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Then. Now.

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This is fabulous Las Vegas. The
entertainment capital of the world

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premier brand in sports entertainment,
WWE.

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And you are looking live at the Dolby
Live Theater in Las Vegas, filled

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with WWE superstars from the past and
present and the future. And, of course,

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our loyal WWE fans.

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Welcome, everyone, to the 2026 WWE Hall
of Fame Induction

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Ceremony.

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There's a place in this business you
don't go looking for.

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It finds you.

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It's not meant for everyone.

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Only for those who turn what we do into
something more.

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And when your time comes, that door
opens again. The newest member of the

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Hall of Fame.

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For the ones who redefined what's
possible in this ring. He was purely

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phenomenal. Tore through everything in
their way. We love a good fight. And

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we're going to beat everybody.

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Came from the outside and made the whole
world look in. You have no choice but

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to love me, right?

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And for those who not only helped shape
this from behind the scenes, but became

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one of the most unforgettable characters
this business has ever seen.

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You don't get here by chance.

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I am the master, and I am the ruler of
the world.

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You heard him. Don't give no mercy, take
no prisoners.

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Overtime. The irresistible force beating
the immovable object.

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I don't believe it. He's laughing.

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And when it's done, it's not gone.

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This is where it lives forever.

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Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in
welcoming...

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And good evening to everyone watching
around the world.

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Welcome to the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame
induction ceremony.

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I'm Michael Cole and my co -host tonight
is the most must -see superstar of all

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time. He's the host of American
Gladiators. He is now a wedding

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Please welcome The Miz.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Michael Cole. Excited to be
here.

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So listen, let's cut to the chase,
right?

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WrestleMania would not be WrestleMania
without you and me.

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15 years ago.

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You're going to do this. Atlanta,
Georgia.

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He's doing it.

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WrestleMania 27.

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Oh, boy. The Miz in the main event
retaining the WWE Championship by

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John Cena.

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Wish I could remember it.

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On the same night.

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The most revered, undefeated streak in
WrestleMania history began,

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and it's still going on today.

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The night that I defeated Jerry the King
Lawler.

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And wait, this match was truly honored.
People around the world have talked

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about it. It has been voted the worst
match in WrestleMania history.

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Only Michael Cole can build himself up
only to tear him down. But you want to

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built up, Michael Cole? Do we want to
build up Michael Cole right here, right

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now? Because this year is the 25th year
Michael Cole has called play -by -play

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at WrestleMania.

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Quarter of a century, you didn't just
call the action. You were the soundtrack

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to it. You don't just describe what we
do.

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You bring it to life. You make every
move, every submission matter.

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What you have been able to do for me,
being in a WWE ring, and your

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storytelling, your passion, your hard
work, your dedication, from myself and

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every superstar that you have ever
called and every person that has ever

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your storytelling, thank you, Michael
Cole. You are a GOAT.

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All right, enough of giving him his
flowers. Let's get to the WWE Hall of

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shall we?

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There's a lot of beautiful people out
here tonight.

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And not so beautiful.

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Seriously,

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it is an honor to be here tonight.
Nights like tonight are special. The WWE

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of Fame isn't just about celebrating
careers.

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It's about honoring the superstars that
built this. The ones that paved the way

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for me, every WWE superstar in that
locker room, and every kid that dreams

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becoming a WWE superstar.

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Every single name inducted into the WWE
Hall of Fame set the foundation for

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which we stand on today. This industry
started in fairgrounds, and now we're

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selling out stadiums worldwide, baby.
And that's because of two reasons.

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Because of you, the WWE Universe, and
the superstars who

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sacrifice everything for one moment, one
moment that lasts forever.

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Tonight, we celebrate the one who gave
us all those incredible moments over the

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years.

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Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's get
into it.

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Our first inductee, and I get emotional
over this because without this woman,

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I would not be here tonight.

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Ladies and gentlemen, she is truly one
of a kind.

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Are you going to do the three, two, one
thing?

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I can do that for you. Okay.

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My name is Stephanie McMahon.

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I was born on September 24th, 1976 in
Hartford, Connecticut.

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Stephanie and I have had many talks
about growing up as generational kids.

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You'd walk into your kitchen and you'd
see Hulk Hogan.

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I've been exposed to wrestling all my
life.

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What a bunch of lovely curtain climbers.
I loved the characters.

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I loved the stories between the guys and
the girls.

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I think when you're born in this
business, you're just living in the

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your family's legacy.

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So for Stephanie to be able to come out
of that shade that is casted from your

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family members, it's not easy.

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Being born in the WWE is one thing.

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Becoming one of the greatest on -screen
performers is another.

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Where to, Stephanie?

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When Stephanie first arrived on the
scene, she was the billion -dollar

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And then after a while, everyone
realized she's earning her spot.

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There is not a more iconic female in the
history of WWE than Stephanie McMahon.

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Rise in the presence of the authority
and show your respect.

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We are the absolute... of power.

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We own you.

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I learned how to be a bitch from Seth
McMahon, so I learned from the best.

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What an athlete, Michael! What an
athlete!

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Give me a break!

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Can't take much more.

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Here we go, here we go, here we go.

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The brand new Mr.

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and Mrs.

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Hunter, there's nothing wrong with me.

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Triple H and Stephanie, they're running
the show whether we like it or not.

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I can do what I want, when I want, and
there's nothing any of you can do to

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me. And her facial reaction and her
character work, nobody could do it like

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Stephanie.

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No!

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Have you any idea how much power I have?

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When she walks out and she feels that
heat.

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Stephanie will embrace it and give it
right back.

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You think the world owes you something?
Well, guess what?

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Reality comes around and it slaps you
right in the face.

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I've been an easier street fight.

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She actually caused me temporary hearing
loss for a few days.

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It became her calling card.

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Finally, all of you have recognized
what's best for business.

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Bow down to your queen, me!

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It's incredible the worst people on TV
are generally the best human beings

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outside of it.

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Today we're at the Children's Hospital
of Pittsburgh where an eight -year -old

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boy named Connor Mahalik was treated.

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Stephanie and Paul wanted to do
something to honor his memory.

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We started Connor's Cure that's designed
to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

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One, two, three.

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When you sit back and look at the
totality of her career, Steph's done it

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Stephanie's had her hands in literally
every part of the jumping.

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She had a knack for being creative.

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She is like a laser beam, man. She is
focused.

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Stephanie was the boss's daughter. She
was a woman. She felt like she had to

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work a hundred times harder because of
that. She wanted to be able to build her

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legacy on her own.

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She broke down barriers as a female
before it was cool to do.

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I don't think the women's evolution
would be what it is today had there not

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Stephanie McMahon.

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And going forward, you will no longer be
referred to as divas.

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You will simply be superstars.

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You know, it's almost like she took a
hold of the women and she was like, all

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right, it's time.

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As Stephanie McMahon, you embody girl
power.

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Wrestling's biggest event will rest on
these women. We're joined face -to -face

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on SportsCenter by WWE Chief Grand
Officer.

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Give it up for Stephanie McMahon.

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She's never complacent or dissatisfied.

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She's always driven, and she's always
trying to make things better.

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I've seen it with you for eight -plus
years. You care about people.

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How would you like to be remembered in
this business?

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In the middle of this crazy tornado that
we call WWE, there's like a

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calming presence that she brings.

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It feeling like it's her home, it's her
house, it's her living room that she's

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been in her whole life.

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Always makes you feel like you're her
best friend in the world.

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She cared about me as a human being, not
just the guy who was the wrestler.

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When she's speaking

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to you, whether it was a sick child in a
hospital or whether it was someone that

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she needed to direct, you could... You
could see in her eyes. You could see in

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her face.

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She wasn't thinking about anything else.
You were the most important thing in

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the moment to her.

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She makes people feel seen.

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She'll send me a whole box of ice creams
to my house and she's like, you were

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down and I feel like you need to eat
something to remind you that you're a

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person and that's just always been the
woman that she is.

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is she has one of the most contagious
and adorable laughs ever.

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Her laugh is the best. In a room of
people, you can hear her laughing the

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hardest. It was great, though. It was
perfect.

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Probably my biggest goal in life is to
have a family of my own.

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To see Stephanie's little girls, their
eyes, they looked up at Steph like they

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were meeting Wonder Woman.

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She has set a foundation for us to be
able to bring our families on the road.

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She is the first to get the tour bus
that can accommodate the family, and

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can be out there doing this but also be
mom and dad.

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Stephanie has helped make it so we don't
have to miss seeing our kids grow up.

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In the moments that I needed you there,
without you even knowing, you were a

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guiding light that was...

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unbelievably effective.

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I guess I'd like to be remembered in
this business as someone who made

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contributions to it. I would hope that
upon reflecting, you know, it would be

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obvious that I've given my heart and
soul to this.

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It doesn't take much to figure out that
she's all heart.

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My name is Stephanie McMahon.

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I am fourth generation in this business,
and I'm proud and honored to be here.

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Ladies and gentlemen, here to induct
Stephanie McMahon into the Hall of Fame

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her daughters, Aurora, Murphy, and
Vaughn, and her mother, Linda

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McMahon.

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Good evening, everyone.

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Tonight, my sisters, grandmother, and I
have one of the greatest privileges and

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are honored to induct our mother into
the WWE Class of 2026 Hall of Fame.

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As the oldest and favorite daughter,
I've had the unique experience growing

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on the road with my parents.

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At two years old, I would roll into the
arena on my mother's briefcase with my

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little matching Stephanie McMahon power
suit right into the production meeting.

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I would then march up to the front of
the room and start the meeting with

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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

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However, what I didn't know was that at
two years old, it was from watching my

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mother own every room she walked into
that gave me the confidence and would

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shape the person I am today.

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Growing up in a family business, it's
assumed that everything is handed to

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I couldn't be farther from the truth and
made my mother determined to work

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harder than everyone else to earn
everything.

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She's had to work ten times as hard to
even get a foot in the door, especially

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as a woman in a male -dominated
business.

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She's always said the famous Eleanor
Roosevelt quote, do one thing every day

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that scares you.

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which has driven to her success in her
career.

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Learning the business from the ground
up, she became one of the most respected

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and powerful women in sports
entertainment.

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My mom showed me a picture last week
from when she was my age, selling WWE

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merchandise at a fan festival.

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She climbed the ladder to become chief
brand officer and then CEO and

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of WWE.

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Along the way, she changed the women's
division in WWE, spearheading the

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evolution, allowing the divas to become
superstars, turning women's popcorn

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matches into WrestleMania main events.

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Her confidence stands.

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Her confidence to stand toe -to -toe
with a society that didn't see a place

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a woman in the business and to not only
speak up for them, but to change their

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future, taught me the true power of
voice and perseverance in the face of

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challenge.

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Those are the three greatest lessons
she's taught me. Work ethic, the power

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00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:16,280
my voice, and perseverance.

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00:19:16,980 --> 00:19:21,800
And don't get me wrong, sometimes my
voice can get me in trouble, which

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00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,100
she won't admit, I definitely get from
my mom.

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00:19:25,580 --> 00:19:29,580
I don't think she realizes how much my
sisters and I looked up to our whole

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00:19:29,580 --> 00:19:33,940
lives, how our lives were shaped around
watching her make a name for herself

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00:19:33,940 --> 00:19:36,940
while being the best mom, and how that
shaped us.

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Standing here today, I realize I'm still
that same little girl looking up to her

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00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:48,280
mom, and I wouldn't be who I am without
my mother, my hero, my role model, and

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00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:49,280
my inspiration.

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00:19:49,980 --> 00:19:54,860
Mama, my favorite compliment I will ever
hear is you are just like Stephanie,

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00:19:55,100 --> 00:19:58,500
because all I've ever wanted to be was
just like you.

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00:19:58,940 --> 00:20:00,740
I couldn't be prouder of you.

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00:20:01,120 --> 00:20:03,300
Congratulations, and I love you more.

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00:20:11,180 --> 00:20:15,240
I've spent the last couple of weeks
trying to write this speech for my mom.

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00:20:15,770 --> 00:20:19,990
I wanted to write about all the amazing
things she's done in her life, but none

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00:20:19,990 --> 00:20:23,330
of it really encapsulated just how
incredible she is.

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00:20:23,830 --> 00:20:28,070
A lot of that came from putting my own
fears of such a personal relationship

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00:20:28,070 --> 00:20:32,870
with her out in the open, especially
when she means so much to me.

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00:20:33,370 --> 00:20:37,750
But one of the greatest lessons she has
taught me is that vulnerability is a

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00:20:37,750 --> 00:20:38,750
form of true strength.

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00:20:39,070 --> 00:20:42,130
So I'm here to tell you what my mom
means to me.

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00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:48,740
My mom has always truly just seen me. No
matter what front I've put up, I've

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00:20:48,740 --> 00:20:50,940
never felt more seen than I do with her.

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00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:56,280
And that goes beyond me. She is the most
empathetic person I know.

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00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,840
Over the years, I've seen the way she
not only brings out the best in people,

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00:21:01,060 --> 00:21:04,040
but also the way she's been there for
others at their lowest.

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00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,740
My mom truly has the biggest heart.

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00:21:08,410 --> 00:21:13,670
Over 12 years ago, she heard a single
story about a boy named Connor, and

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00:21:13,670 --> 00:21:18,050
he lost his battle with leukemia, she
made it her mission to change the world

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00:21:18,050 --> 00:21:19,150
for kids with cancer.

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00:21:19,530 --> 00:21:20,690
And she has.

