Search - Sex, Lies, and Headlocks : The Real Story of Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation

I have read a few books about wrestling. So far, this is the best. I think more importantly it is written by outsiders with a knowledge of the industry and therefore, the truth isn't colored by bias or grudges. It makes for a better read after being through so many of these "biographies" that seem to flood literature on this topic that appear to be no more than poorly disguised advertising pieces. This is actually an attempt at jounalism...refreshing.

At the heart of the story is Vince McMahon, the mercurial owner of the World Wretling Federation. The authors trace his beginnings as the forgotten son of a second-generation wrestling czar who left rural North Carolina to stake his own claim to the family business. They detail his early, ruthless genius in declaring war on the old territory czars who had grown fat and lazy And they show how his first brush with fame in the 1980's with Hulk Hogan and Cyndi Lauper sowed the seeds for the drug and sex scandals that nearly toppled his empire in the 1990's. They also tell us the inside story of McMahon's blood feud with Ted Turner, adding some surprising details about the twn men's quest to ruin each other.
Throughout the book, the authors examine the appearl of the industry's biggest stars - including Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Gorgeous George, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, and most recently, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. In doing so, they show us that while WWF stock is traded in the public on Wall Street, wrestling remains a shadowy world guided by a century-old code that stresses secrecy and loyalty.
Sex, Lies and Headlocks is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the history, personalities, back-stabbing, scandals, and high-stakes gambles that have made Vince McMahon the king of the ring and wrestling an enduring television phenomenon.