Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
On January 15th, 1970…a baby boy was born…but not just any boy…a boy with McMahon as his last name. He was named Shane Brandon McMahon and he was the first born of Vince and Linda. His father Vince was a 3rd generation promoter just starting to get his feet wet in the family business. Shane was the golden child….one day destined to be a 4th generation promoter and take over the business.
It started out that way as Shane began his tutelage in the WWF’s warehouse….learning the business from the ground up. Shane quit his Dad’s growing company to go find a job with better pay. His father Vince knew he would return one day…
Shane did indeed return to the WWF in 1990 and became a referee named Shane Stevens. He also began sitting in creative meetings with his Dad and Pat Patterson…learning all of pro wrestling’s nuances. Shane was slowly being groomed to be the heir apparent to his famous father one day.
The birth of Shane O’Mac
Shane not only learned the ropes behind the scenes…he also learned them inside the squared circle. The character of Shane O Mac became a human highlight reel for all the same insane moves he pulled off. Whether it was taking a belly to belly suplex through plate glass…taking a bump off the titan tron or doing his version of the Van Terminator…Shane electrified audiences with his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty.
There are several interviews where wrestlers and former creative writers for the WWE sang the praises of working with Shane in the ring and out of it. He was willing to sacrifice himself to put others over. He was outgoing, friendly and most importantly approachable. While Vince McMahon was more of a larger than life personality, Shane was someone people genuinely liked and wanted to hang out with.
Shane has admitted in past interviews that he was the type that wanted to be everyone’s friend…not feared. No doubt, Shane’s impending regime was going to be much different than his father’s.
Shane Shocks The World
In 2009, Shane McMahon did the unthinkable…he resigned his position from the WWE. Why? How? It certainly left many shocked and surprised considering how many thought he was the heir apparent to his Dad. In some respects, perhaps Shane felt that if he stayed with the WWE, he would never be able to move out of the shadow of his father. In truth though, Shane wanted to see if he could succeed on his own. No longer having the safety net of the WWE or Vince McMahon.
In the late summer of 2010, Shane made the announcement he was hired as the new CEO of China Broadband aka You on Demand. He was responsible for securing Hollywood studio deals for China’s on demand service. His new position, a far cry from taking bumps inside a wrestling ring. Shane has since stepped down as CEO to allow a native Chinese executive to take over. He still remains on the board of directors.
Shane has his hand currently in several business ventures. When he isn’t behind a desk, he is at home with his wife Marissa Mazzola-McMahon…herself a former WWE on air personality and with his 3 boys…Declan, Kenyon and Rogan. The big question remains…will Shane McMahon ever return to the WWE and take his place on the throne? Perhaps…perhaps not. His sister Stephanie and brother in law Paul Levesque (Triple H) have since been groomed as the next generation of leaders. If there is one thing we’ve learned from watching WWE television throughout the years is…never say never. Anything can and most likely will happen in the WWE.