Vince McMahon and Donald Trump once shared a surprising WWE storyline. Back in June 2009, McMahon announced he sold WWE RAW to the future 45th and 47th U.S. President.
The shocking announcement happened during WWE RAW. Many fans believed the sale was actually real. However, that was never the case at all. WWE did not sell RAW to Donald Trump as the entire angle was created for television storyline.
Why Vince McMahon sold WWE RAW to Donald Trump
WWE had several reasons behind the unusual angle. One major goal was attracting mainstream media attention. Donald Trump’s involvement brought coverage outside the wrestling world. The company also wanted stronger television ratings.
The storyline also created curiosity among many casual viewers. Another reason was the commercial-free WWE RAW experiment. Trump announced a commercial-free episode for the fans. That decision helped generate even more buzz.
Trump was already familiar to WWE fans before. He also hosted WrestleMania 4 and WrestleMania 5 at the Trump Plaza. Fans also remembered the Battle of the Billionaires storyline at WrestleMania 23.
During the match, Bobby Lashley represented Trump and defeated Umaga. The win allowed Trump, Lashley, and special guest referee Stone Cold Steve Austin to shave Vince McMahon’s head in the middle of the ring.
The angle also gave McMahon another power struggle feud. WWE often used authority figure storylines successfully before. However, the storyline was originally expected to last longer. Instead, it wrapped up after just one week.
Donald Trump bought WWE RAW on June 15, 2009. He then sold it back seven days later. On the June 22 episode of RAW, Trump sold the show back to Vince McMahon. Within the storyline, he received double the purchase price.
With the storyline set to reach its 17th anniversary in just a few days, it remains one of the most unusual angles in WWE history.
Read More: Vince McMahon Associate Makes Bold Claim About WWE Merger Lawsuit
