Vince McMahon did not attend the 2026 Hall of Fame ceremony as many speculated but his presence was still felt in a big way.
Stephanie McMahon, who headlined the Hall of Fame class this year mentioned the importance of her parents in her success during her speech. She first discussed how her mother Linda McMahon, deserved to be inducted instead of Stephanie for her work as the former CEO of the company.
The female star then mentioned how she wouldn’t be where she is without her father Vince McMahon. The mention of the former WWE Chairman received loud cheer from the fans, and a ‘Thank You Vince’ chant then broke out in the arena:
“Truthfully my mom should be the one going into Hall of Fame tonight. She was the very first CEO of WWE. And if it weren’t for her, and of course my father Vince McMahon….none of us would be here tonight. Especially me.”
Vince McMahon has not appeared on WWE programming since June 2022. He was forced to resign from his position on the TKO board in January 2024, after former employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon accusing him of sexual trafficking, among other things.
Will Vince McMahon be seen during WrestleMania week?
With Stephanie McMahon leading the 2026 Hall of Fame class, there has been obvious speculation about a potential appearance from her father and former WWE owner at the show.
Recent creative decisions such as bringing Brock Lesnar back on board despite being named in the Janel Grant lawsuit and featuring the former WWE chairman in the John Cena tribute video using archival footage has only added to the feeling that a TV return for the former wrestling promoter might not be out of the realm of possibility.
Fightful Select recently provided an update on the matter. They noted that while plans could change at the last minute, at this time, Vince McMahon is not planned for an appearance at the Hall of Fame.
McMahon’s last appearance on TV came during the June 27, 2022 episode of Raw, where he introduced a returning John Cena. The 80-year-old has remained in news apart from the coverage of the Grant lawsuit, most recently with the release of the footage of his August 2025 car crash.
There is no word on whether Stephanie’s brother, Shane McMahon, will be in attendance at the event, but it’s likely that the former SmackDown commissioner will join the show in some capacity.
Stephanie McMahon had approximately ten matches across her entire career, and the thing that frightened her most about every single one of them was letting the business down.
On her What’s Your Story? podcast with Triple H, Stephanie traced her in-ring journey from convincing her father and brother to let her train, through a women’s main event that drew a 7.3 rating, to a three-a-day training program for her WrestleMania 34 match with Ronda Rousey.
“That was always my biggest fear, that I was going to embarrass the business. And that’s why matches to me are like a sacred pinnacle. A lot of our talent would say the opposite: the promos are what make them the most nervous, and the physicality is what they’re the most comfortable doing, and I’m the opposite. But I had maybe 10 matches total.”
Getting permission to train at all required a practical argument. Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon did not want Stephanie wrestling, but she made the case that the heat she was generating was going to result in her getting bumped regardless of anyone’s preference.
“I kept saying, ‘I have so much heat. At some point I’ve got to get bumped around.’ And finally under that logic, I was allowed to train. It was Tom Pritchard who trained me. The first really big match was me versus Lita, with Rock as the referee. That actually was the first women’s main event on Raw. It did like a 7.3 rating, which will blow everybody’s mind at this point.”
Triple H offered a pointed assessment of where Stephanie stands among the women of her generation, noting that her in-ring reputation is still generating interest from current talent.
“I don’t think a lot of people give you credit for the ability as an in-ring performer, bell to bell. This is my opinion, but you’re one of the best female performers in that generation, bar none. And part of that is why you saw all the women pitching to do angles and storylines with you. Three quarters of our roster have probably asked me at various points in time, ‘Do you think Steph would be interested in doing something at WrestleMania?’”
Her biggest in-ring moment came at WrestleMania 34, where she and Kurt Angle faced Rousey in her first-ever match. The preparation was unlike anything Stephanie had done before.
“She was the one who requested the match. Rhonda was the one who said, ‘We need to finish the story with Steph.’ And it was her first match. So we had to really train and really put it together. And it was stiff. Safe but stiff. She would come home covered in bruises. And I was training like three-a-days because I’d never trained like that ever. Cardio, strength and conditioning, and in the ring.”
The most meaningful moment of her in-ring career, however, did not come from the WrestleMania crowd. It came from a hallway backstage at SummerSlam.
“During that match, the audience started chanting, ‘You still got it.’ That was so cool. And then even cooler was backstage. I hear three little voices: ‘You still got it.’ As they’re walking towards me down the hallway. And there were my baby girls and they got to see me perform. It’s just so magical.”