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00:21:21,510 --> 00:21:26,670
This year, she even helped spearhead an
executive order for using AI to help

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00:21:26,670 --> 00:21:28,510
find cures for pediatric cancer.

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00:21:29,350 --> 00:21:34,590
A funny little detail about my mom has
to do with one of her best qualities,

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00:21:34,590 --> 00:21:35,590
laugh.

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00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,880
Sometimes when we're out and I can't
find her, I just listen for her laugh.

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00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:43,000
And I swear, it's basically a homing
beacon.

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00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:46,280
I wouldn't be surprised if you could
hear it backstage tonight.

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00:21:47,060 --> 00:21:50,280
That laugh truly is just so contagious
and bright.

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00:21:50,500 --> 00:21:55,120
Whenever she walks into a room, the sun
starts shining and people start smiling.

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00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,540
But don't let that sunshine attitude
fool you. My mom is a certified badass.

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00:22:02,180 --> 00:22:07,240
She raised three girls, a challenge in
itself, but she also changed the world

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00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:12,420
around us through women's evolution,
paving the way for so many women across

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00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:16,480
world. I don't know about you guys, but
that's pretty inspiring to me.

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00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:27,820
Anytime someone tells me how I take
after my mom, I honestly feel so

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00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:33,220
From the little things like our twinning
blue eyes, loud laughs, and big smiles,

277
00:22:33,540 --> 00:22:37,640
to the more meaningful things, like how
I take after my mother's soul.

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00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:43,000
My mom also happened to pass down a
couple of her moves, like the signature

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00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,040
slap. Sorry about that, Aurora.

280
00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,420
I really don't know where I'd be without
my mother.

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00:22:49,870 --> 00:22:55,010
She is my best friend, confidant, and
forever my inspiration to be my best

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00:22:55,910 --> 00:23:00,110
Mom, I'm so incredibly proud of you, and
I can't think of anyone more deserving

283
00:23:00,110 --> 00:23:01,110
for this honor.

284
00:23:01,350 --> 00:23:06,330
Thank you for always being the light in
my life, constantly guiding me, lifting

285
00:23:06,330 --> 00:23:08,770
me up, and reminding me who I am.

286
00:23:09,310 --> 00:23:11,010
I love you more than you love me.

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00:23:18,570 --> 00:23:23,190
Since before I could talk, my mom has
always told me a quote by Maya Angelou,

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00:23:23,310 --> 00:23:27,630
people will forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but people

289
00:23:27,630 --> 00:23:29,930
will never forget how you made them
feel.

290
00:23:30,770 --> 00:23:35,330
My mom is truly a perfect example of
what this quote stands for.

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00:23:35,970 --> 00:23:40,990
She has an incredible gift of making
every single person she meets feel

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00:23:41,210 --> 00:23:43,090
even if it's just for a moment.

293
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:48,380
I think it might be impossible to be in
a room with her for more than 10 minutes

294
00:23:48,380 --> 00:23:49,900
and not smile and laugh.

295
00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:51,640
Her love is infectious.

296
00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:57,580
She can turn your toughest days into
some of the best ones, and all it takes

297
00:23:57,580 --> 00:24:03,220
one hug, one conversation, or, for me,
one dance in the kitchen.

298
00:24:04,460 --> 00:24:09,480
One of my favorite memories I have is my
dancing in the kitchen with my mother.

299
00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:14,320
Spinning around while blasting the music
as I distracted her from cleaning the

300
00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:15,880
dishes would always make my day.

301
00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,520
As the singer of the family, I've always
felt slightly different growing up,

302
00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:25,200
surrounded by my insanely athletic
sisters and parents while I ran around

303
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,000
singing Let It Go from Frozen to anyone
who would listen.

304
00:24:29,380 --> 00:24:33,540
But my mom has always understood this
part of me that I felt like sometimes no

305
00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:34,540
one else got.

306
00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:39,480
Music has always been my escape, so
although dancing in the kitchen may

307
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,020
like a simple, fun memory, it has so
much more meaning than that.

308
00:24:43,780 --> 00:24:48,080
No matter what happened during the day,
whether it left me on cloud nine or in

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00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,680
tears, I always knew that I could come
home and sing and dance in the kitchen

310
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:53,680
with my mom.

311
00:24:54,060 --> 00:24:58,880
And even though we would sing all the
wrong words and our dance moves were,

312
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:00,940
let's just say, not the best,

313
00:25:01,810 --> 00:25:05,910
Doing this with her always allowed me to
let go of what happened that day and

314
00:25:05,910 --> 00:25:06,910
just be myself.

315
00:25:07,910 --> 00:25:10,730
My mom has a special way of making
people feel like this.

316
00:25:11,390 --> 00:25:15,110
She is like a ray of sunshine that warms
and brightens everyone she comes

317
00:25:15,110 --> 00:25:16,110
across.

318
00:25:16,150 --> 00:25:19,890
This is one of my favorite things about
her and part of the reason she is the

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00:25:19,890 --> 00:25:21,330
amazing person she is today.

320
00:25:21,990 --> 00:25:26,910
I don't think she will ever truly know
how much it means to me or the people

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00:25:26,910 --> 00:25:27,910
that surround her.

322
00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:33,860
I hope today, with her getting inducted
into the 2026 Hall of Fame, she can

323
00:25:33,860 --> 00:25:37,820
realize this and feel just as special as
she makes all of us feel.

324
00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:43,860
Mom, thank you so much. I'm so beyond
proud of you, and I love you more.

325
00:25:53,460 --> 00:25:55,940
Well, I know that I'm a bit prejudiced.

326
00:25:56,590 --> 00:25:58,290
But aren't they magnificent?

327
00:25:59,050 --> 00:25:59,710
Could

328
00:25:59,710 --> 00:26:08,090
I

329
00:26:08,090 --> 00:26:13,250
ever have imagined that as I held my
precious blue -eyed little daughter in

330
00:26:13,250 --> 00:26:19,050
arms, that almost 50 years later, I
would have the privilege and honor of

331
00:26:19,050 --> 00:26:24,210
standing on the WWE Universe stage along
with her sweet, beautiful daughters.

332
00:26:24,910 --> 00:26:27,850
to induct her into the WWE Hall of Fame.

333
00:26:28,990 --> 00:26:34,930
This is very interesting for me because
I got to wear a couple of hats in this

334
00:26:34,930 --> 00:26:38,390
journey, both as a mom and as a business
leader.

335
00:26:38,830 --> 00:26:45,050
And although clearly mom came first, I'm
going to share in reverse order how

336
00:26:45,050 --> 00:26:46,170
this all came about.

337
00:26:47,030 --> 00:26:50,870
Now, anyone's first job out of college
can be daunting anyway.

338
00:26:51,630 --> 00:26:57,330
But when your bosses are your father,
the chairman, and your mother, the CEO,

339
00:26:57,330 --> 00:27:03,130
can be even a bit more complex,
compounded by the fact that your brother

340
00:27:03,130 --> 00:27:06,390
already a young executive and performing
in the company.

341
00:27:06,990 --> 00:27:13,230
That same brother, I might add, who
lifted her up over his head one day in

342
00:27:13,230 --> 00:27:18,170
family room to body slam her onto the
sofa, but instead he threw her over the

343
00:27:18,170 --> 00:27:19,170
sofa.

344
00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:24,440
having her hit the wall of glass French
doors, which thankfully did not break.

345
00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:27,680
His first words to her were,

346
00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:30,040
You're all right, you're not hurt.

347
00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,360
And her second words to her were, Don't
tell Dad.

348
00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:38,440
And she never did.

349
00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:45,420
It was important that Stephanie get a
full but quick indoctrination in the

350
00:27:45,420 --> 00:27:46,420
company.

351
00:27:46,510 --> 00:27:50,910
since she had declared when she was much
younger, long before she started

352
00:27:50,910 --> 00:27:55,290
college, that this is where she wanted
to work and build a career.

353
00:27:55,950 --> 00:28:01,910
At first, I was surprised by this,
because all the time she was growing up,

354
00:28:01,910 --> 00:28:04,050
loved to sing and dance and perform.

355
00:28:04,490 --> 00:28:09,670
She even went to a drama performance
camp in upstage New York for three weeks

356
00:28:09,670 --> 00:28:10,670
one summer.

357
00:28:11,950 --> 00:28:14,590
Little did I envision at that time.

358
00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,120
that she was destined for a much bigger
stage.

359
00:28:19,060 --> 00:28:23,820
The starting point was the WWE New York
City sales office.

360
00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:30,300
What better place to learn customers,
vendors, and business partners and how

361
00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:35,500
they perceived your product than to be
on the ground making the sales pitch

362
00:28:35,500 --> 00:28:36,820
professional salespeople.

363
00:28:37,460 --> 00:28:40,460
The next few months were in my office.

364
00:28:41,130 --> 00:28:44,430
keeping my schedule, appointments, and
my routine.

365
00:28:45,030 --> 00:28:47,270
Now, this part was not her favorite.

366
00:28:47,690 --> 00:28:54,250
Sitting through finance briefings,
budgets, contracts at first, and this

367
00:28:54,250 --> 00:28:55,650
wasn't her cup of tea.

368
00:28:56,050 --> 00:28:59,530
More than once, I caught her nodding
off.

369
00:29:00,430 --> 00:29:06,750
But she absorbed much more about the
business and the intricacies of it than

370
00:29:06,750 --> 00:29:08,350
even realized at the time.

371
00:29:09,450 --> 00:29:14,250
Then it was time to move into the
creative and entertainment side of the

372
00:29:14,250 --> 00:29:19,130
company, keeping Vince's schedule,
sitting in on talent development

373
00:29:19,410 --> 00:29:24,750
creative content, TV production, and
even becoming a successful in -ring

374
00:29:24,750 --> 00:29:31,230
performer. And she took to all of this
like a fish to water and was and

375
00:29:31,230 --> 00:29:32,830
is a natural.

376
00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:39,830
For my CEO perch, I watched as she
quickly became a crowd favorite, whether

377
00:29:39,830 --> 00:29:41,690
was a baby face or a heel.

378
00:29:42,290 --> 00:29:46,790
And she more than once told me how much
more fun it was to be a heel.

379
00:29:47,970 --> 00:29:49,770
She connected with the audience.

380
00:29:50,570 --> 00:29:54,490
She had charisma, an innate sense of
performance.

381
00:29:54,890 --> 00:30:00,530
And this is so important in this
wonderful business, knowing when you

382
00:30:00,530 --> 00:30:03,670
audience right in your hand, when to
pump them up.

383
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:09,340
when to let things kind of chill, and
when to bring home the big finish.

384
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:15,060
But beyond all of that, she understood
and loved this unique industry.

385
00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:20,720
She learned in a very short period of
time how to market and promote the brand

386
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:27,080
of WWE, how to network with executives
to connect with other brands and with

387
00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,480
WWE for mutual success.

388
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,120
And in 2020 and 2021,

389
00:30:33,340 --> 00:30:38,880
Forbes magazine named her as the number
two most influential chief marketing

390
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:45,860
officer in the world and the most
influential female CMO in the world. I

391
00:30:45,860 --> 00:30:48,420
repeat, in the world.

392
00:30:54,400 --> 00:31:01,100
She became by invitation both a
prestigious Eisenhower fellow and a

393
00:31:01,100 --> 00:31:02,100
Crown fellow.

394
00:31:02,620 --> 00:31:09,320
The Eisenhower program is designed to
build global connections, and her

395
00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:14,700
specific assignments were in Singapore
and Brazil, and she's now a part of a

396
00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:17,280
lifelong network of leaders worldwide.

397
00:31:18,100 --> 00:31:23,000
A Henry Crown Fellow is an
entrepreneurial leader selected by the

398
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:29,060
Aspen Institute, and it's aimed at
successful young business leaders ready

399
00:31:29,060 --> 00:31:30,060
give back to society.

400
00:31:31,370 --> 00:31:37,130
As the chief marketing officer of WWE,
she was clearly its face and most

401
00:31:37,130 --> 00:31:41,830
successful ambassador, with growing
influence in the world's marketplace.

402
00:31:42,330 --> 00:31:48,050
She had grown from that young girl out
of college, taking her place in a family

403
00:31:48,050 --> 00:31:53,450
business to a seasoned and accomplished
executive in a now New York Stock

404
00:31:53,450 --> 00:31:56,070
Exchange public and global company.

405
00:31:56,290 --> 00:31:58,750
And she rocked it.

406
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:10,440
She had chartered her own course, blazed
her own trail, and was clearly making

407
00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:16,900
her own mark, eventually becoming the
chairwoman and CEO of the company she

408
00:32:16,900 --> 00:32:18,240
loved, WWE.

409
00:32:23,860 --> 00:32:30,140
I left the company to pursue a somewhat
different career, just as Stephanie was

410
00:32:30,140 --> 00:32:31,760
beginning to hit her stride.

411
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:37,320
So I was able to watch as an outside
observer and appreciate the very skilled

412
00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,740
executive that was quickly emerging.

413
00:32:40,260 --> 00:32:45,480
And yes, I admit to doing so fully
beaming with a mother's pride.

414
00:32:46,460 --> 00:32:49,400
So now let me segue to the mom's
perspective.

415
00:32:50,020 --> 00:32:55,400
There is nothing more rewarding to a
mother than to hear other people praise

416
00:32:55,400 --> 00:33:01,710
child. I have constantly heard things
like, Her smile lights up the room and

417
00:33:01,710 --> 00:33:02,770
makes you feel happy.

