Netflix's the doc has such shocking reveals, as Vince demanding his son Shane to stab him at dinner, it didn't need to try hard to make that impression.

Whether his sins were behind closed doors or in front of the public's eyes, there's plenty to judge Vincent Kennedy McMahon about. As much as the high points of his career made him the billionaire he is today, the low points almost made him lose everything. The following are just a few examples of the more questionable Vince McMahon actions, from TV antics to much more serious things, that continue to leave a bad taste in people's mouths to this day.

10 Richard Belzer Lawsuit

A Blemish on WWE's First Media Run

A first impression means everything, and as the first WrestleMania dawned upon the world, WWE was in an opportunity to promote itself to the mainstream public. Of course, as David Shoemaker expressed in the Mr. McMahon documentary's first episode, "Junior," these wrestlers were not media trained, and "pro wrestling wasn't quite ready for primetime." These people were not coached on how keeping their cool in tense situations or to properly conduct themselves in front of a live, non-wrestling crowd.

So, when a pre-Law & Order Richard Belzer questioned the legitimacy of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan was quick to show him a legitimate chin lock, one that would legitimately knock the comedian out, causing him to bang his head on the floor. Belzer would sue Hogan after the fact, but even before the lawsuit, it was not a good look for Vince or the WWE. For a lot of people, this was their first time seeing Hulk Hogan or any wrestler, as it only inspired them to further judgment about the business.

9 Role in the Ringboy Scandal

Did Vince Cover It Up?

In 1992, multiple WWE officials - namely Mel Phillips, Terry Garvin, and most infamously, inaugural Intercontinental Champion Pat Patterson - were accused of sexually abusing underaged boys in the company's ring crew. Allegedly, these boys were only hired on the promise of sexual favors, and without them, the boys were out of work. Former employee Tom Cole blew the whistle on the alleged operation.

While Vince McMahon himself was not at the center of this scandal, the Chairman still found himself under scrutiny for the fact that it all went down under his establishment, supposedly unnoticed. Even worse is the implication that he - at worst - aided and abetted those in the scandal and - and worst - showed neglect by turning a blind eye. McMahon would settle with the lawsuit, firing Garvin and Phillips while Patterson was allowed to resign, but eventually returned.

8 Murray Hodgson's Firing

The Case That Brought Vince to the Phil Donahue Show

Coinciding with the status of the RIng Boy Scandal, Murray Hodgson was a Detroit radio DJ who won the opportunity to work for the WWE as an announcer via a Billboard Magazine contest. Hodgson made his way to WWE HQ to sign a two-year deal, but only spent mere weeks with the company. Hodgson would publicly declare that the reason for his firing was because he refused to sleep with then-Vice President Pat Patterson upon request.

Hodgson brought his allegations to the Phil Donahue Show, where he'd be ed by Vince in a heated conversation. Vince outright said Murray was fired because he wasn't good at his job. Whatever the truth was, Vince came off as cold as uncaring while he dismissed Hodgson's concerns that harassment was taking place under his nose.

7 Rita Chatterton Rape Case

The Overlooked 90s Scandal for WWE

Around the same time as the infamous Ring Boy Scandal, Vince himself would be wrapped at the center of another serious accusation. 1992 saw the company's first-ever female referee, Rita Chatterton (ring name Rita Marie), divulge to talk show host Gerald Rivera that the WWE Chairman had sexually abused her, using her contract as leverage to force her into having sex with him. He allegedly threatened to blackball her from the industry had she not satisfied him to completion.

Vince would deny these allegations both at the time and in the doc, where in the second episode - "Heat" - he makes a point to say that had it been assault, the statute of limitations would have run out by the time she confessed. He claims that whatever happened between him and Rita was consensual, hence why he and Linda McMahon sued Rita for defamation. However, when the statute of limitations was temporarily lifted for this type of crime in the state of New York in 2023, Vince settled with Chatterton for an undisclosed amount.

6 The Steroid Trial

The Case That Almost Ended Vince's Career

Out of all the damning allegations to take place and be mentioned so far, this is the one that caught the mass public's attention. By 1994, Vince McMahon would face the biggest scandal yet, one that almost ended himself and the WWE. He was indicted by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on suspicion that he was illegally supplying steroids to his wrestlers.