Stephanie McMahon doubted she deserved the honor when WWE named her a 2026 Hall of Fame inductee. There was doubt.
The former co-CEO sat down with Triple H on her What’s Your Story? podcast ahead of the April 17 ceremony at Dolby Live in Las Vegas and was candid about how long it took for the honor to feel deserved.
“At first, I very much felt like I didn’t deserve it. Really very much felt I didn’t deserve it. I haven’t done what our talent have done and endured and sacrificed, in different ways maybe, but that’s how I felt. And it’s taken a while, but all these conversations with people remembering these moments, it’s everybody’s support, just not letting me not see it. And now I’m just so grateful and appreciative and accepting and trying, especially at this point in my life, to enjoy every minute.”
Triple H offered a tribute that framed her contribution beyond her on-screen work, arguing that she changed the company’s internal culture rather than simply participating in it.
“People come along and participate in the business. People come along and add to the business. Very few people change the business. You put the culture in what we do. It didn’t exist before that. It was just the Wild West. And then you came in, and all of a sudden, there was a different take on it, a different perspective of it. It wasn’t that Wild West business anymore. All of a sudden, it was a family.”
He described her as the heart and soul of the company, a phrase he said he still hears from people today, pointing to the way she stayed after shows to talk with crew members, knew families and their children by name, and made the road feel less like a job and more like a community.
“No matter what happens moving forward, this has been my life, and I’m so grateful to have had this remarkable, incredible life surrounded by these characters and people who are probably the most honest, truthful versions of themselves.”
Stephanie joins AJ Styles, Demolition, and Dennis Rodman as part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class. The ceremony streams live from Dolby Live in Las Vegas on April 17.
One of the most memorable storylines in WWE history was never meant to last more than a few weeks.
Triple H revealed the origin of the Vegas wedding angle on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast. He explained that what eventually became a real marriage and decades of shared power at the top of WWE was originally pitched as a throwaway device to get him back into the title picture.
“What if I had gone to the bachelorette party and slipped something in her drink, and while she’s out, I take her through one of those Vegas wedding chapel things? And if I win, I get the shot back at the championship, which I had thrown at your dad and he loved, but it was supposed to be like super just a one-off. We do this thing, you go about your business, I go do the stuff with Vince, which opens up a door for me to get back in the title picture, and we just move on from there. And then it blew up into something else.”
The angle itself grew out of a specific problem the writers were trying to solve. Vince McMahon’s Corporate Ministry character was the dominant heel authority figure, but nothing about it invited sympathy for Vince. Stephanie became the solution.
“We were just talking about different angles. There needed to be a way to get some kind of sympathy for Vince because it was so hard to feel bad for him. And so they came up with this storyline that I was getting abducted, not kidnapped, abducted. Because semantics matter. I remember weird people being kidnapped. That was really how it started.”
The decision to keep going came from Triple H, not from the McMahons.
Stephanie recalled sitting in her father’s Baltimore office listening to Triple H make the case to Vince for extending the angle while she kept her reaction carefully neutral.
“It was you specifically: ‘I don’t know, Vince, I think this thing has legs.’ And he agreed with you. And I couldn’t sell it, but on the inside I was like, ‘Yes!’”
What followed confirmed that Triple H’s instinct was right.
When Stephanie walked out on Raw after the Vegas wedding aired, the crowd reaction was far beyond what anyone expected.
“The crowd was brutal. They were chanting slut and all this stuff. The heat was so big. I remember standing at Gorilla. You could barely get a word out and you were trying to yell over the crowd. And Vince just elbowed me and went like that, the money sign. And I was like, yeah, that’s when I started thinking, ‘Holy shit, there’s way more to this. This could be a really big deal.’”
Stephanie McMahon and Triple H have opened up about how their on-screen relationship quietly became a real one, sharing the details on Stephanie’s What’s Your Story? podcast ahead of her WWE Hall of Fame induction.
Triple H described the shift as something that crept up on him without announcement, framing it in terms of where he wanted to be when he had free time.
“I often think it’s like the movie scene where the guy and the girl are into different things, and they don’t realize they’re falling for each other. And then it turns out they’re the right people for each other, and it’s been there the whole time. They were the only people who didn’t see it. I would find myself thinking, ‘I don’t need to run it by her, but I kind of want to just go find where she is and spend time and talk to her.’ And I would be oh so happy when I would.”