418
00:33:03,090 --> 00:33:08,910
And the reason for that is because the
light of love that shines deep inside

419
00:33:08,910 --> 00:33:12,870
her. Many have told me Steph has the
best hugs.

420
00:33:13,310 --> 00:33:19,290
And that's because she wraps her arms
around you and hugs like she never wants

421
00:33:19,290 --> 00:33:20,310
to let you go.

422
00:33:21,250 --> 00:33:23,830
And as you've heard, Steph's laugh is
contagious.

423
00:33:24,270 --> 00:33:27,930
And as you saw in the video, her laugh
is distinctive.

424
00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,300
even when others are laughing too.

425
00:33:31,060 --> 00:33:35,220
It's loud with gusto that comes from
deep in her belly.

426
00:33:36,060 --> 00:33:39,660
Many speak of her warmth and genuine
compassion.

427
00:33:40,340 --> 00:33:41,980
And all of this is true.

428
00:33:42,420 --> 00:33:47,600
And I know that because I've had a
window to watch her grow from a little

429
00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:52,580
with those qualities into one of the
most spectacular women I know.

430
00:33:53,300 --> 00:33:57,060
And to round out my thoughts for tonight
from a mom's perch,

431
00:33:57,770 --> 00:33:59,970
is watching Stephanie herself as a mom.

432
00:34:00,510 --> 00:34:03,670
She married the love of her life, Paula
Beck.

433
00:34:08,330 --> 00:34:13,190
And they produced these three beautiful
sweet daughters.

434
00:34:17,870 --> 00:34:24,590
Steph is a loving, caring, nurturing,
and all things good moms

435
00:34:24,590 --> 00:34:25,590
are.

436
00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:32,739
She shows her girls strength,
perseverance, and tries with success

437
00:34:32,739 --> 00:34:36,040
time to have them show tolerance for
each other.

438
00:34:37,679 --> 00:34:41,440
But I confess that that's best described
as a work in progress.

439
00:34:43,020 --> 00:34:46,320
But she's also not afraid to show her
vulnerability.

440
00:34:47,179 --> 00:34:52,139
They see her cry when she's sad or hurt,
when something touches her heart.

441
00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:54,380
She shares when she's troubled.

442
00:34:54,909 --> 00:34:57,490
And they understand that life is not
always perfect.

443
00:34:57,990 --> 00:35:04,650
And they can see her anger, sometimes
flare, when a driver cuts her off on the

444
00:35:04,650 --> 00:35:11,010
road or someone's not driving maybe at
the right speed she thinks they should

445
00:35:11,010 --> 00:35:12,870
be, maybe not fast enough.

446
00:35:13,870 --> 00:35:15,930
Occasionally there might even be an
expletive.

447
00:35:18,850 --> 00:35:21,930
So hopefully I've shared with you
enough.

448
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:28,520
to know that Stephanie McMahon Levesque
is so worthy and so deserving to join

449
00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,520
the elite members of the WWE Hall of
Fame.

450
00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:37,160
And I couldn't be more proud to share
the honor of inducting her with her

451
00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,760
daughters, Aurora, Murphy, and Vaughn.

452
00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:46,720
And as her mom, I'd like to say,
Stephanie, you're one of the most

453
00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:47,720
women I know.

454
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,460
You give me such joy and love.

455
00:35:52,190 --> 00:35:58,030
You are an inspiration, a wonderful
daughter and friend, and I love you with

456
00:35:58,030 --> 00:35:59,009
my heart.

457
00:35:59,010 --> 00:36:02,090
Congratulations on this amazing
achievement.

458
00:36:06,850 --> 00:36:11,210
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
Stephanie McMahon.

459
00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:53,600
Oh.

460
00:36:57,460 --> 00:36:58,460
Oh.

461
00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:18,800
Quite the introduction.

462
00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:22,780
Thank

463
00:37:22,780 --> 00:37:33,540
all

464
00:37:33,540 --> 00:37:34,540
of you.

465
00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:39,640
And if that isn't the embodiment of the
women's evolution, then I don't know

466
00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:40,640
what is.

467
00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:45,800
The only person who's missing is my
grandmother.

468
00:37:46,620 --> 00:37:47,620
I miss you, Mama.

469
00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:53,360
I wanted to be a mother more than
anything in the world, and Paul wanted

470
00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:58,360
father, which is why it was devastating
for us when we were told for various

471
00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,700
reasons that we might not be able to
have children on our own.

472
00:38:02,340 --> 00:38:07,080
But one thing we learned early on is if
you want anything in life, you have to

473
00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:09,460
be willing to truly fight for it.

474
00:38:09,940 --> 00:38:11,140
And that we did.

475
00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:16,760
And through modern medicine and by the
grace of God, We were blessed with our

476
00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:18,980
three remarkable daughters.

477
00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:26,840
You mean everything in the world to us.

478
00:38:27,300 --> 00:38:32,680
And Aurora Murphy and Vaughn, I am
willing to fight for you and I will

479
00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:36,360
to fight for you every single day of my
life.

480
00:38:39,340 --> 00:38:44,220
Aurora. As she said in her speech, which
I had not heard ahead of time, she grew

481
00:38:44,220 --> 00:38:45,780
up on the road on our tour bus.

482
00:38:46,220 --> 00:38:49,640
She was wheeled on my briefcase, holding
on.

483
00:38:49,980 --> 00:38:55,320
And she did indeed sing Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star to a room full of jaded

484
00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,520
wrestling producers who put her over.

485
00:38:58,240 --> 00:38:59,240
Thank you.

486
00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:05,120
She once told me she didn't want my job.
She didn't want Daddy's job. She wanted

487
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:06,120
Pop's job.

488
00:39:06,980 --> 00:39:09,040
She was destined to be the boss.

489
00:39:09,900 --> 00:39:12,360
Go Springfield softball.

490
00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:19,020
The only baby I've ever seen our head of
security hold close was my middle

491
00:39:19,020 --> 00:39:25,520
daughter, Murphy, who decided to repay
their very special bond by pooping all

492
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:29,500
over his suit, his brand new suit. It
was a full blowout.

493
00:39:30,820 --> 00:39:34,960
Murphy played four years of high school
tackle football.

494
00:39:35,660 --> 00:39:38,820
She never missed a practice, workout, or
game.

495
00:39:39,370 --> 00:39:41,310
and she was the only girl on her team.

496
00:39:41,950 --> 00:39:47,990
When she took big hits as a running
back, she got right back up, earning the

497
00:39:47,990 --> 00:39:50,350
respect of everyone around her.

498
00:39:54,730 --> 00:39:56,490
And then there's Vaughn.

499
00:39:58,110 --> 00:40:03,830
I think Vaughn may be one of a very
small group of people who have had both

500
00:40:03,830 --> 00:40:06,910
Cena and The Rock at different times.

501
00:40:07,290 --> 00:40:12,910
sing happy birthday just to her, which
is very fitting, giving her gift of

502
00:40:12,910 --> 00:40:16,950
and her ability to command a room with
just her presence.

503
00:40:18,330 --> 00:40:21,510
You are my greatest gift and my mirror.

504
00:40:21,850 --> 00:40:24,890
I learn my most valuable lessons through
you.

505
00:40:26,830 --> 00:40:30,110
And I love you more, which leads me to
my mom.

506
00:40:30,910 --> 00:40:34,730
Truthfully, my mom should be the one
going into the Hall of Fame tonight.

507
00:40:41,550 --> 00:40:45,490
She was the very first CEO of WWE.

508
00:40:46,010 --> 00:40:50,490
And if it weren't for her, and of course
my father, Vince McMahon,

509
00:40:50,710 --> 00:40:53,790
none

510
00:40:53,790 --> 00:40:59,230
of us would be here tonight.

511
00:41:00,390 --> 00:41:01,690
Especially me.

512
00:41:11,240 --> 00:41:16,300
Mom, Dad, thank you for this remarkable
life filled with love, opportunities,

513
00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:19,440
and experiences that have shaped me into
who I am.

514
00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,460
I also want to thank my brother, Shane,

515
00:41:22,700 --> 00:41:29,200
who is always there to protect me

516
00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:33,080
and stretch me and who taught me how to
be tough.

517
00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:38,480
And to his wife, Maritha, and my
nephews, Declan, Kenyon, and Rogan.

518
00:41:38,940 --> 00:41:44,300
No matter what has happened or what will
happen in this life, I will always love

519
00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:45,340
all of you.

520
00:41:48,580 --> 00:41:53,180
I've often heard people say wrestling is
life, life is wrestling, and that

521
00:41:53,180 --> 00:41:54,660
couldn't be more true for me.

522
00:41:55,220 --> 00:41:57,460
I literally grew up in this business.

523
00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:03,300
The Grand Wizard, or Uncle Ernie as I
knew him, had a makeshift jacuzzi, which

524
00:42:03,300 --> 00:42:05,520
was a metal bathtub with a...

525
00:42:05,870 --> 00:42:11,430
boat engine on the back of it set up in
our driveway, coming home from school to

526
00:42:11,430 --> 00:42:17,230
find Ric Flair in the living room, or
learn Mr.

527
00:42:17,490 --> 00:42:23,710
T was having dinner and he wanted his
favorite liver, or Hulk Hogan seeing me

528
00:42:23,710 --> 00:42:26,710
off to my ninth grade prom was all
normal.

529
00:42:27,850 --> 00:42:32,410
I regularly went to Madison Square
Garden where Betty Scolin would watch me

530
00:42:32,410 --> 00:42:36,910
the crowd and try to talk me out of my
second Superstars ice cream bar.

531
00:42:37,190 --> 00:42:40,130
They were very small if you remember
punk.

532
00:42:40,910 --> 00:42:44,890
Then go to Smith and Wally's and listen
to everyone talk shop.

533
00:42:45,310 --> 00:42:49,710
I modeled for the magazine, made my
television debut trick -or -treating at

534
00:42:49,710 --> 00:42:52,390
Roddy Piper's house on Saturday night's
main event.

535
00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:57,420
And I broke my ankle and wrist at
different times trying to be Jimmy

536
00:42:57,420 --> 00:42:58,420
Snooka.

537
00:42:58,900 --> 00:43:04,160
My dad, Bruce Pritchard, and Pat
Patterson would write TV from our house,

538
00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:08,240
would try to listen and learn as much as
possible between sandwich and soda

539
00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:09,240
runs.

540
00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:15,420
I might not have realized how
differently I grew up than everyone

541
00:43:15,420 --> 00:43:16,740
thing was for certain.

542
00:43:16,980 --> 00:43:20,040
I love everything about our business.

543
00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:26,220
And working for WWE in any capacity was
all I ever wanted to do.

544
00:43:26,700 --> 00:43:32,280
I Xeroxed, collated, stuffed envelopes,
and answered the switchboard. I still

545
00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:35,680
remember Howard Finkel's extension,
8651.

546
00:43:36,100 --> 00:43:38,740
And that's all before I graduated high
school.

547
00:43:39,500 --> 00:43:45,600
It's almost unthinkable to me that I am
here tonight, many, many decades later,

548
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:50,860
being inducted. and to the 2026 WWE Hall
of Fame.

549
00:43:56,520 --> 00:44:00,040
Thank you.

550
00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:14,280
It is beyond an honor, especially to be
inducted alongside the phenomenal AJ

551
00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:15,280
Styles.

552
00:44:17,530 --> 00:44:23,510
Demolition, Dennis Rodman, the legacy
inductees Sid Vicious and Bad News

553
00:44:23,750 --> 00:44:27,030
and the immortal moment Hogan versus
Andre.

554
00:44:28,130 --> 00:44:33,310
I had the privilege of being there,
WrestleMania III at the Pontiac Silver

555
00:44:33,430 --> 00:44:39,430
where we did break the indoor attendance
record at 93 ,173 people.

556
00:44:40,130 --> 00:44:45,570
I remember specifically watching my
friend Andre the Giant make his entrance

557
00:44:45,570 --> 00:44:48,570
the... slowest golf cart of all time.

558
00:44:49,290 --> 00:44:52,310
And I was devastated when he lost to
Hulk Hogan.

559
00:44:53,250 --> 00:44:55,650
My first dinner date was with Andre.

560
00:44:56,210 --> 00:45:01,010
I was about 14 years old and I got
dropped off at his favorite French

561
00:45:01,010 --> 00:45:02,870
near the office in Stanford,
Connecticut.

562
00:45:03,530 --> 00:45:06,070
He was larger than life in every way.

563
00:45:06,450 --> 00:45:11,690
It seemed like the cane he was using was
going to explode under his weight if we

564
00:45:11,690 --> 00:45:12,690
went to the table.

565
00:45:13,390 --> 00:45:19,430
Andre and I sat down and he proceeded to
order absolutely everything on the

566
00:45:19,430 --> 00:45:23,210
menu, plus a few bottles of wine only
for him.

567
00:45:23,650 --> 00:45:30,010
His hand engulfed the entire glass and
at one point he looked around and

568
00:45:30,010 --> 00:45:35,690
laughing and he said, everyone in here,
they think I'm a dirty old man.

569
00:45:39,110 --> 00:45:43,650
Andre and I bonded because I never saw
him as anything but my friend.

570
00:45:44,070 --> 00:45:49,030
And I hated the way people would gawk at
him or judge him just because he looked

571
00:45:49,030 --> 00:45:53,950
different. In our world, everyone was
and is different.

