Stevie Richards Questions Stephanie McMahon’s WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Selection—Compares HOF to YouTube Creator Award
WWE made headlines at WrestlePalooza when The Undertaker revealed Stephanie McMahon as the first inductee for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026. But not everyone is sold on the move.
As a reminder—we want to point out, Stephanie isn’t the first McMahon to be inducted. That honor belongs to Vincent J. McMahon (Vince Sr.), who was posthumously inducted in 1996 by his grandson Shane McMahon. Vince Sr. founded the WWWF and laid the foundation for today’s WWE — making his induction historically unquestionable.
On The Stevie Richards Show, the former WWE, WCW, ECW, and TNA star joined his co-hosts in questioning the timing, legitimacy, and politics surrounding the announcement.
A “Surprise” That Felt Scripted
Richards argued that the moment was too manufactured to feel genuine:
“This was the most planned shock… I thought there was going to be four belts and two statues behind her when they announced it.”
He also questioned why the announcement came seven months in advance, the earliest Hall of Fame reveal in history, and why The Undertaker — not Triple H — delivered the news.
Richards pointed to Taker’s own words at WWE HQ, where he and Shawn Michaels declared: “As the most tenured guys here, we made an executive decision.” That, Richards suggested, hints at a Hall of Fame selection process more about friendships and committees than true recognition.
The Case Against Stephanie’s Induction
Comparing Stephanie’s legacy with her brother Shane McMahon, Richards was blunt:
“Shane by a mile deserves it more than Stephanie… even if you cut his body of work in half, it’s still enough for Hall of Fame status long before Stephanie.”
Shane’s resume includes unforgettable WrestleMania dives, brutal matches with Kurt Angle, Undertaker, and The Miz, and the innovative “Coast to Coast” spot. By contrast, Richards argued, Stephanie’s later on-screen role became repetitive and overly protected.
“She was great in the early days when Vince directed her… but then she became this oppressive looming figure every week. It dragged the show down.”
Richards co-host and Stevie contrasted her with her father Vince McMahon, who famously absorbed humiliation and punishment for the sake of storylines:
“Vince McMahon, you couldn’t get enough heat on that guy or make him look stupid enough. Stephanie? She slapped multiple wrestlers every single week and they never got any heat back on her.”
Pro-Stephanie: The Case For Her Induction
To her credit, Stephanie McMahon has been a key player during multiple eras of WWE:
- As a heel in the Attitude Era, she became one of the most despised authority figures on television.
- She was a central figure in The Authority alongside Triple H, which shaped WWE storytelling for years.
- Behind the scenes, Stephanie spearheaded WWE’s brand expansion, corporate partnerships, and had a visible role in the Women’s Evolution, giving mainstream spotlight to female talent.
For supporters, those accomplishments — combined with being the first daughter of the WWE empire — make her induction a matter of when, not if. To them, Stephanie’s Hall of Fame moment is recognition of both her on-screen impact and her executive leadership in taking WWE from a wrestling company to a global entertainment brand.
Stevie Richards on the Hall of Fame Itself
Richards also used the topic to reflect on the WWE Hall of Fame overall. He admitted he would likely never be inducted himself — and that he’s fine with it, he also touched on he doesn't believe it's not a real competitive sport and also questions Triple H's induction:
“It's still not a real competitive sport. So when they're reading off all these things that Hunter did, no, he got booked to win that stuff. Does does it deserve it? He worked hard. He deserved the spots he got to a certain extent, but they could be heavily kind of speculated to be more political than uh achievements. The political achievements are there. So, I just—this is not me saying, Well, you're never getting Hall of Fame, so you're obviously bitter and you're.... I don't care. There's nothing.”
He compared it to receiving a YouTube creator plaque or a ceremonial award: nice to have, but not reflective of real competition.
“Most real workers think about it the same way. You get paid, you get a nice dinner, and you go home.”
For Richards, the Hall of Fame is symbolic to an extent — but not something that defines his career or contributions to the wrestling business.
Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
Stephanie McMahon’s induction highlights the ongoing tension around the WWE Hall of Fame. On one hand, she played pivotal roles in WWE’s storytelling, business growth, and global branding. On the other, as Stevie Richards and others point out, her in-ring body of work pales compared to countless performers — including her brother Shane — who remain on the outside.
At its core, the Hall has always been about more than just wrestling merit. It’s about WWE choosing who represents its legacy. Stephanie McMahon’s name makes sense in that story, but whether fans embrace it as earned is another matter.