This was on the heels of the federal government going after George T. Zahorian, WWE's ringside doctor, for illegally distributing steroids. Had he lost this case, Vince would have faced 11 years in prison and over $500,000 in fines on each count. Vince was famously saved by Hulk Hogan's testimony. After obtaining immunity from the government, on the assumption that he would accuse McMahon, Hogan denied all claims in court.

5 The Montreal Screwjob

The Scandal That Changed Everything

While not the first "screwjob" to take place in WWE (Mr. McMahon's third episode made sure to remind viewers about the Wendi Richter vs. The Spider controversy), it's by far the most infamous and one of the turning point moments in the history of the WWE. The Montreal Screwjob sent a ripple effect of change across the WWE with a lasting impact, including incorporating Mr. McMahon as an onscreen character.

In a business such as pro wrestling, instances such as this have always happened. Still today, some people put the blame on Bret Hart for refusing to lose the title when Vince asked him, ahead of his move to WCW. However, those in and out of the business nonetheless looked at Vince McMahon's insistence on going behind his performer's back in such a public manner as slimy behavior from a boss. It made his character out to be more of a villain, yes, but it wasn't a great reflection of the real man.

4 The Owen Hart Tragedy

Letting the Show Go On

There's a phrase in show business that suggests that no matter what, the show must go on. Ideally, though, there's an unspoken line regarding that mindset that probably shouldn't be crossed. The night of Over the Edge 1999 is the night where most people would agree that Vince McMahon crossed that line. On this night, in front of 16,472 fams at Kemper Arena, Owen Hart fell to his death from the rafters in a stunt gone wrong.

Despite the fact that the ring was lathered in Owen's blood and it had become a literal, active crime scene that needed to be investigated, Vince kept the show going. There's an uneasy atmosphere in the air from the performers and fans alike that makes uncomfortable viewing. Vince defended his decision to keep the night going even in the documentary, 25 years later, making it all the more controversial.

3 The XFL Goes Bust

Vince's Public Failure

While his grandfather Jess McMahon and his father Vince McMahon Sr. had done additional work in the boxing industry, the McMahon family legacy was firmly rooted in wrestling. Vince McMahon Jr. decided to shake the table and expand his horizons by founding his own football league, the Xtreme Football League, adding a wrestling flair to America's most loved sport.

While the XFL had a great first week, it was also doomed for failure from the start. Few wrestling fans care about football and few football fans care about wrestling, so there was a disconnect from all possible audiences. The quality of the football was very low, and no amount of antics and spectacle could make up for that. This was, at the time, the most embarrassing, public failure that Vince ever experienced, and the company ceased operations just one season after opening.

Vince re-opened the XFL as a minor league with eight teams in 2018, but filed for bankruptcy in 2020, on the heels of the pandemic. Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson led a consortium to purchase the XFL for 15 million, and the league reopened operations in 2023.

2 First Retirement + Hush Money Allegations

The Original Reports of a "Consensual Affair"

The case regarding Janel Grant has already been well-documented by now, but when the news first broke, there was a lot that people were left in the dark about. Initial reports would suggest that this supposed affair with a then-anonymous employee was a consensual one. The controversy at the center of Vince's name was "merely" regarding his use of $3 million worth of company money as a hush money payment.

An investigation from the WWE Board of Directors would reveal that Vince paid a total of $12 million in hush money to at least four different women. The hush money and sexual misconduct allegations were enough to put a blemish on Vince McMahon's legacy, eventually leading to his first retirement from the wrestling business. And then, those allegations got worse.

1 Second Retirement + Sex Trafficking Allegations

Vince's Legacy Is Tainted Forever

Vince McMahon would return to WWE within six months to begin the process of selling the company to Endeavor, merging with UFC to create the umbrella company TKO. This seemed another masterstroke from the genius, as Vince apparently outplayed those same board who pressured him into leaving six months earlier, making an impressive 9 billion profit.

However, amid this process, after Janel Grant's name and identity were outed publicly by tabloids, she sued Vince along with the US District Court for the District of Connecticut alleging that Vince McMahon sexually assaulted and trafficked her to other WWE employees. Vince also allegedly pressured Janel into g an NDA, which is illegal under the Speak Out Act.

Once the lawsuit emerged, Vince would resign from TKO, which, for now, marks his final retirement from the world of pro wrestling and the company he founded. The investigation is still ongoing, but as graphic details were made public, it left a bitter taste in the mouth of anyone who ever praised Vince for his contributions to WWE.