572
00:45:54,570 --> 00:45:58,390
As far as I knew, Pat was gay and
married to Louie.

573
00:45:59,110 --> 00:46:01,350
Adrian Adonis dressed like a woman.

574
00:46:01,850 --> 00:46:03,430
Lord Littlebrook was small.

575
00:46:03,710 --> 00:46:06,390
The big cat Ernie Ladd was outspoken.

576
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:11,220
Piper was out of his mind. And the Iron
Sheik got me drinks.

577
00:46:11,540 --> 00:46:12,540
Once.

578
00:46:14,540 --> 00:46:19,940
And that just doesn't go for our
superstars. That goes for all of us as

579
00:46:20,380 --> 00:46:25,220
We come from all over the world. From
different backgrounds, ethnicities,

580
00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:27,840
beliefs, capabilities, and ideologies.

581
00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:33,800
And what brings us together is this
shared passion for what happens in that

582
00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:38,710
ring. The one place where we control our
own destiny.

583
00:46:38,990 --> 00:46:42,190
Where our differences are our strengths.

584
00:46:42,710 --> 00:46:48,290
Where we ride or die with the characters
we love and the stories that give us

585
00:46:48,290 --> 00:46:51,890
hope. The stories that make us human.

586
00:46:52,590 --> 00:46:55,930
Because at the end of the day, we're all
the same.

587
00:46:56,310 --> 00:46:58,690
And all we have is each other.

588
00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:06,960
And together we can truly make a
difference in someone's life.

589
00:47:07,260 --> 00:47:10,500
The best example I can think of is
Connor's cure.

590
00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:16,680
Because of all of you, we have raised
millions of dollars to find a cure for

591
00:47:16,680 --> 00:47:23,420
pediatric cancer, all in the name of an
eight -year -old boy and fellow WWE

592
00:47:23,420 --> 00:47:25,600
Hall of Famer Connor Mahalik.

593
00:47:28,970 --> 00:47:34,250
I'd like to take you back to a campaign
we created with the V Foundation called

594
00:47:34,250 --> 00:47:35,650
Superstars for Hope.

595
00:48:02,730 --> 00:48:06,830
How'd you come up with the name The
Destroyer? Because I destroy cancer.

596
00:48:09,570 --> 00:48:12,990
When I put this outfit on, I feel
unlimited power.

597
00:48:16,150 --> 00:48:17,430
I'm the queen.

598
00:48:19,470 --> 00:48:21,030
I'm the phenomenal one.

599
00:48:24,310 --> 00:48:27,010
And together we can all kick cancer's
butt.

600
00:48:38,870 --> 00:48:43,710
We wanted to make something that wasn't
sad but was instead inspirational.

601
00:48:44,250 --> 00:48:48,410
And did you all see that little boy at
the end who lifted up his walker and

602
00:48:48,410 --> 00:48:49,610
said, Jimmy wins?

603
00:48:50,290 --> 00:48:55,430
Well, that's Superman Jimmy, Jimmy
Spagnuolo, who happens to be here

604
00:48:56,050 --> 00:48:58,690
Jimmy, would you mind standing?

605
00:48:59,650 --> 00:49:00,650
Please stand.

606
00:49:05,070 --> 00:49:07,290
Jimmy wasn't supposed to live.

607
00:49:08,789 --> 00:49:15,330
And I'm ecstatic to say in two weeks on
May 11th, Jimmy will

608
00:49:15,330 --> 00:49:18,030
celebrate his 16th birthday.

609
00:49:18,930 --> 00:49:21,910
Could the entire family please stand?

610
00:49:22,330 --> 00:49:28,550
Lacey, Lily, Jim, and Jimmy, thank you
so much for being here. You are truly

611
00:49:28,550 --> 00:49:29,550
remarkable.

612
00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:54,900
Your reaction doesn't surprise me one
bit, because WWE is the most supportive,

613
00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:57,980
good -hearted community I have ever
known.

614
00:49:58,340 --> 00:50:01,500
And I could not be more grateful for all
of you.

615
00:50:02,080 --> 00:50:03,960
You are the one constant.

616
00:50:04,460 --> 00:50:09,640
No matter what I was going through in my
life, you were always there to boo or

617
00:50:09,640 --> 00:50:12,260
cheer or chant horrible things at me.

618
00:50:13,900 --> 00:50:15,260
Thank you for the love.

619
00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:21,060
Thank you to the Samoans who helped me
when a riot broke out at the L .A.

620
00:50:21,380 --> 00:50:25,820
Coliseum. Thank you to the person who
worked at the airport in Abu Dhabi and

621
00:50:25,820 --> 00:50:27,140
wore a Connors Care bracelet.

622
00:50:27,620 --> 00:50:31,580
Thank you to the man at the strip mall
in New Hampshire who told me everything

623
00:50:31,580 --> 00:50:32,740
was going to be okay.

624
00:50:33,580 --> 00:50:38,840
I think I could thank nearly everyone in
this room for impacting my life in some

625
00:50:38,840 --> 00:50:39,840
way.

626
00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:45,740
Crew, referees, bus and truck drivers,
custodians, security, building

627
00:50:46,100 --> 00:50:50,460
tailors and seamstresses, catering, hair
and makeup, agents and producers,

628
00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:56,660
employees, partners, production, and
especially our superstars.

629
00:51:02,670 --> 00:51:07,750
It is an honor to have worked with you,
and I will continue to cheer you on as

630
00:51:07,750 --> 00:51:09,310
you impact generations.

631
00:51:10,250 --> 00:51:16,630
And to those of you who I may have burst
your eardrum with one of my slaps,

632
00:51:16,630 --> 00:51:18,970
I am truly sorry.

633
00:51:19,610 --> 00:51:23,230
But there's really only one person to
blame for that.

634
00:51:24,270 --> 00:51:26,110
My mother -in -law.

635
00:51:26,970 --> 00:51:29,290
She's the one who taught me how to slap.

636
00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:38,540
Meme Pepe, thank you for welcoming me
into your family with open arms.

637
00:51:40,800 --> 00:51:46,120
To my sister -in -law Lynn, thank you
for always having my back.

638
00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:52,080
And to my niece and nephew, Nathan and
Peter, I love you like you were my own.

639
00:51:56,330 --> 00:52:00,870
A very special thank you to some of my
real -life groomsmen, and I'm going to

640
00:52:00,870 --> 00:52:01,870
through this quickly.

641
00:52:02,590 --> 00:52:08,430
HBK, or as my kids call him, Uncle Sean,
The Undertaker, William Regal, The

642
00:52:08,430 --> 00:52:10,310
Nature Boy, and Kevin Nash.

643
00:52:11,030 --> 00:52:17,770
Kid, my co -podcaster, Elise, Jackie,
Julie, Rich, Terry, Tim,

644
00:52:17,890 --> 00:52:23,150
Tara, Jimmy, Ed, Laura, Brian, Michael
Bruce, The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes,

645
00:52:23,370 --> 00:52:25,010
Blassie, Freddie, Blassie.

646
00:52:25,580 --> 00:52:30,700
Jacqueline, Trish Stratus, Lita Sable,
Rhonda Rousey, The Bellas, Natty, The

647
00:52:30,700 --> 00:52:36,240
Four Horsewomen, Stone Cold Steve
Austin, Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle, Batista

648
00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:42,640
Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins,
The Rock, Y2J, Mick Foley, and John

649
00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:43,640
Cena.

650
00:52:47,180 --> 00:52:52,200
Thank you to Nick, Yvette, Natalie, and
Sunny Khan.

651
00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:59,420
Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel, and most
importantly, thank you to the man of my

652
00:52:59,420 --> 00:53:02,260
dreams, Paul Triple H Levesque.

653
00:53:06,700 --> 00:53:12,180
He used to come to producers' meetings
wearing a black leather jacket, chomping

654
00:53:12,180 --> 00:53:15,860
gum, putting his feet up and rocking
back in his chair.

655
00:53:16,300 --> 00:53:19,700
He was everything that I taught to be
disrespectful.

656
00:53:21,840 --> 00:53:25,460
But there was something irresistible
about him.

657
00:53:26,420 --> 00:53:29,340
He was also forbidden to date being a
talent.

658
00:53:30,780 --> 00:53:34,380
But I just couldn't seem to resist this
man.

659
00:53:35,040 --> 00:53:40,160
He would flick little balled -up pieces
of paper at me that no one else seemed

660
00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:41,098
to notice.

661
00:53:41,100 --> 00:53:45,560
When we'd go to give each other a hug,
it was so awkward, like we had never

662
00:53:45,560 --> 00:53:46,880
hugged anybody before.

663
00:53:47,500 --> 00:53:50,040
And then one night after a run,
Nashville.

664
00:53:50,750 --> 00:53:54,190
I was sitting on the floor in the
office, and he came and asked me if he

665
00:53:54,190 --> 00:53:55,109
give me a call.

666
00:53:55,110 --> 00:53:56,930
You know, to talk business.

667
00:53:58,590 --> 00:54:00,330
And we never stopped talking.

668
00:54:02,170 --> 00:54:08,950
Paul, you are my soulmate, you are my
hero, and you are the

669
00:54:08,950 --> 00:54:10,330
man of my dreams.

670
00:54:11,290 --> 00:54:15,090
And for the record, you flirted with me
first.

671
00:54:20,360 --> 00:54:25,320
Whether I was that girl in the magazine,
the character in the show, or even

672
00:54:25,320 --> 00:54:32,140
briefly leading as chairwoman and co
-CEO, my entire life has been lived

673
00:54:32,140 --> 00:54:33,140
through WWE.

674
00:54:34,040 --> 00:54:37,860
And a few years ago, I thought all of
that was lost.

675
00:54:38,680 --> 00:54:41,700
But you helped me realize that that
wasn't true.

676
00:54:42,260 --> 00:54:48,000
And no matter what, it will always be a
part of me, as it is a part of all of

677
00:54:48,000 --> 00:54:49,000
you.

678
00:54:49,100 --> 00:54:54,000
The video package that played before I
came out, thank you Adam and Colleen,

679
00:54:54,160 --> 00:54:57,560
ended with the song Home by Philip
Phillips.

680
00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:04,220
And I want to reinforce that all of us,
all of us who have ever touched or loved

681
00:55:04,220 --> 00:55:07,700
our business in some way, we are all
family.

682
00:55:08,020 --> 00:55:13,460
And WWE will always and forever be our
home.

683
00:55:19,500 --> 00:55:24,340
Last but not least, since we're here to
induct Stephanie McMahon, who was

684
00:55:24,340 --> 00:55:30,500
predominantly a heel, I think it's only
appropriate that we hear what she would

685
00:55:30,500 --> 00:55:31,500
have to say.

686
00:55:41,100 --> 00:55:44,540
You're damn right I deserve this
recognition.

687
00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:54,540
most brilliant, most beautiful, most
powerful boss bitch there ever was.

688
00:55:57,100 --> 00:56:02,360
While all of you were cheering for your
little underdogs and B -plus players, I

689
00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:03,540
see you, Sami Zayn.

690
00:56:04,060 --> 00:56:09,560
I was busy running this company and
turning it into the global juggernaut it

691
00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:15,070
today. providing you with the
opportunity to make a name for

692
00:56:15,070 --> 00:56:21,030
will profit from until my dying days and
give the rest of you an outlet for your

693
00:56:21,030 --> 00:56:22,110
pathetic dreams.

694
00:56:22,610 --> 00:56:29,230
I've made grown men tremble and cry
before me knowing I held the key to

695
00:56:29,230 --> 00:56:34,850
or not they could provide for their
family. And I love to watch their stupid

696
00:56:34,850 --> 00:56:39,470
pride crumble as I slap them across the
face with that reality.

697
00:56:40,380 --> 00:56:47,280
That, ladies and gentlemen, is true
power, and I wield it unmercifully. So

698
00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:53,260
unless you want to be on my bad side, I
recommend you get on your feet right

699
00:56:53,260 --> 00:56:59,400
now. Stand up and bask in my glory as I,

700
00:56:59,600 --> 00:57:06,460
Stephanie McMahon, am immortalized in
the 2026 WWE Hall.

701
00:57:42,100 --> 00:57:43,100
26,

702
00:57:43,660 --> 00:57:48,280
Hall of Fame inductee A .J. Stiles is
here with his entire family, the

703
00:57:48,280 --> 00:57:50,760
phenomenal one, to be immortalized
tonight.

704
00:57:51,200 --> 00:57:57,620
Also tonight, it's the immortal moment
for many of us, the greatest moment in

705
00:57:57,620 --> 00:58:02,320
WrestleMania history, the slam heard
around the world.

706
00:58:08,170 --> 00:58:10,150
Walk in like you own the air.

707
00:58:10,670 --> 00:58:11,950
Get that confidence.

708
00:58:12,430 --> 00:58:13,810
That's your superpower.

709
00:58:14,630 --> 00:58:17,530
Acknowledge me. You don't dodge the
noise.

710
00:58:18,390 --> 00:58:20,550
You flip it. Own it.

711
00:58:21,070 --> 00:58:22,170
Make it yours.

712
00:58:23,150 --> 00:58:24,490
Walk in loud.

713
00:58:25,070 --> 00:58:26,930
Walk out legendary.

714
00:58:37,900 --> 00:58:41,400
You know, just down the street, that's
the home of the NFL's Raiders, the

715
00:58:41,400 --> 00:58:46,560
Stadium, hosting the two -night
WrestleMania for a second straight year.

