Former WWE wrestler and chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon was announced as the first inductee into the WWE's 2026 Hall of Fame class.
McMahon was surprised with the announcement by The Undertaker, a WWE Hall of Famer, during the WrestlePalooza broadcast. The Undertaker made a special appearance with his "American Badass" persona and rode his motorcycle to the ring, where McMahon was seated ringside. After asking McMahon "Are you ready?" The Undertaker told McMahon that she would be the first inductee of the 2026 class.
The daughter of former WWE chairman Vince McMahon, Stephanie wore many hats as part of the company from 1998 to 2023. She started off as an account executive and receptionist in 1998 before making her first on screen appearance in 1999 as part of Vince McMahon's feud with The Undertaker. She became a wrestler and won the WWF Women's Championship in 2000 while still working 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 was involved in some notable angles. One of the angles she was involved in became a reality when she dated and married pro wrestler Paul "Triple H" Levesque in 2003. In 2019, McMahon's appearance became more sporadic as her role behind the scenes grew. She was elevated to interim chairwoman and CEO following an investigation by the board of directors into allegations of sexual misconduct towards her father. She resigned from the position in 2023 but has made periodic appearance for the company despite not holding a position at WWE.
The 2026 Hall of Fame is scheduled to take place during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas next April.