Wrestling would not be what it is without the genius of Vince McMahon. The chairman of WWE pioneered the modern wrestling business when he killed the territories in the 1980s and made Hulk Hogan the biggest star in wrestling history (he even wrestled Hulk Hogan in one of his last matches in 2003).
Then, when losing to WCW in the ratings in the 1990s, he created the Attitude Era, propelling future greats like Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H into household names and some of wrestling’s biggest stars. He eventually toppled WCW, bought the company and pilfered it’s top stars to make wrestling first real monopoly, until companies like ROH, TNA and AEW threatened their dominance in the United States
However, McMahon was not just a genius behind the curtain. He also stepped inside the ring from time to time, even winning the WWE Championship, ECW Championship and Royal Rumble match. He even stepped into the ring with WWE Champion CM Punk in one of the last Vince McMahon matches ever. Well, it was Vince McMahon’s last match in his career, until the 76 year old decided to step into the ring one last time at Wrestlemania 38.
Vince McMahon’s last match
Vince McMahon’s last match in WWE was at Wrestlemania 38 in 2022, when he faced off with WWE Commentator and former NFL kicker Pat McAfee. McAfee has just defeated Vince McMahon’s protegee Austin Theory, before he challenged Mr McMahon to a match. McMahon reluctantly accepted, before pinning the former NFL player in the middle of the ring.
The last Vince McMahon match was one of his worst. Being 76 years of age, the former WWE Champion became the oldest male wrestler in WWE history. Only Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young wrestled a match as old as McMahon, with Mae Young wrestling into her 90s!
The bout was rumored for many months in the lead up to WrestleMania, although nobody could quite believe it was going to happen. Vince hadn’t wrestled since a clash with CM Punk in 2012, and even then it was clear that a man of his age should not be in the ring. Most people brushed aside the rumors, thinking he would merely be in the corner of Austin Theory as he did battle with Pat McAfee.
They were half right. He did accompany Theory in his loss against Pat McAfee, but the former NFL punter called out McMahon after his victory. Stripping off his suit to reveal the classic black vest that he used to wrestle in, the WWE Chairman demanded that the timekeeper ring the bell before Theory attacked McAfee from behind.
Vince McMahon won his last match when he kicked a football into the face of Pat McAfee. It was his last ever match in wrestling, and the fans were just glad to see him back in the ring for one last bout.
After the match, Vince McMahon was confronted by Stone Cold Steve Austin, who first shared a beer with McMahon before hitting him with a Stone Cold Stunner. This harkened back to their years as fierce rivals in the Attitude Era, and put a definitive end to one of the greatest rivalry’s in WWE history.
While Vince McMahon’s last match was a great Wrestlemania moment, it was also one of the worst WWE matches ever. Joining the likes of Undertaker vs Goldberg and Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler, it is in the company of some of the most horrific pieces of television ever seen.
However, that didn’t really matter. It was fun seeing Vince step into the ring one last time (despite the allegations against him that forced him to retire from the WWE), and even more fun seeing him take one more “Stone Cold Stunner” from his old foe. Yes, it was the worst Stunner ever, but can you begrudge a 76-year-old for not being in his athletic prime?
Only man would be angry at you claiming Vince McMahon isn’t in his prime anymore, and that man is Vince McMahon – the oldest male wrestler in WWE history.
If you enjoyed reading about Vince McMahon’s last match, why not click this link to learn about how Vince McMahon’s first match in the WWE came about, and how he became one of the top wrestlers in the WWE!