716
00:58:46,560 --> 00:58:52,100
reminder, it all begins on ESPN2 with
the first hour tomorrow at 6 Eastern, 3

717
00:58:52,100 --> 00:58:56,560
the West Coast, and of course the whole
of that here on the ESPN app with the

718
00:58:56,560 --> 00:58:57,560
Unlimited plan.

719
00:59:14,890 --> 00:59:19,690
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to
the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame induction

720
00:59:19,690 --> 00:59:25,010
ceremony. And, Miz, tonight is all about
honoring those who have paved the way.

721
00:59:25,190 --> 00:59:29,230
And earlier tonight, we talked about
superstars who built this industry. But

722
00:59:29,230 --> 00:59:30,970
legacy is a little different.

723
00:59:31,270 --> 00:59:36,470
It's about moments, presence, the names
that never fade. Because legacy isn't

724
00:59:36,470 --> 00:59:37,470
about what you did.

725
00:59:37,790 --> 00:59:39,370
It's about how you're remembered.

726
00:59:39,870 --> 00:59:42,070
You may not have been there to see them
live.

727
00:59:42,620 --> 00:59:45,640
but you know exactly who they are, that
legacy.

728
00:59:46,440 --> 00:59:52,180
The latest recipient of the WWE Hall of
Fame Legacy Award was an Olympic

729
00:59:52,180 --> 00:59:57,060
medalist. He was a bad dude with a nasty
sense of humor.

730
00:59:59,660 --> 01:00:03,500
That scowl, that glare, that look.

731
01:00:03,720 --> 01:00:06,780
Bad News Brown had a present.

732
01:00:07,220 --> 01:00:10,660
Looks like I've been angry about it.
Forget about the old saying.

733
01:00:11,070 --> 01:00:16,930
There's good news and there's bad news
because now there's only bad news.

734
01:00:17,550 --> 01:00:21,910
He didn't meet Fred, not when he was
armed with a fierce finisher.

735
01:00:22,170 --> 01:00:26,670
One of the most devastating I think I've
ever seen. Don't give no mercy, hate no

736
01:00:26,670 --> 01:00:32,730
prison. He hailed from Harlem and
achieved Olympic glory, a bronze medal

737
01:00:32,730 --> 01:00:34,250
at the 76 Summer Games.

738
01:00:34,710 --> 01:00:36,810
Then bad news traveled fast.

739
01:00:37,290 --> 01:00:42,290
arriving in WWE, tearing through
opponents, making enemies out of

740
01:00:42,570 --> 01:00:46,910
including legends Hulk Hogan and Randy
Macho Man Savage.

741
01:00:47,510 --> 01:00:49,090
He don't want no friends.

742
01:00:49,370 --> 01:00:50,730
He don't need no friends.

743
01:00:51,870 --> 01:00:53,410
He doesn't have any friends.

744
01:00:53,830 --> 01:00:58,390
His WrestleMania moment, winning a
massive battle royal against the biggest

745
01:00:58,390 --> 01:00:59,430
names in the biz.

746
01:00:59,690 --> 01:01:06,470
One thing I do, I never, ever leave an
enemy behind. No alliances, no

747
01:01:07,230 --> 01:01:13,510
No smiles, but no doubt he'd be beaming
about his election into the 2026 legacy

748
01:01:13,510 --> 01:01:16,450
class of the WWE Hall of Fame.

749
01:01:19,090 --> 01:01:25,710
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the
family of Bad News Brown.

750
01:01:48,620 --> 01:01:53,680
You know, Miz, along with your many
accolades, you're a nine -time tag team

751
01:01:53,680 --> 01:01:59,500
champion. It's ten, but who's counting?
So, anyhow, you know how important tag

752
01:01:59,500 --> 01:02:05,100
team wrestling is to what we do here. As
a kid, I loved tag team wrestling.

753
01:02:05,240 --> 01:02:08,900
Legion of Doom, Demolition. If it had
face paint, I was all in.

754
01:02:09,440 --> 01:02:11,720
Now, thanks to Dan Housen, I've seen
enough.

755
01:02:13,420 --> 01:02:17,900
Tag team wrestling is all in a class of
its own. It's about trust, timing.

756
01:02:18,400 --> 01:02:20,360
Knowing your partner has your back no
matter what.

757
01:02:21,060 --> 01:02:25,780
Demolition? Well, they didn't just
understand that. They dominated it.

758
01:02:26,500 --> 01:02:33,340
Ladies and gentlemen, the latest
inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame.

759
01:02:36,480 --> 01:02:38,340
There's a new game in town, people.

760
01:02:38,820 --> 01:02:40,460
Telling from parts unknown.

761
01:02:40,960 --> 01:02:46,100
We live at the end of Elm Street. When
Freddy Krueger wants to come home, he

762
01:02:46,100 --> 01:02:47,100
to ask us.

763
01:02:48,189 --> 01:02:52,790
Demolition! Here comes the Axe. Here
comes Smash.

764
01:02:53,950 --> 01:02:56,530
As Demolition walk in disaster.

765
01:02:58,910 --> 01:03:05,790
Arriving to WWE in 1987, Bill Eaton and
Barry Darso took on the personas of Axe

766
01:03:05,790 --> 01:03:12,110
and Smash and quickly dominated the tag
team scene as Demolition. It takes me

767
01:03:12,110 --> 01:03:16,210
back to my childhood. As a kid, they
were larger than a light.

768
01:03:23,280 --> 01:03:27,740
I grew up watching and loving
Demolition. I love Demolition. They were

769
01:03:27,740 --> 01:03:29,320
favorite tag team growing up as a kid.

770
01:03:30,160 --> 01:03:34,080
They looked like killers, and that to me
was so badass.

771
01:03:34,540 --> 01:03:38,160
Well, the monsters are here, and your
nightmare is about to begin.

772
01:03:43,820 --> 01:03:46,760
They were like something from a horror
film.

773
01:03:47,560 --> 01:03:51,300
And they had that Jason Voorhees mask.
The black and the leather, the entrance

774
01:03:51,300 --> 01:03:54,400
gear. Then they take the mask off and
now their face is also painted.

775
01:03:54,780 --> 01:03:58,360
As a little kid, I was really scared of
them.

776
01:03:58,660 --> 01:04:00,940
They just looked like they had taken
them from limb.

777
01:04:03,240 --> 01:04:09,360
The things that they did were not
pretty. When we walk in the ring, it's

778
01:04:09,360 --> 01:04:10,460
hell going to break out.

779
01:04:16,780 --> 01:04:19,900
Oh, and here's the patented Demolition
move right here. I love this move.

780
01:04:20,400 --> 01:04:24,540
Them are always just such big, bad
brawlers. Some badasses, but they were

781
01:04:24,640 --> 01:04:25,640
so they got cheered.

782
01:04:25,800 --> 01:04:30,660
New Tag Team Champions history made here
at Final WrestleMania IV.

783
01:04:35,180 --> 01:04:40,260
Demolition's first reign as champions
would last an astonishing 16 months.

784
01:04:41,680 --> 01:04:45,560
We're controlling the Tag Team
Championship scene.

785
01:04:47,370 --> 01:04:53,350
Axe and Smash became the longest
reigning tag team champions in WWE

786
01:04:53,350 --> 01:04:56,030
record that would stand for nearly 30
years.

787
01:04:59,510 --> 01:05:04,950
Demolition would leave an indelible mark
on fans who grew up during WWE's golden

788
01:05:04,950 --> 01:05:07,330
era of the late 1980s.

789
01:05:07,910 --> 01:05:12,390
During that generation, demolition's
impact, it was just huge.

790
01:05:12,930 --> 01:05:14,490
It is with great pride.

791
01:05:14,920 --> 01:05:20,540
that we honor one of sports
entertainment's most iconic tag teams as

792
01:05:20,540 --> 01:05:27,500
Demolition, Axe, and Smash into the WWE
Hall of Fame. Come on, Axe!

793
01:05:27,500 --> 01:05:28,540
It's D -Day!

794
01:05:29,020 --> 01:05:30,980
Ready for Demolition!

795
01:05:32,160 --> 01:05:39,080
Ladies and gentlemen, here to

796
01:05:39,080 --> 01:05:42,980
induct Axe, Axe, and Smash into the Hall
of Fame...

797
01:05:43,360 --> 01:05:46,400
One of the baddest men on the planet,
Haku.

798
01:05:46,900 --> 01:05:52,000
One of the four horsemen, Arne Anderson.
And from the powers of pain.

799
01:06:35,870 --> 01:06:41,050
Is this an honor to be up here tonight
to induct one of the greatest tag teams

800
01:06:41,050 --> 01:06:42,630
ever, Demolition.

801
01:06:45,970 --> 01:06:50,950
From the way they walked to the ring
with their amazing outfits,

802
01:06:51,270 --> 01:06:58,130
their best, their studded vest, and
their heart

803
01:06:58,130 --> 01:07:00,850
-pounding song, you knew they were
special.

804
01:07:02,960 --> 01:07:06,320
Then there was their achievements in the
ring as a tag team.

805
01:07:07,080 --> 01:07:13,800
Not once, not twice, but three times
they won the old

806
01:07:13,800 --> 01:07:15,580
WWE tag team belts.

807
01:07:19,780 --> 01:07:24,340
The first time, 478 days.

808
01:07:25,900 --> 01:07:29,260
That was a record never to be broken in
the old WWE.

809
01:07:33,390 --> 01:07:35,450
I got to wrestle him for a part of that.

810
01:07:36,150 --> 01:07:42,830
And boy, I had a lot, a lot of Mr.
Fuji's canes broken over my back and

811
01:07:42,830 --> 01:07:49,450
pummeled into that mat with their iconic
double axe hammer every single night.

812
01:07:50,350 --> 01:07:51,350
Brutal.

813
01:07:55,510 --> 01:08:01,390
After 35 years.

814
01:08:03,850 --> 01:08:10,110
Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan can't
believe that I'm standing here and talk

815
01:08:10,110 --> 01:08:11,110
about them.

816
01:08:11,810 --> 01:08:17,970
So, when demolition came to be, I had
the opportunity

817
01:08:17,970 --> 01:08:23,290
to tag against them with three different
partners.

818
01:08:24,130 --> 01:08:30,990
As part of the Islanders, with Tonga
Kid, Sivathi, and

819
01:08:30,990 --> 01:08:32,029
the most famous.

820
01:08:32,750 --> 01:08:39,170
of our feuds is one half of the colossal
connection

821
01:08:39,170 --> 01:08:44,390
with Andre the Giant and Bobby the Brain
He -Man.

822
01:08:45,390 --> 01:08:51,890
Managing us, the colossal connection
defended our tag team

823
01:08:51,890 --> 01:08:58,529
titles at one of the greatest
WrestleMania, WrestleMania 6 in Toronto,

824
01:09:00,330 --> 01:09:01,510
There we go.

825
01:09:04,620 --> 01:09:11,460
In guerrilla, Andre told me I must look
strong and stay alive.

826
01:09:12,420 --> 01:09:19,260
If it still shocks me, hear that I
wrestle more most of that match.

827
01:09:22,180 --> 01:09:26,460
Accent's mask, thank you for taking care
of me.

828
01:09:27,060 --> 01:09:31,340
It was an honor to be in the match with
you guys.

829
01:09:31,779 --> 01:09:32,779
Thank you.

830
01:09:47,430 --> 01:09:48,710
Come on now.

831
01:09:50,090 --> 01:09:54,310
You didn't think I was going to just
fade to black, did you?

832
01:09:57,390 --> 01:10:02,990
Well, tonight is not about me as I look
at all these beautiful people and

833
01:10:02,990 --> 01:10:04,070
tremendous athletes.

834
01:10:04,850 --> 01:10:09,510
It's about two guys that broke the
standard.

835
01:10:10,270 --> 01:10:14,690
Phil Eady, he had gained worldwide
respect as a talent.

836
01:10:15,530 --> 01:10:21,950
Barry Darceau, since 1982, has been one
of my best friends on the planet, so

837
01:10:21,950 --> 01:10:23,710
this is a special one for me.

838
01:10:25,570 --> 01:10:31,570
Those two guys got together, the stars
all came into alignment, and they busted

839
01:10:31,570 --> 01:10:38,510
down the doors of the WWE. I mean, they
beat the crap out of everybody.

840
01:10:39,850 --> 01:10:44,130
And I mean everybody. And Barry and I
were supposed to be friends.

841
01:10:46,090 --> 01:10:49,150
I couldn't figure that one out. And I
said, what the hell's the matter with

842
01:10:49,190 --> 01:10:50,330
man? You're killing me out there.

843
01:10:50,630 --> 01:10:52,290
Got to protect the gimmick.

844
01:10:54,810 --> 01:10:59,610
Now, if he said I got to protect the
gimmick, I would listen up.

845
01:11:00,510 --> 01:11:05,610
But the fact of the matter is demolition
came along and set new standards for

846
01:11:05,610 --> 01:11:06,610
tag teams.

847
01:11:08,230 --> 01:11:12,990
I listened to the crowd every single
night when that music would hit and it

848
01:11:12,990 --> 01:11:14,190
would be chill bumps.

849
01:11:14,860 --> 01:11:16,300
Well, you know what we're talking about.

850
01:11:16,780 --> 01:11:21,000
Very few people have that in this
business that can move people like that.

851
01:11:21,560 --> 01:11:28,000
So without much further ado, this is an
easy one. The newest members of the WWE

852
01:11:28,000 --> 01:11:30,920
Hall of Fame demolition.