Stephanie remembers the specific night something changed for her, and she remembers being called out on it in real time. Her best friend, Mandy, was sitting next to her when Triple H walked into the room during the Vegas wedding bachelorette shoot.
“All of a sudden, it’s time, Paul arrives. He just walked in the door, and that was it. I guess I sat up straight, or I must have made a face.”
“And she’s from Boston, she goes, ‘Oh my God, you like him.’ I looked at her, and I was like, ‘What? No, I don’t. We’re doing a story.’ And she said, ‘I can tell you like him.’”
“And then that night it was cold out, and he offered me his jacket, which I graciously accepted. And I remember it smelled so good.”
Stephanie also recalled the moment their oldest daughter, Aurora, was bitten by the wrestling bug at a live event in Waco, Texas, watching DX and feeling the excitement build on her mother’s shoulders before Triple H got the tag.
“I could feel her start to get really, really nervous and excited. And then in last-minute desperation, Shawn gets the tag, and here comes daddy, and she is going nuts on my shoulders. She was two. And I remembered the look in Aurora’s eyes as you handed her back to me. And I was like, ‘Oh no.’”
She closed with the advice she now regularly passes on to WWE talent, drawn from her own experience of not appreciating the moment while it was happening.
“Don’t get so caught up in the minutiae because you’ll have these amazing things happen that you don’t think of as amazing in the time. You’re angry, you want more, you’re all these things. Somebody said, ‘I wish somebody could tell you it’s the good old days.’ But you wouldn’t believe it at the time anyway.”
Stephanie is part of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class, with the induction ceremony scheduled for April 17 at Dolby Live in Las Vegas during WrestleMania 42 weekend.
WWE Shop has a factual error on its hands. A product listing for a new Stephanie McMahon 2026 Hall of Fame Legacy Title Belt claims she will be “joining her father and husband” in the WWE Hall of Fame, but Vince McMahon has never been inducted.
The belt, priced at $850, was released as a collector’s item tied to Stephanie’s induction this Friday, April 17, at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas. The product description reads: “The McMahon family has shaped sports entertainment for generations, and now Stephanie McMahon is joining her father and husband in the WWE Hall of Fame!”
The claim about her husband is accurate. Triple H was inducted into the Class of 2025. The claim about her father is not. Vince McMahon, who resigned from TKO Group Holdings in January 2024 amid legal troubles, has never received a Hall of Fame induction. Notably, his own father, Vincent J. McMahon (Vince Sr.), was inducted into the Class of 1996.
Stephanie McMahon’s Induction
Stephanie was announced as the first inductee of the 2026 class in September 2025, when The Undertaker surprised her ringside at WWE Wrestlepalooza. The Undertaker is set to serve as her official inductor at Friday’s ceremony, part of WrestleMania 42 weekend.
The rest of the Class of 2026 includes AJ Styles, Demolition, Dennis Rodman, and the late Sycho Sid as a legacy inductee.
It remains to be seen whether WWE will quietly correct the product description or address the error publicly. The belt is currently available on WWE Shop for $850.
Stephanie McMahon believes John Cena possesses a quality he rarely discusses publicly: a huge heart.
Speaking with WWE ahead of Survivor Series: WarGames, McMahon painted an intimate portrait of the 17-time world champion that goes beyond his in-ring accomplishments.
\”I don\’t know that John would agree with me when I say this, but I think John Cena has a huge heart. I think he has a lot of heart, and I think he has a lot of love to give,\” McMahon shared.
She pointed to Cena\’s record-breaking Make-A-Wish work as evidence of his character. \”He is the number one wish grantor for Make-A-Wish, more wishes than any other superstar, celebrity, musician, entertainer, you name it. And he didn\’t do that because he was trying to hit a quota. He did that because he cares.\”
McMahon emphasized that Cena\’s commitment to meeting children was unwavering.
\”He would meet with every kid, every day, any day, you know, because that\’s just who he is as a person.\”
John Cena\’s Drive
Beyond his charitable work, McMahon highlighted Cena\’s extraordinary drive for self-improvement. When WWE offered the opportunity to learn another language, Cena immediately accepted.
