Matt Hardy reacts to Stephanie McMahon's WWE Hall of Fame induction news

Stephanie McMahon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2026. On the latest episode of his podcast, Matt Hardy gave his thoughts on the former WWE Chairwoman's exciting news.

The Undertaker made a surprise appearance at Wrestlepalooza on September 20. The WWE icon looked set to enter the ring after riding his motorcycle down to the ringside area. However, he hopped over the barricade to announce Stephanie McMahon as a Hall of Fame inductee.

On The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Hardy had nothing but positive things to say about the 49-year-old's accomplishments. He also reflected on how people thought she would succeed her father, Vince McMahon, as WWE boss.

"It's a good call," Hardy said. "She's a McMahon. She's obviously contributed so, so much to the WWE, and she has been a huge contributing factor. People always talked about who would be the next to succeed Vince McMahon, who would take over. Is it Shane? Is it Stephanie? Stephanie was definitely the one who everyone saw as the next power to be if it wasn't a Triple H or Shane, whatever else."

Stephanie McMahon became an on-screen WWE character in the late 1990s. The former Women's Champion has also worked in several behind-the-scenes roles, from creative team member to Chief Brand Officer. She also served as the company's Chairwoman and co-CEO from July 2022 to January 2023.

Matt Hardy compares Stephanie McMahon to her brother

Like Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon became a regular presence on WWE programming during the Attitude Era. The 55-year-old often performed daredevil stunts as an in-ring performer. He has also worked in various backstage positions.

From a business perspective, Matt Hardy believes Stephanie is more like her father than Shane.

"She was more wired like Vince, I think, than Shane was, in many, many ways, so she was a very important part of WWE over multiple decades, so good for her, man. Congratulations. I've always got along good with Stephanie."

In the same episode, the WWE legend addressed his omission from the PWI 500 list alongside his brother Jeff.

Please credit The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart