Wrestling has been a popular form of entertainment for centuries, and the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is one of the most well-known wrestling promotions in the world. As the top professional wrestling promotion in the United States, it has brought fans thrilling shows and major matches since its formation in 1952. This post will give an overview of the history of the WWE and take a look at some of the famous wrestlers, championships, events, storylines, and more that make up this legendary brand.
Introduction to WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American media company that focuses on professional wrestling. It was founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd., later renamed to World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). In 2002, it became known as World Wrestling Entertainment when it acquired WCW and ECW.
The WWE produces both live and pre-recorded professional wrestling events such as Raw, SmackDown Live, NXT, and pay-per-views like WrestleMania and SummerSlam which are broadcasted worldwide through their network partners. They also host special events such as Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Additionally, they produce original programming such as documentaries and movies related to wrestling.
Today, the WWE is considered one of the leading entertainment companies with millions of followers all over the world. Some of the Legends of Wrestling include John Cena, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker who have played key roles in making WWE one of the most successful and profitable sports/entertainment industries today.
Early History of WWE
In the early days, WWE’s main competitors were regional territories like Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid South Sports and Stampede Wrestling. During this time period, WWE relied heavily on the legacy stars from other territories to help them build credibility. Wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan would go on to become household names throughout the 1980s and 90s.
It wasn’t until Vince McMahon Jr., son of founder Vincent J. McMahon, took control of the company in 1984 that things started to change. McMahon made aggressive moves to expand the company’s reach nationally and internationally by introducing cross-promotion with various other wrestling organizations. He rebranded WWF as WWE in 2001 in order to keep up with changing times.
This new era also saw superstars come into prominence like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Trish Stratus who helped further promote the brand’s popularity around the globe. With these stars taking center stage, WWE began experimenting with different formats including tag team tournaments, ladder matches and Royal Rumbles, creating larger than life characters in the process.
The Attitude Era & Modern Day WWE
One of the biggest periods in WWE’s history came during what is known as ‘The Attitude Era’. This period featured groundbreaking moments such as Stone Cold Steve Austin versus The Rock rivalry and a much edgier product that appealed to audiences across all age groups. Furthermore, this period established major Superstars like Edge and Christian, DX (Shawn Michaels & Triple H), Mick Foley and others who changed how viewers perceived wrestling forever.
Over the years WWE continued to grow its fanbase by producing exciting content such as weekly episodic television shows featuring creative story lines involving many memorable feuds between fan favorite characters such as Daniel Bryan vs Bray Wyatt or CM Punk vs John Cena. Nowadays WWE has multiple divisions including RAW, Smackdown and NXT providing fans with more action-packed match ups every week.
Additionally, WWE Women’s Division has become increasingly prominent over the past decade. Today there are numerous female performers across all three brands competing for titles such as Becky Lynch (Raw Women’s Champion), Bayley (Smackdown Women’s Champion) and Charlotte Flair (NXT Women’s Champion).
Notable Figures & Stars Of WWE
As mentioned before, many superstars have played important roles in helping shape what we know today as WWE. Two of those superstars are John Cena and Brock Lesnar whose long running feud went down in history as one of the best ever. Other noteworthy figures are Ric Flair, Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio who left an indelible mark on pro wrestling through their signature moves and innovative techniques.
Other notable women wrestlers include Stephanie McMahon, Chyna, Lita and Sasha Banks who paved the way for future female stars in the business. Lastly, commentators Jim Ross and Michael Cole along with color commentator Jerry Lawler helped create a unique atmosphere inside any given arena whenever their voices could be heard over the loud speakers.
Divisions, Brands & Current Champions
Currently, WWE consists of four divisions namely RAW, Smackdown Live!, NXT UK and NXT each having their own separate championships and title holders such as Universal Championship (Brock Lesnar), Intercontinental Championship (Dean Ambrose), Cruiserweight Championship (Tony Nese) among many others.
These divisions also feature exclusive brands such as Monday Night RAW produced by USA Network, Friday Night Smackdown aired on Fox Network, NXT Takeover events televised exclusively on the WWE Network service and PPV events like Summerslam and Wrestlemania hosted by major cities across America every year.
Events & Storylines
Along with their weekly episodic TV programs WWE also puts together major events such as Survivor Series where several teams compete against each other under elimination rules; Money In The Bank wherein participants compete for a briefcase containing a contract granting them a championship opportunity; Royal Rumble where 30 participants battle for a shot at winning a world championship title; and Hell in a Cell matches held inside an enclosed steel cage structure suspending above the ring itself.
Throughout these events, fans are presented with entertaining storylines featuring unique matchups between superstar talent that often result in surprising outcomes. Such plot devices have allowed fans to stay engaged throughout the years even after certain stars retired from active competition.
Popularity of WWE
Since its inception in 1952, WWE has maintained strong viewership numbers consistently throughout its broadcast history earning high ratings during major event telecasts alongside establishing itself as a powerful force within pop culture due to its diverse array of Superstar personalities and dramatic plot points featured within their weekly programming lineup.
Moreover, despite being criticized for promoting violence through its content, countless studies have shown that wrestling helps develop self-confidence while teaching younger generations valuable life lessons regarding respect and teamwork amongst other values associated with healthy lifestyles such as fitness, nutrition etc…
Conclusion
From its early days back in 1952 when it was still known as WWWF till now when it goes by the name of WWE, professional wrestling has experienced tremendous growth becoming one of the most beloved forms of entertainment in recent times. Thanks to key players like Vince McMahon Jr., legendary figures such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and modern day stars like Seth Rollins; millions of people tune into each show eagerly awaiting what surprises might happen next in addition to getting closer to their favorite wrestlers than ever before.