\”John learned, I believe French and Mandarin, which is a very difficult language to learn,\” McMahon revealed. \”John did several, well, he did a big press conference for WWE and he spoke in Mandarin at that conference when we were making our moves in China.\”
She described Cena\’s decision to film an entire movie in Mandarin with Jackie Chan as particularly impressive. \”To do something like that so far away, so completely removed from the things you\’re familiar with and the things know, to me, it\’s just kind of mind blowing.\”
McMahon summarized what she sees as the authentic John Cena:
\”His work ethic is real, hustle, loyalty and respect. His mindset for growth, always wanting to be the best version of himself. And I think his heart, which is something he never talks about, but you couldn\’t do all of the things that he\’s done without having love in your heart.\”
Stephanie McMahon will be present for John Cena\’s retirement match.
The former WWE Executive sat down with Megan Morant before Survivor Series to discuss the legacy of the Cenation Leader as well as her Hall of Fame induction.
During the talk, she was asked how she is going to feel about John Cena\’s retirement as a fan. Stephanie McMahon noted that she had not thought about it until now, and revealed that she will actually be co-hosting Cena\’s final show:
\”Well, I\’m actually co-hosting with Joe Tessitore, so I\’m gonna have to rein those emotions in a little bit. But no, I haven\’t thought about how I was gonna feel.
I\’ve only been thinking about John, but I have to say, I have had the most unbelievable blessings in my life. To be there to see a star be born, and then see that star go out on their shield, so to speak, it\’s such a privilege.
It\’s something that I can\’t really put into words. I\’ve never really even thought about it. You know, so much from my perspective. But to be a part of this business in any way is special, especially to know someone and to have been a part of such a remarkable journey.\”
John Cena dropped the IC title back to Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series, after Liv Morgan made her surprise return and low-blowed the Hollywood star.
The 17-time world champion does not have any more weekly TV or PPV appearances left after tonight. He is going to wrestle his final match at the December 13, Saturday Night\’s Main Event.
Stephanie McMahon has revealed the behind-the-scenes moment that launched John Cena’s iconic Doctor of Thuganomics persona.
In a candid interview with WWE before Survivor Series: WarGames, McMahon shared the famous tuna fish freestyle story that helped transform Cena from a struggling rookie into a cultural phenomenon.
McMahon recalled that early in Cena’s career, WWE knew he had potential but couldn’t quite identify what would connect him with audiences.
“I remember when he first started. And I remember always thinking he had something, you know? He always seemed to have something, but we couldn’t quite figure out what it was. It wasn’t registering yet with the audience.”
The turning point came during a European tour. McMahon was on a plane eating a packet of tuna fish when she decided to test something she had heard about the young wrestler.
“I was eating the bag of tuna fish. And he was walking by and I said, ‘John, I was told that you can rap.’ And he goes, ‘I can.’ And I said, ‘Well do it.’ And he goes, ‘What, right now?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And he started rapping about my tuna fish.”
McMahon was immediately impressed.
“It was so good and clever and smart and like, had a good beat to it. I mean, it was so impressive. And I said, ‘John, have you ever thought about doing this on television?\’”
She was careful to credit Cena for developing the character that followed. “It wasn’t like, oh, I had this great idea and suddenly he was the Doctor of Thuganomics. That’s all him. But I was, I guess, the first person to support him actually doing that on television.”
Looking back on Cena’s rise, McMahon reflected on what it means to see talent connect with audiences.
“It’s just the best feeling in the world to watch our talent rise, you know? And nobody rose higher than John Cena.”
Stephanie McMahon has opened up about the emotional moment when The Undertaker surprised her with news of her WWE Hall of Fame induction for 2026.
In a sit-down interview with WWE before Survivor Series: WarGames, McMahon described how the elaborate surprise unfolded at Wrestlepalooza, WWE\’s first show on ESPN.
\”You don\’t ever feel worthy. I don\’t think of an accolade like that,\” McMahon admitted. She explained that Triple H had told her they would do an ID shot of her in the crowd, and a cameraman said they were shooting over her shoulder for Taker\’s entrance. Nothing seemed unusual.
\”Here comes Taker and he\’s revving his bike and he gives me the look ringside, which he normally does if I\’m sitting ringside. That wasn\’t unusual. And then the bike shuts off and I actually think he stalls it out. So I\’m like, about to start laughing, you know, like point at him.\”
McMahon revealed she was completely caught off guard when The Undertaker intentionally shut off his motorcycle, grabbed a microphone, and continued staring directly at her.
\”Then he said to be the first, when he used the word \’inducted,\’ that\’s when I realized, and you can see it in the video when you watch it back, like you could see it actually register across my face. And I was just blown away.\”
Even now, McMahon struggles to process the honor.
