Kane Says Linda McMahon Was the Real Business Brain Behind WWE’s Rise

Glenn Jacobs, better known to wrestling fans as Kane, is giving credit where credit is long overdue—and he’s pointing straight to Linda McMahon.

During a recent appearance on the Freedom Pact podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer didn’t just talk about Vince McMahon’s legacy—he made it clear that Linda was just as vital in making WWE what it is today.

Jacobs started by praising Vince McMahon’s vision for turning WWE into a global juggernaut:

“Vince is one of the great entrepreneurs in history. I don’t think he gets enough credit for that. And it’s not just in the wrestling business—just in entertainment. He was very visionary, and he could just see things that none of the rest of us could see.”

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But he quickly pivoted to how Vince didn’t build the empire alone. Using a historical comparison, Jacobs likened Vince and Linda’s partnership to that of Henry Ford and his business-savvy brother.

“At the same time, you have the great entrepreneur—and often what you see is their partner in business and in life is the business person. That was true of Henry Ford. Everybody remembers Henry Ford as the visionary. Henry Ford wasn’t the great business guy—his brother was the great business guy who took Henry’s ideas and made them practical. That’s what really led to the success of Ford.”

For Jacobs, Linda McMahon filled that same crucial role in WWE.

“That’s Linda McMahon. She was the same way in WWE. A lot of folks, you think WWE, you think Vince. A lot of folks don’t realize how important she was, especially in the early years, as the business person who was running the back office operations.”

He wrapped it up by crediting Vince for always surrounding himself with the right people—but insisted Linda was one of the most important.

“And that’s also something—again, going back to team—everyone thinks Vince, he’s the face, but the thing about Vince was he always had a great team around him. And one of the most important people was Linda.”

While most headlines focus on Vince or Triple H’s creative influence, Jacobs’ comments shine a light on Linda’s behind-the-scenes leadership—something fans rarely see, but clearly played a key role in WWE’s success.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.