The Undertaker has been a living legend and one of the most recognizable faces of the WWE. Apart from being a prolific performer inside the ring, he has been a great friend of the McMahon family, having a great relationship with the former head of the WWE, Vince McMahon. But his terms with Stephanie McMahon are special.
This is evident from the fact that when Stephanie McMahon was to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, The Undertaker was the one who announced at ringside on Wrestlepalooza 2025 that McMahon would be the first person to be inducted into the next year’s Hall of Fame.
What a moment! 🙌
The Undertaker just revealed that Stephanie McMahon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next year in 2026! pic.twitter.com/3P7zuOSKah
The striking thing during this announcement was that The Undertaker came to make this special announcement, not in his popular persona of The Deadman, but as The ‘American Badass’ on a motorcycle.
The Undertaker’s Personal Bond With Stephanie McMahon
The Undertaker is indeed a great friend of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The Phenom had a long working relationship with the power couple of the WWE, which explains the kind of authoritative and impactful figure he is in the company.
The Undertaker and Stephanie McMahon’s friendship goes beyond what the WWE universe usually expects. According to ‘The Attitude Era’ by Jon Robinson, a well-documented aspect of their relationship is The Undertaker’s support for Triple H when he began dating Stephanie McMahon in real life.
When Triple H started dating the boss’ daughter, he faced a lot of heat from others in the locker room, including his own friends. The Undertaker, as the locker room leader, was one of the key people who supported Triple H, telling him to ignore the criticism and focus on his relationship and his work ethic. This act solidified a strong brotherhood between The Undertaker and Triple H.
More than the persona of the legendary wrestler, The Undertaker, is a great friend to McMahon, as Mark Calaway. Not only does that establish the personal bond between him and McMahon, but it also points out the fact that the WWE universe might never see the Deadman character from him.
The Undertaker has maintained his real persona as Mark Calaway ever since he retired from the WWE as a professional wrestler. During an interview with Ariel Helwani, The Undertaker revealed why he will never feature in his wrestling persona ever again.
When I lifted the curtain, when I pulled it back, that’s gone. I won’t bring the hat and coat back out. Now that people know that I can talk and I have actual thoughts that aren’t revolved around diggin’ holes and taking souls, that character will live forever in our memory, but I don’t think that I can bring it back after The Last Ride, after the A&E Biography doing all these shows, I just don’t think it works.
This is the reason why the Hall of Famer came as the American Badass while delivering the great news to his dear friend Stephanie McMahon at Wrestlepalooza 2025 in person.
Stephanie McMahon’s Long and Remarkable Career With the WWE
Stephanie McMahon has been a central figure in the company’s evolution. Despite WWE’s different phases, her resilience and commitment towards making the company a global sports entertainment brand reveal why she is often seen as the real boss of the WWE.
McMahon debuted on screen as Vince McMahon’s naive daughter. Her heel persona and the formation of the dominant McMahon-Helmsley Faction began when she betrayed her father to align with Triple H. This move swiftly changed this persona. She won the WWF Women’s Championship during this period and held it for more than 140 days.
As the on-screen owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), she led “The Alliance” alongside her brother Shane McMahon against the WWE. Following the conclusion of this storyline, she transitioned into a new role as the on-screen General Manager of SmackDown.
McMahon was appointed the on-screen Commissioner of Monday Night RAW after the brand split in 2016. Apart from being a prolific performer inside the ring, she has participated in several matches over her career, despite being best known for her authority roles on screen. McMahon has participated in prominent feuds and matches, including a well-known match against Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 34.
The recognition of what she was able to achieve as an executive and professional wrestler will further be consolidated when she is inducted into the next year’s WWE Hall of Fame. With this, she would also be joining her husband Triple H and her dear friend The Undertaker, who were inducted in the years 2025 and 2022, respectively.
What are your thoughts on Stephanie McMahon’s Hall of Fame induction? Share with us in the comments below.
Wrestlepalooza 2025 is currently streaming on ESPN in the US and Netflix everywhere else.
