Stevie Richards doesn't believe that Stephanie McMahon deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame

The confirmation of Stephanie McMahon as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame 2026 was met with joy by many fans, but not everyone agrees. Stevie Richards has been particularly critical, stating that Stephanie does not deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame.

In his podcast Stevie Richards Show, the former wrestler criticized the recognition, claiming that her creative work should be in a "Hall of Shame". For him, the one who truly deserves the honor before Stephanie is Shane McMahon, for his legacy of risky matches, promos, and memorable moments since the Corporate Ministry era.

Does Stephanie McMahon deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? No. As a writer, she should never be there, she should be in the Hall of Shame. Shane, by far, deserves it more. He has the body of work, the matches, the promos, the moments. He should be in before Stephanie.

Richards explained that Stephanie was entertaining on television during her first year, but then spent long periods absent and, when she returned with Triple H in the Authority era, the product worsened. According to him, her weekly promos became repetitive and damaged the interest in the shows.

For Richards, the big issue is that Stephanie's character became untouchable: she used to slap wrestlers week after week without ever receiving a response, turning her into an oppressive and unbelievable figure. He compared her to Vince McMahon, who always accepted being ridiculed or punished on screen, something that strengthened his character instead of weakening it.

In the words of the former wrestler, someone -whether it was Vince, Triple H, or Stephanie herself- started taking the role of the management too seriously, turning it into an "indestructible" character without nuances. A portrayal that, according to Richards, makes her unworthy of being considered among the great names in WWE history.

Stevie Richards, whose real name is Michael Stephen Manna, is a former American professional wrestler known for his time in ECW, WWE, and TNA. He gained notoriety in the original ECW as a member of the bWo (Blue World Order) group alongside The Blue Meanie and Nova, one of the most popular parodies of the 90s. In WWE, Richards was part of Right to Censor, a faction that satirized the television restrictions of the time, and had several stints as a midcard competitor and cruiserweight champion. After retiring, he has worked as an analyst and commentator in various specialized media.