Stephanie McMahon Headlines WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Former WWE co-CEO and chairwoman Stephanie McMahon has been announced as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame for the class of 2026. The news was met with surprise during the WrestlePalooza broadcast on Saturday.
The announcement was made by The Undertaker, a WWE Hall of Famer, who made a special appearance with his “American Badass” character. The Undertaker arrived at the ring on his motorcycle, where McMahon was sitting in the front row. After asking McMahon: “Are you ready?”, The Undertaker revealed that she would be the first to be inducted in 2026.
Daughter of former WWE chairman Vince McMahon, Stephanie held multiple roles in the company from 1998 to 2023. She started as an account executive and receptionist in 1998, before her first on-screen appearance in 1999, involved in the rivalry between Vince McMahon and The Undertaker.
Later, she became a wrestler and won the WWF Women’s Championship in 2000, while continuing to work behind the scenes as a director, Senior Vice President of Creative Writing, Executive Vice President of Creative Development and Operations, and Chief Brand Officer.
McMahon continued to make frequent appearances and participated in several prominent storylines. One of them materialized when she began a relationship and married professional wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque in 2003.
In 2019, McMahon’s appearances became more sporadic as her role in the company grew. She was named interim president and CEO following a board investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against her father. She resigned from the position in 2023, but has made periodic appearances for the company despite not having a position at WWE.
The 2026 Hall of Fame ceremony is scheduled to take place during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas, in April.
