The Promotional Lineage of WWE

[writtenin1981]

Reading through Ballyhoo and researching the early days, I am starting to wonder if there can be a direct or broken lineage between Jack Curley (one of the first major wrestling promoters of the 20th century) to the modern day World Wrestling Entertainment.

Jack Curley was one of the key promoters in New York and he was in direct competition with a wrestling group affiliated with Toots Mondt.

Later, Curley and Mondt became promotional partners.

Following the death of Curley, Mondt became the key promoter in New York City and partnered up with Jess McMahon.

One or both of them ended up forming Capitol Wrestling Corporation as the New York branch of the National Wrestling Alliance.

Jess' son, Vincent J. McMahon was brought into the fold, as well, partnering up with Mondt to run New York.

Mondt was removed from the company sometime in the 1960s and Vince Sr. took sole control over it was the World Wide Wrestling Federation and we know how that evolved from there.

Even though there are some breaks due to disputes and passings, it seems to me that the modern WWE has a direct link back to Jack Curley in whole or in part.

Jack Curley ---> Toots Mondt ---> Jess McMahon ---> Vince McMahon Sr. ---> Vince McMahon Jr. ---> TKO Corporation

 

[Skyefire]

Despite WWE's claim the Buddy Rogers became the first WWWF Champion by winning a tournament in Rio De Janeiro, actually the New York promoters had previously recognized the NWA World Champion as their champion until Buddy Rogers lost the belt to Lou Thesz in a one-fall match whereas typically at the time most title matches were two out of three falls. McMahon (and Mondt?) used this as an opportunity to break away from the NWA and create their own world championship with Rogers as the champion.

 

[Sky]

Why can't promotional splits like that happen more often these days? Would make the wrestling world more interesting

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Honestly Toots Mondt is a far more interesting character than anyone else in wrestling history, I think. He was an above-average wrestler who singlehandedly devised the prototype for modern wrestling, traveled the world over, and had business dealings with nearly everyone in the industry, from the NWA to the McMahon family. He's probably the most consequential booker of all time.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Why can't promotional splits like that happen more often these days? Would make the wrestling world more interesting

I think you're right. I guess that was one of the neat things about the territory days. Just about everyone was part of the NWA so they could leave if they wanted to. It would be neat if like Smackdown decided to split with WWE and be it's own company.

 

[Skyefire]

Why can't promotional splits like that happen more often these days? Would make the wrestling world more interesting

Because everything's gone corporate these days.