The Corporation (professional wrestling)

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The Corporation
Stable
Members See below
Name(s) Corporation
Debut November 16, 1998[1]
Disbanded April 29, 1999
(fused with the Ministry of Darkness into the Corporate Ministry)
Promotions WWF

The Corporation was a heel stable in the late 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

Contents

[edit] History

The group was put together and led by WWF Chairman Vince McMahon in an attempt to secure control of the WWF and "crush the rebels" that were popping up on the WWF landscape (such as D-Generation X, Mankind and Stone Cold Steve Austin). Previously, McMahon started surrounding himself with an entourage consisting of himself, The Corporate Stooges (Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson), Commissioner Slaughter[2] and his personal enforcer The Big Boss Man to help him quell the rebellious actions of one Stone Cold Steve Austin, whom he claimed was not acting the way that a World Champion should be. Upon the stable's formation, they became notorious for using their immense political stroke in the company to give the group vast degrees of advantages in matches. To keep with their "corporate" gimmick, Corporation members were known to adopt "cleaned-up businessmen" modifications to their individual characters; for example, The Rock's "People's Champion" modus operandi changed as he then became known as "The Corporate Champion" during his tenure in the stable. The group subsequently became the most dominant stable in the company by the end of '98, with Corporate members The Rock, Ken Shamrock, and The Big Boss Man holding the WWE Title, the Intercontinental Title, and the Hardcore Title respectively, and Shamrock and Boss Man were briefly double champions as well during this time, as they held the WWF Tag Team Titles as well.

The Corporation was officially formed on November 16, 1998[1] when Shane and Vince McMahon along with The Big Boss Man (named the group's Corporate Enforcer), Commissioner Slaughter, and Pat Patterson & Gerald Brisco reconciled, joining forces with The Rock, who was The Corporation's proclaimed 'Crown Jewel' (and whom they helped win the World Title at Survivor Series the night before), holding the WWF Championship three times while part of the group.

The group proceeded to terrorize the rest of the WWF roster as well, freely using their political strokes and corporate agenda to put down their authority on other wrestlers. Besides Stone Cold Steve Austin who was their main adversary in ambition (seeking to capture the WWF Championship) and character (an everyman redneck), the popular faction of rebels D-Generation X butted heads with the stable over principles with DX leader Triple H frequently challenging The Rock for the WWF Title though often lost due to screwing on the part of The Corporation. However, the stable often found themselves under attack by Mankind, who was still bitter at Vince McMahon for screwing him out of the WWF Title at Survivor Series 1998 by having the bell rung when Rock put the Sharpshooter on him immediately despite not tapping (see Montreal Screwjob).

Though the group remained on top of the Federation heading into 1999, members began to dwindle throughout the year. Then-commissioner Shawn Michaels was the first, having viciously being attacked by the group in a parking lot once it became clear he began to make decisions that didn't cater to their interests any longer (Michaels was given the vacant Commissioner position left by founding Corporation member Sgt. Slaughter to use his powers on their behalf). Kane's membership was unsteady from the start as he was only a member because the McMahons threatened to send him back to the insane asylum if he didn't cooperate with them. When they entered a feud with the Ministry of Darkness, Mr. McMahon was kicked out and his position as leader, unsurped by Shane, who justified his actions as pointing out that Vince no longer cared about The Corporation and only about Stephanie McMahon, who was a target of The Undertaker's plotting in taking over the WWF (and thus threaten The Corporation's power). Brisco & Patterson were kicked out the same night with Shane stating there was no room in The Corporation for the old and subsequently replaced them with the Mean Street Posse. Ken Shamrock was kicked out soon afterward when he showed more loyalty to his sister Ryan who was also being tortured by 'Taker. Test left, stating he felt The Corporation wasn't using him to his full abilities. Finally, The Rock was kicked out after he failed to take back the WWF title from Stone Cold Steve Austin at Backlash thanks to botched interference from Shane McMahon and spouting venomous remarks that caused Shane to have the remaining Corporation members attack him and beat him down.

With their severely dwindled numbers, they subsequently merged with the Ministry of Darkness to create the Corporate Ministry (thus revealing that the loss of members in the Corporation was a process of elimination, separating loyal members from the ones that would be troublesome). Not too long after that, the Corporate Ministry crumbled when the Undertaker's relationship with Vince McMahon deteriorated after a loss to Austin over the WWF Championship in a First Blood match and with that, The Corporation was officially over. Note: the storyline for this was cut due to a legitimate injury from the Undertaker.

Later on in 2000, remnants of the Corporation (Shane and Vince McMahon, The Stooges) allied with then heels, D-Generation X in 2000, creating the McMahon-Helmsley Faction. Although considered a different group, its goals and format was virtually identical to The Corporation remnants. To this day, the Mr. McMahon character continues to be featured in angles involving a heel character acting as his right-hand man which started originally with the Corporation angle.

[edit] Members

Entrance themes

  • "No Chance in Hell" performed by Peter Bursuker and composed by Jim Johnston - Originally created for the 1999 Royal Rumble in reference to McMahon declaring that Austin had 'no chance in hell' of winning the match itself. After the Rumble, it was made as The Corporate Team's theme until its dissolution into the Corporate Ministry, and it became just Vince and Shane's up until 2001 when Shane was given his own theme. Vince continues to use it to this day.

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

[edit] See also

Portal icon Professional wrestling portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "WWE Raw - Show #097". TV.com. November 16, 1998. http://www.tv.com/episode/143763/summary.html. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 67. ISBN 978-075664190-0. 

[edit] External links

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