\”It\’s still overwhelming. When anybody says it, it\’s just like, no, that\’s not real. That\’s not real.\”
WWE
The former SmackDown General Manager described what the Hall of Fame means to her: \”It\’s like the biggest level of achievement in our business and our business means so much to me. It\’s unfathomable.\”
McMahon becomes the first announced inductee for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which will take place during WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas.
Stephanie McMahon did not mind being called a slut.
The former WWE Executive invited Paul Heyman as a guest on the latest episode of her podcast. Heyman talked about things such as working with Brock Lesnar, the Roman Reigns Bloodline story and more.
During the talk, Stephanie McMahon also discussed being a heel in WWE and how the fans were very vocal about her character in the company during the Attitude Era. McMahon first revealed what she thought was the most horrifying chant directed towards her by the crowd:
“The things they say sometimes, it’s really funny. My most horrifying [chant] was, ‘she’s got side meat.” I hate that one, it’s mean. Chicago with ‘she’s a crack whore.’ Most everywhere else, it was ‘slut.’ They chanted ‘slut’ as soon as I turned heel, and it was so great.”
Stephanie McMahon also talked about her heel turn during the 1999 Armageddon PPV. Vince McMahon faced Triple H in the main event of the show.
The former WWE Chairman was helped by Mankind and he looked to be in control of the bout. This was until Stephanie interfered by stopping Vince from using the sledgehammer on The Game, allowing Triple H to pick up the victory.
The female star mentioned how the crowd were very vocal about her betrayal the night after on Raw, but claimed that she did not mind the reaction:
\”The next day, we were in Florida, they came with the ‘slut’ chant and it was the greatest thing I had ever heard cause nobody else got chanted at that way.
It’s fantastic! Arenas of people, 1000s of people chanting ‘slut’ at me. It’s the best. That’s the greatest. I mean, who could say that? Not many people.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Paul Heyman claimed that being a heel is much easier because you have to be conscious of everything you do as a babyface.
Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque and Stephanie McMahon were at the White House this week as part of a new executive order from President Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters, McMahon discussed the order, which relates to using AI to help improve treatments for childhood cancer.
“Kids shouldn’t even know what cancer is, let alone have to face it. And this incredible team believes that too. This executive order makes kids with cancer the first focus of AI innovation across health care in America.”
On social media, Levesque praised his wife for her efforts and referenced Connors Cure, a WWE initiative named after Connor \’The Crusher\’ Michalek, a young fan who died of cancer.
This appearance in the White House isn\’t the only tie between Trump and the WWE power couple. Both Levesque and McMahon are part of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, a body in which Levesque serves as vice-chair. Earlier this year, the pair met with US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Linda McMahon, Stephanie\’s mother, also serves as Trump\’s Secretary of Education. While WWE avoids bringing politics to its programming, the company\’s leaders remain entrenched with the President\’s ongoing campaigns.
Stephanie McMahon was genuinely surprised at her Hall of Fame announcement.
The Undertaker made an unannounced appearance at the WrestlePalooza PPV tonight. The Dead Man came out in his American Badass gimmick right before the main event of the show.
Instead of going to the ring, however, he stopped at the ringside where Stephanie McMahon was sitting in the crowd. The WWE legend then announced the female star as the first inductee in the 2026 class of WWE Hall of Fame.
Her reaction at the news showed that Stephanie was genuinely surprised by the reveal. Triple H later posted a backstage video of his interaction with his wife after this segment, where McMahon can be seen getting emotional:
What a moment! ?
The Undertaker just revealed that Stephanie McMahon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next year in 2026! pic.twitter.com/3P7zuOSKah
The whole segment was reminiscent of the announcement of Triple H\’s induction into the 2025 Hall of Fame. Both Undertaker and Shawn Michaels surprised The Game with it during a town hall meeting before this year\’s Royal Rumble.
In the build-up to the induction, the WWE Creative Head had noted how he wished he had more time to savor the moment instead of being busy with the preparations for WrestleMania 41. This is likely the reason they announced the induction of Stephanie so far out in advance.
Stephanie McMahon made her WWE debut in 1999, and she has been involved with the company in various on-screen and backstage roles since then. She is credited as one of the leading voices of the Women\’s Revolution among other things.
Stephanie McMahon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2026, it has been confirmed. The announcement came during WWE Wrestlepalooza in Indianapolis, Indiana, and began with The Undertaker making a surprise appearance inside the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Undertaker, a member of the 2022 class, sat with McMahon at ringside, and, after seeing Stephanie at the Canelo-Crawford fight, asked if she was following him. Getting down to business, The Undertaker shared the huge news.