853
01:11:57,000 --> 01:11:58,400
Oh,

854
01:12:04,600 --> 01:12:05,600
wow.

855
01:12:30,730 --> 01:12:36,050
It's hard to beat Stephanie McMahon's
speech. That's incredible, huh?

856
01:12:36,650 --> 01:12:38,030
Is she unreal or what?

857
01:12:39,010 --> 01:12:40,010
All right.

858
01:12:40,610 --> 01:12:43,850
This is just one of the most incredible
moments of my life.

859
01:12:44,270 --> 01:12:49,250
I've been around the wrestling business
for over 40 years, and it all comes down

860
01:12:49,250 --> 01:12:51,410
to tonight, the WWE Hall of Fame.

861
01:12:51,730 --> 01:12:54,130
What an honor, and thank you very much.

862
01:12:54,470 --> 01:12:56,070
And it's that ring right there.

863
01:12:58,530 --> 01:13:02,170
There are so many people that I need to
say thanks to.

864
01:13:02,450 --> 01:13:03,810
I'm only going to name a few.

865
01:13:04,450 --> 01:13:09,530
About 39 years ago, I got a call from
Vince McMahon to come up to the office.

866
01:13:10,570 --> 01:13:14,750
And he showed me a picture of what the
demolition character would look like.

867
01:13:15,770 --> 01:13:19,730
And I didn't know anything about the
demolition. I didn't know what it looked

868
01:13:19,730 --> 01:13:20,730
like.

869
01:13:20,950 --> 01:13:24,310
And he asked me, he said, do you think
you can be this character?

870
01:13:24,730 --> 01:13:26,090
And I looked him right in the eye.

871
01:13:26,630 --> 01:13:29,330
And I said, You're darn right I can be
this character.

872
01:13:29,970 --> 01:13:31,370
I'm Demolition Smash.

873
01:13:33,110 --> 01:13:34,110
Unbelievable.

874
01:13:35,990 --> 01:13:41,310
And we kind of laughed, and he said, I
just need to get a hold of Bill Leedy

875
01:13:41,310 --> 01:13:46,110
make sure that everything's okay with
him, and it would be a good tag team for

876
01:13:46,110 --> 01:13:48,130
the both of us. And, you know, I said,
perfect.

877
01:13:48,910 --> 01:13:52,970
So I knew Bill through some mutual
friends, and everybody spoke so highly

878
01:13:52,970 --> 01:13:54,970
him. Bill and I met a couple weeks
later.

879
01:13:55,980 --> 01:13:58,880
The next thing you know, we're partners.
We're the demolition.

880
01:13:59,820 --> 01:14:03,320
The first day in the ring, it just
clicked.

881
01:14:04,480 --> 01:14:05,480
It was incredible.

882
01:14:05,700 --> 01:14:10,120
The next thing you know, we're in the
Trump Plaza winning the tag team titles

883
01:14:10,120 --> 01:14:12,020
from Tito Santana and Rick Martel.

884
01:14:12,660 --> 01:14:13,660
Unbelievable.

885
01:14:15,260 --> 01:14:16,260
Thank you.

886
01:14:17,480 --> 01:14:22,180
I need to thank Bill Eady for this
moment right here because he's what's

887
01:14:22,180 --> 01:14:23,180
this so easy.

888
01:14:23,660 --> 01:14:25,560
for the decision for me to become Smash.

889
01:14:26,380 --> 01:14:31,600
And we've been together for about 39
years now. We've had a great tag team

890
01:14:32,040 --> 01:14:37,560
We put many miles on the road. Best
friends, training partners. All I did

891
01:14:37,560 --> 01:14:38,900
follow his lead in the matches.

892
01:14:39,920 --> 01:14:40,960
And they were phenomenal.

893
01:14:42,400 --> 01:14:49,020
We wrestled the greatest teams of all
time. And those guys that just inducted

894
01:14:49,020 --> 01:14:50,020
in here are some of them.

895
01:14:50,320 --> 01:14:52,980
The Warlord, he was partners with the
Barbarian.

896
01:14:53,420 --> 01:14:54,420
They were incredible.

897
01:14:55,680 --> 01:14:56,920
Yes, definitely.

898
01:15:00,280 --> 01:15:02,060
Haku with Andre the Giant.

899
01:15:05,100 --> 01:15:09,700
Arne Anderson tagged with Tully
Blanchard. They were the brain busters.

900
01:15:09,700 --> 01:15:10,700
it up with those guys.

901
01:15:12,840 --> 01:15:15,320
It's just been an incredible, incredible
career.

902
01:15:15,760 --> 01:15:17,380
I need to thank Mr. Fuji.

903
01:15:18,460 --> 01:15:19,540
Hey, yeah.

904
01:15:20,820 --> 01:15:22,080
Stooges the Stooges.

905
01:15:23,600 --> 01:15:25,080
He was so much fun.

906
01:15:25,560 --> 01:15:29,760
And he was just a great, great man and a
good guy to be around.

907
01:15:30,240 --> 01:15:32,580
And then I need to thank Brian Adams
Crush.

908
01:15:33,600 --> 01:15:34,600
All right.

909
01:15:35,100 --> 01:15:36,600
Another great partner.

910
01:15:38,760 --> 01:15:41,240
When he came in, we had the time of our
life.

911
01:15:42,020 --> 01:15:47,580
He was just a good guy, a good man, and
he was one strong son of a gun. What a

912
01:15:47,580 --> 01:15:48,580
good guy.

913
01:15:49,140 --> 01:15:50,780
Then I have to mention my wife.

914
01:15:51,500 --> 01:15:53,580
The love of my life, Teresa Darso.

915
01:15:54,940 --> 01:15:58,480
She was the best partner I ever had,
sorry Bill, and still is.

916
01:15:59,500 --> 01:16:02,180
She ran my whole life, and still does.

917
01:16:05,480 --> 01:16:08,300
I've got to introduce my son, Dakota
Darso.

918
01:16:09,200 --> 01:16:14,120
He's a sergeant for the Roscommon County
Sheriff's Department, and he's a canine

919
01:16:14,120 --> 01:16:16,900
officer. The greatest son a man could
ever have.

920
01:16:18,660 --> 01:16:19,660
Yeah.

921
01:16:20,580 --> 01:16:21,580
Dakota, I love you.

922
01:16:22,580 --> 01:16:27,340
And then his wife, Keely Darso, who's
just an incredible woman. I love her

923
01:16:27,340 --> 01:16:28,340
than anything.

924
01:16:28,860 --> 01:16:31,620
She is the mother of my three grandkids.

925
01:16:32,440 --> 01:16:34,800
And can I get my three grandkids to
stand up?

926
01:16:35,060 --> 01:16:36,100
Come on, you guys.

927
01:16:36,520 --> 01:16:37,520
Come on.

928
01:16:39,400 --> 01:16:41,320
That's Maverick, Scarlett, and Lincoln.

929
01:16:42,260 --> 01:16:45,740
And can you look in the camera right
there and just smile and wave?

930
01:16:46,590 --> 01:16:51,430
Just when you get back to school, tell
the kids at school that they're in

931
01:16:51,430 --> 01:16:54,690
today and you're at the greatest show on
earth.

932
01:16:55,390 --> 01:16:57,190
WrestleMania in the Hall of Fame, yeah.

933
01:16:58,750 --> 01:17:02,510
So anyways, I'm going to wrap this up
and I just want to say thanks to the

934
01:17:03,350 --> 01:17:08,990
Triple H, The Undertaker, the whole WWE
crew is just incredible.

935
01:17:09,830 --> 01:17:11,890
And then, I've got to thank the fans.

936
01:17:13,220 --> 01:17:17,980
Yeah, you fans are unbelievable. There
wouldn't be demolition without you.

937
01:17:17,980 --> 01:17:18,980
you all.

938
01:17:19,220 --> 01:17:20,220
All right, Phil.

939
01:17:21,480 --> 01:17:22,480
You got it.

940
01:17:24,640 --> 01:17:28,560
Well, to be truly honest, I didn't ever
think this day would come true.

941
01:17:31,160 --> 01:17:36,420
To be inducted into the Hall of Fame has
been a great honor.

942
01:17:38,600 --> 01:17:41,000
And it's unbelievable.

943
01:17:41,850 --> 01:17:44,130
I look around the crowd here, and I'm
amazed.

944
01:17:44,910 --> 01:17:48,970
I see all these superstars, and I envy
you.

945
01:17:49,910 --> 01:17:52,290
You're doing a fantastic job.
Unbelievable.

946
01:17:52,610 --> 01:17:53,850
Fantastic. Unbelievable.

947
01:17:58,030 --> 01:18:03,090
We have been accepted into the
fraternity. We've been in the wrestling

948
01:18:03,090 --> 01:18:04,310
for a number of years.

949
01:18:05,970 --> 01:18:10,250
And now we're being inducted into the
Hall of Fame, and we're allowed in the

950
01:18:10,250 --> 01:18:11,250
fraternity house.

951
01:18:14,700 --> 01:18:18,540
There's many people that I want to
thank.

952
01:18:20,620 --> 01:18:21,620
Thank you.

953
01:18:24,380 --> 01:18:24,860
Thank

954
01:18:24,860 --> 01:18:33,540
you.

955
01:18:34,360 --> 01:18:35,980
That's a loud section over there.

956
01:18:37,640 --> 01:18:39,940
I think maybe we should do a run -in at
WrestleMania.

957
01:18:45,000 --> 01:18:47,260
You run in, I'll walk in, because I'm a
lot older.

958
01:18:49,160 --> 01:18:55,260
But there's a lot of people that I would
like to thank and gave me guidance and

959
01:18:55,260 --> 01:18:56,260
support.

960
01:18:56,440 --> 01:18:59,020
Too many to mention, but I'll name a
few.

961
01:19:02,600 --> 01:19:05,140
Guido Mongo, who was my trainer and
mentor.

962
01:19:08,660 --> 01:19:12,360
George Scott, who gave me the character
of Mass Superstar.

963
01:19:14,320 --> 01:19:16,640
Andre the Giant, good friend.

964
01:19:17,880 --> 01:19:19,320
He trusted me.

965
01:19:22,100 --> 01:19:23,440
Vince McMahon Jr.

966
01:19:23,760 --> 01:19:24,398
and Sr.

967
01:19:24,400 --> 01:19:27,360
for bringing us into WWE.

968
01:19:29,860 --> 01:19:35,020
Antonio Inoki for giving me that main
event position in Japan.

969
01:19:36,140 --> 01:19:37,900
And of course, Mr. Fuji.

970
01:19:39,180 --> 01:19:43,200
Good manager, better friend.

971
01:19:44,750 --> 01:19:47,050
And there's so many other people I'd
like to mention.

972
01:19:47,930 --> 01:19:53,430
With all the talent in this room, all
the talent in the wrestling fraternity,

973
01:19:53,490 --> 01:20:00,430
we've had so many good matches with
individuals and singles and

974
01:20:00,430 --> 01:20:01,430
in tag.

975
01:20:02,250 --> 01:20:06,030
Without a good opponent, the match
doesn't work.

976
01:20:07,250 --> 01:20:11,370
We'd like to thank those people who went
in the ring with us, just like these

977
01:20:11,370 --> 01:20:12,370
guys.

978
01:20:12,410 --> 01:20:16,970
And all the people that we can't
mention, thank you very much.

979
01:20:18,570 --> 01:20:20,270
I'd like to thank the fans.

980
01:20:23,170 --> 01:20:29,650
Without the fans, you gave us the drive
and ambition and desire.

981
01:20:30,210 --> 01:20:33,430
You gave us the support over these many
years.

982
01:20:33,770 --> 01:20:35,430
And we truly thank you.

983
01:20:35,970 --> 01:20:37,310
Thank you very much.

984
01:20:44,240 --> 01:20:47,840
I would like to thank members of my
family.

985
01:20:48,140 --> 01:20:51,300
First of all, my wife.

986
01:20:51,860 --> 01:20:53,140
My wife, Sue.

987
01:20:55,260 --> 01:20:57,700
She stood with me from day one.

988
01:20:58,780 --> 01:21:03,080
I had a dream, and she supported that
dream.

989
01:21:04,500 --> 01:21:11,420
She gave me support and strength and
effort even when I doubted myself.

990
01:21:14,780 --> 01:21:20,100
She bought three homes while I was on
the road.

991
01:21:21,640 --> 01:21:25,760
One of those times I didn't even know
where I lived coming back from Japan.

992
01:21:27,140 --> 01:21:32,300
That was before cell phones, so if she
didn't come to pick me up at the

993
01:21:32,580 --> 01:21:35,480
I was going to be in Atlanta Airport for
a long time.

994
01:21:36,400 --> 01:21:38,400
Thank you, honey. I love you very much.

995
01:21:42,280 --> 01:21:47,080
I'd like to thank my daughter, Heather
Davis,

996
01:21:47,360 --> 01:21:54,160
my son -in -law, Michael Davis, because
they sacrificed as well.

997
01:21:55,360 --> 01:22:00,980
And I've got four great -grandsons,
Christopher, Dylan,

998
01:22:01,260 --> 01:22:03,660
Chase, and Dean.

999
01:22:03,920 --> 01:22:06,440
And they give me the reason to keep
going.

1000
01:22:11,240 --> 01:22:18,000
And finally, the reason I'm even here
today, I want to thank my Lord Jesus

1001
01:22:18,000 --> 01:22:20,780
Christ. There we go. There we go.

