stating that Andre had actually lost multiple times and that the audience number was closer to 73,000.
Hulk claimed, “Wrestling is not fake, it’s predetermined, it’s exhibition,” emphasizing the physical toll it takes, having undergone 23 surgeries over ten years. However, later in Episode 6, as Benoit’s injuries were discussed, McMahon’s and Hulk’s insights differed significantly.
McMahon dismissed reports of Benoit diving into the ring as staged, insisting, “That’s complete work,” while Hulk reiterated the physicality involved in wrestling, arguing there indeed could be real damage.
All of the Sexual Assault Allegations Against McMahon
Though the documentary mentions the allegations against McMahon in Episode 1, it delves deeper into details in the finale.
Wall Street Journal reporters Ted Mann and Joe Palazzolo, who initially broke the story, contextualized the allegations with the public persona of Vince and his “Mr. McMahon” character.
Mann stated, “Vince’s public persona… was intentionally outrageous, and tied up in all of that was this notion that he was just rapacious and sexually deviant.”
Palazzolo added that part of their investigation uncovered prior allegations, including one from 2006 where a tanning salon employee accused McMahon of exposing himself and groping her. Though he denied the allegations, the case was ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence, and later, a WWE storyline emerged parallel to the incident.
As the recent allegations unfolded, it became public knowledge that McMahon paid $12 million to four women to suppress accusations of sexual misconduct. Among these, one former wrestler alleged coercion into oral sex and a subsequent contract cancellation upon refusing McMahon’s advances, receiving $7.5 million.
After these revelations, McMahon announced his retirement, contrasting past interviews where he derisively remarked about other retirees, stating, “I have no sympathy for people like that. So, go die.”
In another poignant juxtaposition, Prichard critiqued the initial cuts of the documentary for misrepresenting McMahon, who has now faced a fresh lawsuit from Janel Grant, claiming McMahon sought sexual favors in exchange for employment.
Grant’s suit includes severe allegations, asserting that McMahon “defecated on Ms. Grant during a threesome” and pressured her to continue performing sexual acts under degrading circumstances.
The lawsuit claims WWE profited from McMahon’s alleged actions, branding Grant “as a sexual commodity.” In the series, Wall Street Journal journalist Khadeeja Safdar noted graphic evidence provided by Grant demonstrates a blatant disregard for accountability by a high-ranking executive.
Despite denying the allegations, McMahon stepped down from his position as further accusations continued to emerge, including those from Ashley Massaro, who accused WWE of neglecting her rape allegations and subsequently took her own life.
Massaro’s attorney subsequently released a statement, claiming that McMahon was known for making sexual advances and, when rejected, would create storylines to embarrass her.
Ashley Massaro’s attorney shared a statement following Grant’s lawsuit
The documentary concludes with an indication that McMahon is under federal investigation, and Grant has opted to pause her lawsuit until the investigation concludes.
Leading up to the Netflix release, McMahon criticized the documentary, calling it “misleading.” Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, countered by describing McMahon as “delusional” and vowed to ensure Grant receives her day in court.
Ann Callis, attorney for Janel Grant, the former WWE employee and sexual assault and human trafficking survivor, responded to @VinceMcMahon tonight: https://t.co/lAUIGBt6yp pic.twitter.com/rZNn19U9Zl
— Kendra Barkoff Lamy (@kabarkoff) September 24, 2024
“Vince McMahon physically and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted, and human trafficked Janel Grant for more than two years. Calling his horrific and criminal behavior ‘an affair’ is delusional and nothing more than a sad attempt to save his shredded reputation,” she stated.
“Although Ms. Grant has not seen the Mr. McMahon docuseries, we hope it shines a bright light on his abhorrent and criminal actions by accurately portraying the realities of his abusive and exploitative behavior. Ms. Grant will no longer be silenced by McMahon. Her story, though deeply troubling and exceptionally painful, is one that can help other abuse survivors find their voices. We seek to hold McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE accountable and to give Ms. Grant her day in court.”
Mr. McMahon is now streaming on Netflix. For more true crime updates, explore stories like the current whereabouts of Jailbreak’s Casey White, potential future true crime narratives the Monster creators may cover, and whether smartschoolboy9 was ever arrested.
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