Backstory: No one ever thought it could happen, that the WWE could ever fall, but nothing is impossible. It all started with some tragic news to WWE fans and WWE superstars alike, that the Chairmen of the company had been hospitalized in critical condition. Vincent Kennedy McMahon suffered a heart attack, and although it wasn't fatal, it left him in a bed worrying about his future and having to deal with the fact that any stress would not be a good thing for his health from this point on. The announcement came a few weeks later, that the man who revolutionalized the wrestling industry, was now going to retire. Linda McMahon would still be keeping some of her duties with the company, but her influence on the product would greatly diminish as she felt she needed to be with her husband at home. Then came the decision, a hard one for a father to make, which one of his children would be given the power over the company?
It took Vince some time, some thought, and some reflection to come to a judgement on who would best be served leading the company into the future. But after taking time to do all that, he decided that it would be Shane McMahon that would be given the keys to the car, so to speak. Many thought it would be Stephanie McMahon and her husband Paul Levesque, known to fans as Triple H, who would receive this honor as they were the two who conceivably were closer to the wrestling business then Shane. So, when this news reached Stephanie and Paul, they wern't too happy at all with the decision.
Stephanie tried to talk to her father, pleading her case as to why she was more qualified than her brother Shane, but no matter how she tried to spin it he wasn't buying it. No one could have predicted at the time, but this act would prove to be the beginning of the fall of the WWE. Stephanie wasn't happy, but she put aside her feelings for the good of the company at first, working with Shane to make the WWE product as good as it was. But, as the economy became worse, the company was faced with a decision.. cancel Smackdown and ECW or keep them running and risk losing a ton of money. Shane listened to his advisors, who all agree'd that canceling the two shows and running a weekly RAW with PPV's would be the right decision until the markets stabalized and business became better. Stephanie was completely against the idea, and brought the idea up with Shane, but he rejected her thoughts. Shane told his sister that he planned on using the extra money on something else, the takeover of TNA wrestling.
TNA had become bankrupt, after losing their television contract with Spike TV due to low ratings which kept declining over the weeks. Reluctantly, TNA decided to sell the company to Shane, who had no plan on continueing to run it but instead just wanted it out of the way. This decision infuriated Stephanie even more, as she felt they wern't a threat at all and that the money could have been used to keep Smackdown and ECW alive. Shane tried to make sense of the move to her, discussing it at length with her, but she refused to believe he was doing the right thing. Stephanie and Pual would then leave the company, in what seemed to be a move to show her father that Shane needed to be put to a stop. With Stephanie and Paul on "strike" the product started getting worse, and a few of Paul's friends followed him in his footsteps as they too left the business.
At the time, no one knew that Stephanie and Paul had a plan. That they were recruiting talent from the now deceased TNA promotion, and that they were getting some of Paul's friends to leave the WWE so it would ultimately fail. As time went on the WWE lost business and ratings, which concerned everyone involved with the company, so much so that Vince would ask Stephanie to step in and take over. Stephanie agree'd to do this, but on one condition, that she could run it the way she wanted to and make all the decisions. Reluctantly Vince agree'd to this offer, and Stephanie took her place at head of the company. Her first decision was to drastically change the product, giving it a new name and new show names as well. The name of the company now? Wrestling Society X. The world of wrestling was about to be shaken up, forever.
Timeline Of Events:
September 2009; - WWE Chairmen Vincenk K. McMahon has a heart attack, is sent to hospital. After discussing things with his doctors and family, Vince decides to retire from the wrestling business.
October 2009; - The company is handed over to Shane McMahon, as Vince felt he would be better suited to guide the company in the right direction than his daughter Stephanie McMahon.
January 2010; - Shane McMahon cancels both ECW and Smackdown due to financial reasons, and instead uses money to purchase the bankrupt TNA wrestling promotion, putting the only rival wrestling company the WWE has out of the picture. Arguments lead to Stephanie and Paul Levesque leaving the WWE, and taking some of Paul's friends with them, as they recruit former TNA talent to gear up for a takeover of the WWE.
May 2010; - Declining revenue, as well as ratings, leads Shane McMahon to a meeting with his concerned father who strips Shane of his power over the WWE. Vince reluctantly agree's to give 100% of the company to Stephanie McMahon, who changes the company name from World Wrestling Entertainement to Wrestling Society X and gets rid of the show and event names as well. To justify these moves, Stephanie explains that the product needs a fresh new look, she assures her naysayers that her plan to revive her fathers business will succeed.
June 2010; - Stephanie contacts many of WWE's talent, giving them a chance to join the new Wrestling Society X. She offers contracts to a number of them, and also signs some of the former TNA talent as well, and the new wrestling organization is given a debut date of July. Also, deals are made with the USA network as well as the CW network for three new wrestling shows. USA will feature "Monday Night Meltdown" as well as "Slammin' Sunday Night", with the former being the flagship show and the latter being for the midcard roster as well as promo's. CW will feature "Americana" which will air Thursday nights.