1002
01:22:23,160 --> 01:22:29,240
He was with me when I was at my weakest
and when I needed guidance.

1003
01:22:29,760 --> 01:22:30,760
Thank you, Lord.

1004
01:22:34,560 --> 01:22:39,160
I've been asked a number of times, and
even today, at a signing,

1005
01:22:42,090 --> 01:22:47,910
The question, how are you going to feel
being inducted into the Hall of Fame?

1006
01:22:49,330 --> 01:22:54,930
Getting that title, getting the ring,
getting that acknowledgement.

1007
01:22:56,330 --> 01:23:03,290
And I hearken back to a movie that I
liked, Dumb and Dumber, and I'll steal

1008
01:23:03,290 --> 01:23:04,290
the phrase.

1009
01:23:05,710 --> 01:23:08,010
I like it. I like it a lot.

1010
01:23:10,230 --> 01:23:11,230
Thank you.

1011
01:23:11,400 --> 01:23:12,700
Thank you. Thank you.

1012
01:23:15,500 --> 01:23:18,180
Thank you.

1013
01:23:31,260 --> 01:23:35,900
Still to come tonight, a man who
transformed our business, AJ Styles.

1014
01:23:36,700 --> 01:23:38,140
will enter the Hall of Fame.

1015
01:23:38,380 --> 01:23:43,600
And also Dennis Rodman, not of the NBA,
but of the NWO.

1016
01:23:43,900 --> 01:23:46,100
Dennis Rodman here live.

1017
01:23:47,940 --> 01:23:53,220
Welcome back to fabulous Las Vegas.
We're on the strip tonight. Dolby Live

1018
01:23:53,220 --> 01:24:00,200
Park MGM honoring the best of the best
at the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame induction

1019
01:24:00,200 --> 01:24:01,200
ceremony.

1020
01:24:22,879 --> 01:24:27,840
Celebrities have been a massive part of
WWE over the years.

1021
01:24:28,140 --> 01:24:32,200
They've even gotten in the ring on
occasion, much to the chagrin sometimes

1022
01:24:32,200 --> 01:24:33,720
the WWE fans.

1023
01:24:34,160 --> 01:24:37,060
You've had some run -ins with
celebrities over the years.

1024
01:24:37,320 --> 01:24:41,080
Oh, have I? Oh, I've had a verbal
confrontation with Pee Wee Herman.

1025
01:24:41,800 --> 01:24:47,320
People's elbow from Snoop Dogg. I got
punt kicked by Pat McAfee.

1026
01:24:50,880 --> 01:24:54,200
Interesting, because you weren't doing
that when he was kicking my teeth in.

1027
01:24:54,860 --> 01:24:59,120
It's hard for a celebrity to come into
our house, because you have to show the

1028
01:24:59,120 --> 01:25:04,100
same respect, the same passion, the same
pride that every superstar and every

1029
01:25:04,100 --> 01:25:06,320
member of the WWE universe has.

1030
01:25:07,120 --> 01:25:11,000
But when they do, and they prove that
they belong, it's special.

1031
01:25:11,740 --> 01:25:16,140
Because it brings a new audience, a new
energy, and to create moments that

1032
01:25:16,140 --> 01:25:17,140
everyone talks about.

1033
01:25:18,140 --> 01:25:19,140
Ladies and gentlemen,

1034
01:25:19,840 --> 01:25:24,440
The new inductee into the WWE Hall of
Fame's celebrity wing.

1035
01:25:27,320 --> 01:25:29,200
Ah, the 90.

1036
01:25:29,420 --> 01:25:34,940
A decade defined by vibrant colors,
outrageous fashion choices, and edgy

1037
01:25:34,940 --> 01:25:40,840
attitudes. And no one embodied that more
than the ostentatious Dennis Rodman. If

1038
01:25:40,840 --> 01:25:44,540
you look at him, you're not thinking any
other sport except WWE.

1039
01:25:44,900 --> 01:25:47,660
I define the word money.

1040
01:25:48,300 --> 01:25:52,700
Arguably the greatest rebounder in NBA
history, Dennis the Menace was as

1041
01:25:52,700 --> 01:25:56,720
comfortable causing chaos on the court
as he was doing whatever he wanted, all

1042
01:25:56,720 --> 01:26:01,860
of it. An entity of his own in the very
best way. He looks how he wants, he

1043
01:26:01,860 --> 01:26:04,280
dresses how he wants, he is the ultimate
rebel.

1044
01:26:04,520 --> 01:26:08,140
In 1997, this rebel found his cause.

1045
01:26:08,400 --> 01:26:12,100
The newest member of the NWO. You've
definitely...

1046
01:26:14,570 --> 01:26:15,950
Earn your colors, my friend.

1047
01:26:16,410 --> 01:26:20,190
Why did Dennis Rodman fit into the NWO?
Well, his nickname was The Worm.

1048
01:26:21,390 --> 01:26:24,870
Basically, it was just like everybody in
the NWO just obsessed with themselves.

1049
01:26:25,690 --> 01:26:28,550
With the Bulls' war to the NBA, the NWO
was the WCW.

1050
01:26:28,890 --> 01:26:31,390
Fat boys of wrestling with the fat boy
of the NBA.

1051
01:26:32,270 --> 01:26:33,490
What a match made in heaven.

1052
01:26:34,290 --> 01:26:36,430
Rodman was complete outlaw.

1053
01:26:37,210 --> 01:26:42,530
Exactly what the NWO was. I mean, they
fit in perfectly like a hand and a glove

1054
01:26:42,530 --> 01:26:43,519
together.

1055
01:26:43,520 --> 01:26:49,860
While the collab was screeched, Rodman's
rise in the ring lived up to his bad

1056
01:26:49,860 --> 01:26:50,659
boy rep.

1057
01:26:50,660 --> 01:26:56,260
I think the fact that he blew off a
practice during the finals was pretty

1058
01:26:56,260 --> 01:27:00,580
significant. There are some things worth
missing practice for, brother.

1059
01:27:02,500 --> 01:27:06,580
He is the kind of guy that just does
whatever he wants.

1060
01:27:08,280 --> 01:27:09,280
No rules with that guy.

1061
01:27:09,500 --> 01:27:14,600
Rod Villa was lambasted in the media,
but once back in Chicago, he helped lead

1062
01:27:14,600 --> 01:27:16,800
the Bulls to their sixth NBA
championship.

1063
01:27:17,320 --> 01:27:22,680
Less than a month later, the worm was
found, where else? On the beach with

1064
01:27:22,680 --> 01:27:25,460
Hogan and the NWO. Rodman was wild card.

1065
01:27:25,680 --> 01:27:29,280
He was definitely a V12 running on all
cylinders.

1066
01:27:29,860 --> 01:27:30,860
He's crazy.

1067
01:27:31,340 --> 01:27:32,480
I mean, he's absolutely crazy.

1068
01:27:32,980 --> 01:27:35,820
Rodman, he had everything it took. I
mean, he could have been a great

1069
01:27:35,820 --> 01:27:38,820
if he ever would have made that choice.
He was the real deal.

1070
01:27:39,060 --> 01:27:44,500
And so, on behalf of mavericks and
misfits everywhere, we honor the man who

1071
01:27:44,500 --> 01:27:48,900
flamboyantly crashed the boards as hard
as he crashed the party. That's right,

1072
01:27:49,060 --> 01:27:51,480
baby. You have no choice but to love me,
right?

1073
01:27:51,680 --> 01:27:58,180
And welcome the world into the 2026
class of the WWE Hall of Fame.

1074
01:28:00,650 --> 01:28:06,510
Here now to induct Dennis Rodman into
the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of

1075
01:28:06,510 --> 01:28:13,130
Fame, from the New World Order, Kevin
Nash, Sean

1076
01:28:13,130 --> 01:28:14,130
Waldman.

1077
01:28:53,069 --> 01:28:57,890
My voice has got something crazy going
on. I'm a hermit. I don't speak very

1078
01:28:57,890 --> 01:28:58,890
often.

1079
01:28:59,120 --> 01:29:01,280
Just being here today, I've lost my
voice.

1080
01:29:03,080 --> 01:29:09,640
The next inductee is no stranger to
being inducted. He was inducted to the

1081
01:29:09,640 --> 01:29:15,900
Hall of Fame in 2011 and into the NBA's
75th anniversary team in 2021.

1082
01:29:16,620 --> 01:29:20,840
Most importantly, he was the heart and
soul of the greatest collection of

1083
01:29:20,840 --> 01:29:21,860
athletes in sports.

1084
01:29:22,100 --> 01:29:26,300
I'm not talking about the Chicago Bulls.
I'm talking about the NWO.

1085
01:29:30,860 --> 01:29:37,740
The man who blew off practice during the
1998 NBA Finals so he could go smoke

1086
01:29:37,740 --> 01:29:39,240
some Cohibas on Nitro.

1087
01:29:40,880 --> 01:29:47,520
Quick tangent, it's urban legend, but
the story goes that Dennis was

1088
01:29:47,520 --> 01:29:52,460
paid $250 ,000 by the WCW for his
performance.

1089
01:29:52,900 --> 01:29:56,200
And the NBA fined Dennis.

1090
01:29:56,810 --> 01:29:58,930
a whopping $20 ,000.

1091
01:29:59,650 --> 01:30:05,550
So Dennis managed to skip practice, win
the NBA Finals, smoke

1092
01:30:05,550 --> 01:30:11,310
cigars on nitro, and still walk out with
$230 ,000.

1093
01:30:17,050 --> 01:30:22,830
When Dennis came out in that black limo,
it sent shockwaves through this

1094
01:30:22,830 --> 01:30:25,090
business. Because when you're Dennis,

1095
01:30:26,559 --> 01:30:31,860
When Dennis is on your TV, it's not just
a big deal for wrestling. It's

1096
01:30:31,860 --> 01:30:32,860
international news.

1097
01:30:33,600 --> 01:30:39,800
And while Dennis lives by his own rules,
he does follow one unshakable code.

1098
01:30:40,180 --> 01:30:45,240
When you're NWO, you're NWO for life.

1099
01:30:47,100 --> 01:30:52,780
Without further ado, it's my honor to
induct into the WWE Hall of Fame.

1100
01:30:53,520 --> 01:30:55,560
Dennis Rodman!

1101
01:31:28,620 --> 01:31:29,620
How you doing, Vegas?

1102
01:31:34,040 --> 01:31:36,480
As you know, this is my second home.

1103
01:31:37,100 --> 01:31:41,880
And, you know, amen.

1104
01:31:42,940 --> 01:31:43,940
I'm not trying.

1105
01:32:01,140 --> 01:32:07,760
Anyway, I had a speech up here, but just
unfortunately that Stephanie McMahon

1106
01:32:07,760 --> 01:32:10,620
did it for me.

1107
01:32:11,420 --> 01:32:12,420
Thank you.

1108
01:32:12,940 --> 01:32:14,860
That way I ain't going to be up so damn
long.

1109
01:32:17,520 --> 01:32:21,820
But I'm just happy to be here because
the WWE gave me a chance.

1110
01:32:22,560 --> 01:32:27,160
And WCW was great, you know.

1111
01:32:28,579 --> 01:32:30,860
NWO for life.

1112
01:32:31,760 --> 01:32:35,920
Yeah, man. Bless them, man. Bless them.
But you know what? I'm just happy to be

1113
01:32:35,920 --> 01:32:40,200
here to support you guys because I think
your organization is probably better

1114
01:32:40,200 --> 01:32:42,520
than most organizations around the
world.

1115
01:32:43,020 --> 01:32:48,220
Because the one thing you never have
left your feelings about loving your

1116
01:32:48,220 --> 01:32:50,740
community and loving the people that
work for you.

1117
01:32:51,180 --> 01:32:52,220
So, love.

1118
01:32:59,580 --> 01:33:04,120
There's a lot of guys in this industry
that's been physically damaged,

1119
01:33:04,400 --> 01:33:08,340
physically hurt, disappointed.

1120
01:33:09,780 --> 01:33:13,740
But this organization has never turned
their back on these people, man.

1121
01:33:14,360 --> 01:33:15,400
I mean, look around.

1122
01:33:16,240 --> 01:33:17,260
I mean, look around.

1123
01:33:18,000 --> 01:33:24,160
You know, so that's what I love about
being in my community, the wrestling

1124
01:33:24,160 --> 01:33:27,840
world. If I had to play basketball, I'd
be in this industry.

1125
01:33:28,360 --> 01:33:29,360
Very well.

1126
01:33:29,800 --> 01:33:33,620
And at least I know what Lord he is in
this industry.

1127
01:33:34,900 --> 01:33:35,960
And boy,

1128
01:33:37,020 --> 01:33:38,640
I would love to see a lot more shit.

1129
01:33:39,080 --> 01:33:43,980
I would.

1130
01:33:45,480 --> 01:33:47,280
I would.

1131
01:33:47,600 --> 01:33:52,140
You know, since I'm not getting
emotional, but I will. I will have to

1132
01:33:52,140 --> 01:33:53,980
something. I'm going to cut it short.

1133
01:34:00,059 --> 01:34:04,020
Now, let's thank a couple of people
here, man. Let's thank Jimmy Hart.

1134
01:34:09,040 --> 01:34:11,180
What a career this guy had, right?

1135
01:34:12,500 --> 01:34:16,420
This guy eats peanut butter with
cucumbers in the morning.

1136
01:34:20,020 --> 01:34:21,020
True story.