“Are you ready? It’s my honor to announce that Stephanie McMahon is the first inductee in the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame.”
What a moment! ?
The Undertaker just revealed that Stephanie McMahon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next year in 2026! pic.twitter.com/3P7zuOSKah
McMahon is a former WWE Women\’s Champion, and held the title longer than anybody in the year 2000. On TV, she has also served as the General Manager of both SmackDown and Raw and has several high-profile matches to her name. McMahon has also held various corporate roles in WWE, including as Chief Brand Officer and CEO.
With her induction, Stephanie will join her husband Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame last year. With decades as part of WWE, McMahon will have plenty of stories to share at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in 2026.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were recently photographed vacationing in Mykonos, Greece, and the photos were clearly taken without the pair\’s knowledge. Now, what seemed like a harmless family getaway as the couple enjoyed some sun, sea, and quiet time has stirred up backlash within WWE.
Fightful Select reports that a number of people in WWE were frustrated and upset that the pictures emerged online. Those in WWE called it an invasion of privacy, regardless of the technicalities involving the legality of these photos being taken.
Though the images were taken in a public setting, some within WWE feel they crossed a line. The photos, first shared by TMZ, showed Triple in swim trunks while McMahon wore a red bikini during their time away.
A photo agency has been sending legal notices to a number of outlets and individuals who have shared the photos, Fightful Select adds. It is noted that they have not heard whether this has ties to TKO/WWE or the Levesque family sending the notices.
As two of the most recongizable and influential names in WWE today, and both with established legacies, Triple H and Stephanie are no strangers to cameras. Nevertheless, many feel that this invasion into their private time crossed the line and that they deserved the chance to enjoy Mykonos with their family in peace.
Stephanie McMahon’s recent VPN ad read on her What’s Your Story? podcast has stirred some issues with ESPN, it has been reported. According to Fightful Select, “At least one source we spoke to at ESPN ‘wasn’t thrilled’ by the VPN ad read on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast.” While the insider didn’t expect it to become a “major issue,” they acknowledged the awkwardness given WWE’s partnership with ESPN.
The plug came during a mid-show ad break on McMahon\’s podcast. Stephanie suggested that fans use a VPN to access international Netflix content. Doing so would allow fans in the U.S. to avoid ESPN’s $30-per-month PLE model in favor of the much more cost-effective alternative provided by Netflix for fans outside the United States.
Stephanie telling everyone to use a VPN for WWE on Netflix???
The new ESPN deal, valued by Logan Paul on SmackDown at $1.6 billion, has already drawn criticism from American viewers. Now, fans in the States must pay for both a Netflix subscription to get access to WWE Raw and other programming, while also paying for ESPN for PLEs.
VPNs should help fans in the U.S. save money, albeit at the cost of WWE\’s prtners at ESPN. The VPN suggestion didn’t sit well with at least one ESPN contact, and time will tell if McMahon delivers another plug like it.
Stephanie McMahon has commented on her future with WWE.
The WWE Executive has maintained her distance from the TV programming in recent times, only making a few cameos here and there. Though with the female star not being retired from the ring officially, fans have still been hopeful about a potential in-ring return for her somewhere down the line.
The Attitude Era star commented on the possibility while appearing on SummerSlam night 1 pre-show. She first claimed that she won\’t be returning to the ring because she can\’t match the performance of today\’s talents. Though Stephanie McMahon did not rule out a non-wrestling role, saying that she would be open to becoming a manager for the right name:
“Trust me, I can’t hang with these women. I mean, you’re going to see Tiffany Stratton, you’re going to see Jade Cargill, you’re going to see all of these incredible matches. I just can’t compete at their level. I appreciate the question. You know, I could be the mouthpiece. I’ll come talk a good game, but you don’t want me in the ring.”
Stephanie McMahon last wrestled during WrestleMania 34 back in 2018. She teamed up with Triple H to take on a debuting Ronda Rousey and her partner Kurt Angle. McMahon\’s team lost the bout.
Tonight\’s SummerSlam PLE featured a big surprise ending with Seth Rollins cashing in his MITB contract on CM Punk after faking an injury. You can check out how the wrestling world reacted to it here.
Stephanie McMahon has explained why she stepped away from WWE in 2022.
