Longtime WWE CEO Vince McMahon voiced his frustration with how he is being portrayed in an upcoming Netflix Inc NFLX series.
What Happened: In a tweet, McMahon's first post on X.com since April 3, 2023, the 79-year-old wrestling promoter didn’t seem pleased with an early cut of the series set to premiere Wednesday, Sept. 25.
"I don't regret participating in this Netflix documentary. The producers had an opportunity to tell an objective story about my life and the incredible business I built, which were equally filled with excitement, drama, fun, and a fair amount of controversy and life lessons. Unfortunately, based on an early partial cut I've seen, this doc falls short and takes the predictable path of conflating the ‘Mr. McMahon' character with my true self, Vince. The title and promos alone make that evident," McMahon said.
See below.
Netflix is set to release the six-part docuseries "Mr. McMahon" on Sept. 25.
For about four decades, McMahon led World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, through various eras — including the peak of its popularity in the 1980s. But a series of controversies over the last two years led the legendary wrestling promoter to step down as CEO, retire from the company, sell the company, come back as executive chairman and leave the company once again.
Netflix began producing the series in 2020, before some of the controversies about McMahon came to light. McMahon resigned as WWE CEO in 2022 after reports emerged that he had paid millions in hush money to women over alleged affairs and sexual misconduct.
"WWE experienced record-breaking highs and crushing lows under Vince McMahon's leadership. This docuseries delves into the mogul's controversial reign," Netflix states.
McMahon, one of several former and current wrestling personalities interviewed for the series, says Netflix misrepresents items and leaves important items out "in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused."
"The producers use typical editing tricks with out of context footage and dated soundbites etc. to distort the viewers' perception and support a deceptive narrative,” he says.
McMahon hopes viewers of the new series can "keep and open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story."
Why It Matters: WWE merged with the parent company of UFC last year. The two sports leagues were later spun out as the publicly traded TKO Group Holdings TKO.
McMahon was named executive chairman of TKO. He stepped down from the board this past January after facing allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault.
The docuseries also comes ahead of WWE’s $5 billion, 10-year Netflix deal that begins in 2025. The streaming giant will be the home of WWE content like "Monday Night Raw." It will also get access to other shows, series and WWE content.
"Mr. McMahon” comes from director Chris Smith, who executive produced the Netflix hit “Tiger King.” Smith and sportswriter Bill Simmons serve as executive producers on the new series.
"Over the four years of production, the story evolved in truly shocking ways, culminating in some extremely harrowing allegations. The final product is a revealing documentary that we believe offers a rich and nuanced portrait of the man and the complex legacy he left behind," Smith said.
Former and current WWE figures that were interviewed for the series include Hulk Hogan, Dwayne Johnson, Steve Austin, John Cena and Bret Hart are
Price Action: Netflix stock trades at $707.06 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $344.73 to $715.66. Netflix stock is up 51% year-to-date in 2024.
TKO stock trades at $121.25 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $72.34 to $125.49. TKO stock is up 52% year-to-date in 2024.
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