Stevie Richards Critiques Stephanie McMahon’s Hall of Fame Induction, Champions Shane mcmahon’s Candidacy
Wrestling personality stevie richards has voiced strong disapproval of WWE’s decision to induct stephanie mcmahon into the Hall of Fame, arguing her brother, Shane mcmahon, is far more deserving. Richards believes Shane’s in-ring performance,memorable matches,adn promo skills throughout his career,even dating back to his days with the Corporate ministry,establish a stronger case for induction.
Richards emphasized that Shane McMahon’s career stands out due to his willingness to take risks, deliver memorable promos, and create iconic moments, especially during the Attitude Era. In contrast,he felt Stephanie’s work was inconsistent and,at times,detrimental to WWE programming.
He recalled Stephanie being entertaining for approximately a year during her initial run, but noted her character quickly became repetitive upon her return as part of The Authority storyline alongside Triple H. While fans initially welcomed her return, Richards stated they soon grew frustrated with the frequent opening promos that dominated Raw episodes.
“Stephanie was realy good on screen for about a year and then she disappeared,” Richards explained. “Then she was the GM and then she was just there and then she sort of went back to mousy stephanie and then she disappeared for years. Then she came back and then she was the B+ player version of Stephanie McMahon with Triple H that went, oh, those Authority promos that opened the show. And people the first week were like, ‘Oh my god, Stephanie’s back. this is so great.’ It’s like, boy, are you going to be disappointed when this is every single week. It was pulling teeth. They made the show worse.”
Richards also highlighted a shift in how Stephanie’s character was presented.He pointed out that in her early career, Vince McMahon actively directed her segments and allowed her to experience consequences, which enhanced the storylines. Though, he believes Vince became overly protective of his daughter over time, rendering her character “untouchable.” Richards specifically criticized the recurring instances of Stephanie slapping wrestlers on television without any repercussions, creating an imbalance in the storytelling.
“Stephanie McMahon was great in the early days when Vince McMahon was basically directing, and at some point he got so overprotective of Stephanie that it went from she would get a comeuppance every single week to she would never get a comeuppance,” Richards stated. “Then all she is is this oppressive, looming figure with every wrestler under her thumb every single week. She slapped them, she slapped multiple wrestlers every single week, and they never got any heat back on her.”
He recalled a past conversation where someone referenced a WrestleMania moment where Stephanie tripped, but dismissed it as a rare occurrence. Richards contrasted this with his father, Vince McMahon, who consistently drew heat and appeared vulnerable, ultimately improving his character. He believes someone began taking Stephanie’s character too seriously, leading to a portrayal of invincibility that ultimately hindered its effectiveness.