The WWE Executive sat down with John Cena for a chat on the latest episode of her podcast. They talked about things such as Cena\’s issues with his father, his retirement tour and more.
During the session, McMahon also opened up about her husband Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque\’s 2021 cardiac event. The Game underwent a heart procedure following it that led to his retirement from the ring. Stephanie mentioned how Levesque almost lost his life:
\”I almost lost Paul, my husband, and what\’s weird and I haven\’t talked about it, is I always had a feeling that I was going to lose him early. I just had that feeling. After we got through everything, that feeling went away. It\’s like a pattern that was supposed to happen changed.\”
There\’s Nothing More Important: Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McMahon then explained how the whole event led to a change in her perspective and prompted her to step away from the company in May 2022:
\”It was such a gift, truly. Then I started going through all this stuff in the company and I realized – there is nothing more important to me than my family, than my husband and my kids. That\’s what matters most. I want to give as much time as I possibly can [to them].
I\’ve given everything I possibly have to the business my whole life. And I wanted to give back to them. And that\’s when I took that first leave of absence, which didn\’t last very long.\”
Stephanie McMahon has spent decades as part of the company her father and grandfather created, but now she has opened up with her struggle with identity. In a new interview with John Cena, McMahon addressed struggling to know who she is, and how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became her path to rediscovery.
\”I lost myself for a little bit. I lost my confidence, and I found it again in Jiu-Jitsu,\” McMahon confessed during the extended conversation, marking a rare moment of public vulnerability from the WWE executive.
McMahon shared her admission while discussing hers and Cena\’s philsophies when it comes to training. McMahon is now a blue belt with her first stripe, and her knowledge in martial arts extends beyond the mat.
\”[It taught] very hard life lessons, mainly as it relates to my family and what WWE is and what it means to me and how much a part of it I really am.\”
For someone so deeply embedded in WWE\’s corporate structure, McMahon\’s identity crisis centered on her relationship with the business that has defined her entire life. McMahon shared how she \”couldn\’t not watch\” WWE, but this focus left her on wanting to know who Stephanie McMahon-Levesque is outside of her working life. Thankfully, martial arts helped answer some of her questions.
\”It reinforced who I am and it reminded me of my strength. And it was something that I did completely on my own and with no one else\’s help. Nobody got me to that point, I mean, other than my coach. But I mean, I did it for me.\”
McMahon is no stranger to getting physical in the ring, and martial arts have proven no different. On the podcast, McMahon spoke of the transformative nature of her training, even if it leaves her feeling sore.
\”You get pretzeled. You have to give up. A lot… I am always beat up after Jiu Jitsu.\”
Her story resonates beyond the wrestling world, showing how physical challenges can heal emotional wounds and how finding something truly your own can restore lost confidence.
In 2009, Randy Orton was arguably at his most evil, and one of his most infamous moments saw him handcuff Triple H and DDT Stephanie McMahon during an episode of Raw. While Orton appeared confident, even sealing his twisted act with a kiss on McMahon, he was actually a bag of nerves.
At 324 million views and counting, the segment is one of WWE\’s most-watched videos on YouTube. When the topic came up during McMahon\’s \’What\’s Your Story\’ podcast, Orton opened up on how he felt at the time.
\”I was in my twenties, and I was so nervous. And so, not really realizing how cool of a moment it would have eventually been.\”
The segment remains legendary to this day, despite Orton\’s nerves. On the podcast, he shared that he was hoping at the time that the segment would go too long, forcing WWE to pull it from the broadcast. Talking about the \’Iss-K\’ as he felt uncomfortable recalling the kiss, Orton said the whole thing was \”super awkward\” for him.
Orton may have stood tall on the night, but Triple H got his payback, beating the Viper at WrestleMania 25 to retain the WWE Championship. While Orton and the Game have been both allies and enemies since then, kissing Stephanie is an act Randy is happy to leave in the past.
Stephanie McMahon\’s name is synonymous with WWE but she wanted to make her connection even more permanent on her skin. On a recent edition of her What’s Your Story? podcast, Stephanie shared how she was ready to prove her WWE loyalty during her younger years.
“When I was younger, I wanted a tattoo and I was going to get the WWF logo. Thank God I didn’t do that. I’d be like a walking billboard if I had all the different logos that have evolved over time. I’m tatted on the inside.”
While McMahon didn\’t get the tattoo, the idea of inking her body did not entirely vanish as she grew older. She explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, she considered getting a tattoo to symbolize her three daughters. However, concerns about how her body might react to the ink ultimately stopped her from comitting to the idea.
