A former WWE manager says Stephanie McMahon may have played coy about her WWE Hall of Fame induction.
At last weekend’s Wrestlepalooza, The Undertaker announced that Stephanie will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2026, making her the first member of that year’s class.
Related: The Undertaker Shocks Fans With Major Announcement at Wrestlepalooza
Although Stephanie appeared confused during the announcement, former WWE manager Dutch Mantell suggested she was likely just acting, hinting that she already knew about the induction.
“Did she know it? I think she did. I mean to go in the Hall of Fame, how many people you think are in the Hall of Fame now? Well, I think she knew about it. But hey, Stephanie has never been accused of being a bad actress,” Mantell said on his Story Time podcast. “No, I think she knew about it. And I think she is so good that it looked believable or people wouldn’t even be asking the question.”
Whether she knew about it or not, Mantell thinks she deserves her spot.
“It’s okay, her going in. She should go in, I think, because she was there at the beginning,” he said.
On the Wrestlepalooza post-show, McMahon’s husband Triple H insisted that she had no idea about The Undertaker’s announcement and probably thought he was just there to sing her happy birthday, which was on September 24.
Stephanie will be the next McMahon family member to enter the WWE Hall of Fame. In 1996, Shane McMahon posthumously inducted their grandfather, Vince McMahon Sr. Triple H has also been inducted twice.
Related: Bret Hart Makes His Opinion On Triple H Extremely Clear
This story was originally reported by Men’s Fitness on Sep 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.