Several wrestlers have iconic tattoos, from CM Punk\’s Pepsi ink to The Rock\’s Brahma Bull. As for McMahon, she remains ink-free but her connection to WWE has never been in question.
Logan Paul may not be in the WWE Hall of Fame yet, but according to Stephanie McMahon, his induction is merely a matter of time. During his latest vlog, Paul shared footage of a conversation with McMahon following this year\’s ceremony.
\”I think it will definitely happen. You\’re so talented. You just have to not give up, right? Just stick with it, no matter what happens, just stick with it.\”
McMahon acknowledged that wrestlers typically spend years building their legacy before becoming WWE Hall of Famers but expressed confidence that Paul is already on his path to induction. Despite Paul\’s role as a fully-fledged heel in WWE, McMahon believes his villainous persona won\’t hinder his Hall of Fame prospects.
\”You can have fun with them, that\’s what they want. They wanna have fun with you and you\’re like the most boo-able guy.\”
Should Paul be inducted one day, he\’ll likely hope attendees remain engaged during his acceptance speech. In his video, Paul referenced this year\’s lengthy ceremony, and according to Booker T, the former U.S. Champion was spotted asleep in the crowd.
Paul already has his Hall of Fame speech prepared, thanks to assistance from Artificial Intelligence. With victories over wrestling legends like Rey Mysterio, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, and most recently AJ Styles, Paul\’s eventual induction appears increasingly plausible.
WWE and Fanatics have announced the launch of “What’s Your Story?”, a new podcast hosted by Stephanie McMahon. The biweekly series will premiere Thursday, April 17, with UFC President and CEO Dana White featured in the debut episode.
The podcast will see McMahon and her co-host, longtime friend Elyse, sit down with prominent figures across sports, business, and entertainment to explore the personal journeys that have shaped their lives. In addition to guest interviews, McMahon will share untold stories from her own life, including her time growing up in the WWE and her leadership roles in the company.
“‘Stephanie’s Places’ on ESPN+ inspired me to help tell the stories that shape who we are as people,” McMahon said in a press release sent to SEScoops. “This podcast is the perfect medium to do just that, in a very informal environment, where we can all just be ourselves.”
Episodes will be released every other week and available across major audio platforms, as well as WWE’s YouTube channel, which has over 108 million subscribers.
The series is part of WWE’s expanded podcast initiative with Fanatics, announced in March. The partnership includes production and distribution of all WWE podcasts, adding to an existing collaboration that spans e-commerce, merchandise, and memorabilia. Other recent podcast launches include “What Do You Wanna Talk About” with Cody Rhodes and “The Raw Recap Show” hosted by Megan Morant and Sam Roberts.
Kevin Owens has revisited one of the most controversial moments of his WWE career — the infamous headbutt to Vince McMahon on the September 12, 2017, episode of SmackDown Live. The shocking segment, which also included a superkick and frog splash, left the then-72-year-old WWE Chairman bloodied and helped solidify Owens’ position as a top heel ahead of his Hell in a Cell match against Shane McMahon.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Owens confirmed the headbutt was delivered legitimately at Vince’s insistence.
“He just talked all kinds of sh*t,” Owens recalled. “He’s shaking my hand and trying to provoke me because he wanted to make sure I was going to lay it in. Little did he know, I already planned on doing that. I had worked for him for two years at that point — I wasn’t going to miss that chance.”
Owens described the surreal nature of seeing Vince rise up bloodied after the headbutt, calling the entire moment “pretty insane.” However, his most memorable moment came after the cameras stopped rolling.
“As I’m walking to the back, I hear a rumble in the crowd,” he said. “I turn around and Stephanie [McMahon] is right in my face. She looks furious and just goes, ‘Get the f*ck to the back!’ And I go, okay, and turn around.”
Despite the intensity of the moment, Owens praised Stephanie for her long-standing support of the NXT generation, including himself, Sami Zayn, Finn Bálor, Bayley, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair. He reflected fondly on the developmental years, crediting the culture fostered by Triple H, Dusty Rhodes, and Stephanie for shaping their careers.
“They really felt like we were kind of their kids, and they were trying to get us out into the world,” Owens said. “That was really special to be around that kind of energy.”
The 2017 segment remains one of WWE’s most talked-about moments of the modern era — a rare instance where fiction met reality in a way that captivated audiences and highlighted the extremes of WWE storytelling.
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