1137
01:34:22,940 --> 01:34:24,160
Eric Bischoff.

1138
01:34:30,250 --> 01:34:33,230
He's one of the guys that really helped
me get through this whole situation with

1139
01:34:33,230 --> 01:34:34,230
the wrestling.

1140
01:34:34,330 --> 01:34:39,490
And just like my neighbor, she's 82
years old. She didn't want to step in

1141
01:34:39,490 --> 01:34:45,650
watch this, but damn, man. You know,
she's an old woman, but love her to

1142
01:34:45,790 --> 01:34:46,790
Love her to death.

1143
01:34:47,010 --> 01:34:50,730
Every day, I talk to that woman every
day.

1144
01:34:54,550 --> 01:34:58,950
Knowing that she's dying, but I talk to
her every day at my pool stop. I say,

1145
01:34:59,030 --> 01:35:00,009
hey.

1146
01:35:00,010 --> 01:35:01,010
It's okay, man.

1147
01:35:02,030 --> 01:35:03,030
It's okay.

1148
01:35:40,260 --> 01:35:41,260
Hollywood Swinghead!

1149
01:35:41,500 --> 01:35:42,500
Yes!

1150
01:35:44,100 --> 01:35:48,420
But yeah, man, I'm having a good time
right now, man. I got a lot to weigh,

1151
01:35:48,420 --> 01:35:53,580
I got to speak about the person here.

1152
01:35:54,340 --> 01:35:56,740
Another person, Nick Hogan.

1153
01:36:01,800 --> 01:36:04,920
Yeah, I've been knowing Nick since he
was like three, four years old.

1154
01:36:06,740 --> 01:36:09,860
He's been through some, back in the day,
he was going through some really hard

1155
01:36:09,860 --> 01:36:15,520
times. And his dad, man, just always
stood beside him no matter what he did.

1156
01:36:16,440 --> 01:36:19,180
You know, no matter what he did, he
stood right beside him.

1157
01:36:19,900 --> 01:36:21,420
And I'm so proud of Nick, man.

1158
01:36:22,020 --> 01:36:25,640
He seemed like a really got his shit, I
mean, his stuff together.

1159
01:36:30,540 --> 01:36:32,220
It's on TV, fly TV, dope.

1160
01:36:36,400 --> 01:36:39,660
Trying to get through it, brother.
Trying to get through it, brother. So,

1161
01:36:39,820 --> 01:36:40,820
you know.

1162
01:36:42,420 --> 01:36:45,880
Yeah. So, bless you, Nick. Bless you,
Nick.

1163
01:36:46,180 --> 01:36:47,180
Bless everybody.

1164
01:36:47,680 --> 01:36:48,680
People back home.

1165
01:36:49,060 --> 01:36:50,280
Frankie. What's your matter?

1166
01:36:50,660 --> 01:36:52,920
Everybody up there. What you got going
on, love, baby?

1167
01:36:53,740 --> 01:36:55,860
What you got going on, baby?

1168
01:37:00,820 --> 01:37:02,100
Hey. Hey.

1169
01:37:03,740 --> 01:37:06,820
No matter you sit up there in the
bleachers, brother, guess what, dude?

1170
01:37:06,820 --> 01:37:10,880
life means more down here than up there
all day long, brother. Yes.

1171
01:37:11,780 --> 01:37:12,780
All day.

1172
01:37:13,580 --> 01:37:16,380
But I will finish this.

1173
01:37:17,100 --> 01:37:18,740
My lovely girl, yellow, yellow.

1174
01:37:19,300 --> 01:37:22,200
And, you know, everybody back there,
Joyce with the fellow.

1175
01:37:23,200 --> 01:37:24,680
But here we go, guys.

1176
01:37:25,020 --> 01:37:26,020
Here's the ending.

1177
01:37:27,260 --> 01:37:28,540
Here's the ending right here.

1178
01:37:29,660 --> 01:37:31,080
I love the fact.

1179
01:37:32,300 --> 01:37:38,540
When you can sit there, hold your head
up high, and see Hulkamania,

1180
01:37:38,720 --> 01:37:40,380
that statue, brother.

1181
01:37:41,100 --> 01:37:42,380
That statue, brother.

1182
01:37:43,980 --> 01:37:46,140
And I wonder what it took so long.

1183
01:37:46,680 --> 01:37:47,800
What took so long?

1184
01:37:48,660 --> 01:37:52,500
You know, I hope you guys don't laugh at
this.

1185
01:37:53,160 --> 01:37:55,080
A friend of mine, Hulk Hogan, told me a
thing.

1186
01:37:56,700 --> 01:37:57,900
Where's he going to move from?

1187
01:37:58,220 --> 01:38:02,440
With the fire, hookah medium, and a 24
-inch play -thug. Give the whole of you,

1188
01:38:02,520 --> 01:38:03,520
brother.

1189
01:38:06,820 --> 01:38:07,860
Try it. Try it.

1190
01:38:08,140 --> 01:38:09,140
What he will do.

1191
01:38:09,700 --> 01:38:12,400
Thank you guys for coming out, man.
Thank you guys for having me in.

1192
01:38:12,880 --> 01:38:14,120
Love is in the wine, baby.

1193
01:38:15,620 --> 01:38:17,520
NWO for life!

1194
01:38:28,460 --> 01:38:32,380
Well, this is indeed the first
WrestleMania without the presence of the

1195
01:38:32,380 --> 01:38:37,120
Hulk Hogan. Coming up next, one of the
great highlights of WrestleMania.

1196
01:38:37,340 --> 01:38:41,420
From the Silverdome in Pontiac,
Michigan, WrestleMania III.

1197
01:38:41,640 --> 01:38:47,460
It's our immortal moment. Coming up next
at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

1198
01:38:52,800 --> 01:38:56,620
The biggest wrestling extravaganza of
all time.

1199
01:38:58,240 --> 01:39:01,360
The irresistible force meeting the
immovable object.

1200
01:39:03,040 --> 01:39:05,540
Oh! He dropped it! He dropped the big
guy!

1201
01:39:05,980 --> 01:39:10,020
He's hulking up! I didn't know if I
could get him up, to tell you the truth.

1202
01:39:10,840 --> 01:39:12,380
It was a defining moment.

1203
01:39:16,800 --> 01:39:21,780
That time of year when the very best
come out to play.

1204
01:39:24,580 --> 01:39:25,920
Is it going to be good?

1205
01:39:27,920 --> 01:39:28,920
from Las Vegas.

1206
01:39:29,320 --> 01:39:31,820
It doesn't get any bigger than this.

1207
01:39:32,760 --> 01:39:35,280
Quickness demands a stage.

1208
01:39:35,720 --> 01:39:38,280
The two -night weekend event known as
WrestleMania.

1209
01:39:39,380 --> 01:39:41,860
Tomorrow. Tickets on sale now.

1210
01:39:45,600 --> 01:39:51,040
And just down the street from where we
are tonight is Allegiant Stadium, host

1211
01:39:51,040 --> 01:39:54,840
the two -night extravaganza known as
WrestleMania, beginning with

1212
01:39:54,840 --> 01:39:56,880
Saturday at 6 Eastern, 3.

1213
01:39:57,420 --> 01:40:02,940
Pacific, where the main event was Randy
Orton versus Cody Rhodes for the

1214
01:40:02,940 --> 01:40:05,820
undisputed WWE Championship.

1215
01:40:18,560 --> 01:40:19,560
1987,

1216
01:40:20,440 --> 01:40:24,020
I was in college watching on closed
circuit.

1217
01:40:24,460 --> 01:40:29,000
The moment that got me into this
business. You're that old? I was seven.

1218
01:40:29,000 --> 01:40:30,000
old.

1219
01:40:30,280 --> 01:40:35,280
I was sitting down watching 93 ,000
people pack the silver dome.

1220
01:40:35,580 --> 01:40:42,580
Watching Hulk Hogan take on the
undefeated. A true giant. The immovable

1221
01:40:42,660 --> 01:40:44,120
Andre the Giant. And then it happened.

1222
01:40:44,720 --> 01:40:51,640
As 93 ,000 people rose out of their
seats. They watched the

1223
01:40:51,640 --> 01:40:53,560
immortal Hulk Hogan brother.

1224
01:40:54,120 --> 01:40:57,700
Pick up Andre the Giant and slam him.

1225
01:40:59,000 --> 01:41:02,480
And that's when we realized that wasn't
just a match.

1226
01:41:02,760 --> 01:41:04,100
That was history.

1227
01:41:05,680 --> 01:41:10,220
Let's celebrate that history now with
our immortal moment.

1228
01:41:14,620 --> 01:41:19,480
World Wrestling Federation officials
have announced that WrestleMania 3 will

1229
01:41:19,480 --> 01:41:21,260
held at the beautiful Silverdome.

1230
01:41:22,130 --> 01:41:24,990
Hulkamania is the newest thing, Johnny.
It's the thing that is sweeping the

1231
01:41:24,990 --> 01:41:25,990
country.

1232
01:41:55,260 --> 01:41:59,180
wrestling extravaganza of all time. I
should remind you, there are no tickets

1233
01:41:59,180 --> 01:42:03,800
left. Oh my gosh. I mean, people were
coming from all over the world for this

1234
01:42:03,800 --> 01:42:04,800
particular WrestleMania.

1235
01:42:04,940 --> 01:42:08,580
On the one hand, you have the ultimate
hero. On the other hand, you have this

1236
01:42:08,580 --> 01:42:12,980
giant who no human being could possibly
beat. There's no way. Hogan ain't gonna

1237
01:42:12,980 --> 01:42:13,879
pin me.

1238
01:42:13,880 --> 01:42:14,880
Who's gonna win?

1239
01:42:15,080 --> 01:42:20,960
Andre. Who had the two biggest names in
all of professional wrestling finally

1240
01:42:20,960 --> 01:42:21,960
meeting up.

1241
01:42:21,980 --> 01:42:26,180
Hogan and Andre is what set in motion
what it is we're all enjoying today.

1242
01:42:26,520 --> 01:42:30,300
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to
WrestleMania 3!

1243
01:42:30,900 --> 01:42:33,480
I knew that night the whole world was
watching.

1244
01:42:33,860 --> 01:42:37,900
WrestleMania 3 just launched the WWE to
a whole other level from that point on.

1245
01:42:38,920 --> 01:42:44,940
You got 93 ,000 standing on their feet
for this one. Andre the Giant facing the

1246
01:42:44,940 --> 01:42:49,200
Hulkster, the irresistible force meeting
the immovable object.

1247
01:42:49,690 --> 01:42:52,370
It is David versus Goliath, and it was
the perfect story.

1248
01:42:52,750 --> 01:42:55,030
And a Hulkster unloaded, going for a
slam.

1249
01:42:55,310 --> 01:42:59,850
Hogan can't get Andre up. He can't get
Andre up. Oh, he collapsed.

1250
01:43:00,170 --> 01:43:03,190
Hogan may be hurt. Then at the end when
you most wanted it.

1251
01:43:03,510 --> 01:43:05,790
Oh, he dropped it. He dropped the big
guy.

1252
01:43:06,250 --> 01:43:07,330
He's hulking up.

1253
01:43:07,550 --> 01:43:10,330
I didn't know if I could get him up, to
tell you the truth.

1254
01:43:10,790 --> 01:43:12,650
So it was the defining moment.

1255
01:43:13,370 --> 01:43:14,370
Look at this.

1256
01:43:14,610 --> 01:43:15,830
He slammed him.

1257
01:43:26,030 --> 01:43:30,310
WWE, we're all about moments. We're all
about moments. Time stands still. And

1258
01:43:30,310 --> 01:43:34,570
Bogan slamming Andre is the moment that
the world stood still. It was different

1259
01:43:34,570 --> 01:43:35,710
than anything that's ever happened.

1260
01:43:35,930 --> 01:43:40,870
It was just the right time, the right
people, the right place. It was just

1261
01:43:40,870 --> 01:43:46,250
perfect. Greatest moment ever in my
career. It has to be that WrestleMania.

1262
01:43:46,830 --> 01:43:49,070
I'm very proud of Andre and I.

1263
01:43:53,580 --> 01:43:58,040
Ladies and gentlemen, here to help
enshrine this immortal moment into the

1264
01:43:58,040 --> 01:44:04,260
Hall of Fame is the WWE Hall of Famer,
the mouth of the South, Jimmy Hart,

1265
01:44:04,440 --> 01:44:10,780
Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, and Andre the
Giant's daughter, Robin.

1266
01:44:32,370 --> 01:44:36,930
You know what? Dennis Rodgers got me all
choked up now. Thank you, Dennis. I

1267
01:44:36,930 --> 01:44:37,930
appreciate that.

1268
01:44:39,270 --> 01:44:42,630
WrestleMania three, the Silverdome,
Detroit, Michigan.

1269
01:44:43,930 --> 01:44:48,210
When we booked the building, they didn't
tell us that a week before us, the

1270
01:44:48,210 --> 01:44:49,630
Pope's going to be in the Silverdome.

1271
01:44:50,050 --> 01:44:51,810
And then three days before us.

1272
01:44:52,080 --> 01:44:53,760
The Rolling Stones are going to be
there.

1273
01:44:54,340 --> 01:44:57,520
Hulk leans over to me and said, Jimmy
Hart, what do you think about it, man?

1274
01:44:57,740 --> 01:45:01,980
And I said, Hulk, I think we can outdraw
the Pope, but I don't think we can

1275
01:45:01,980 --> 01:45:03,660
outdraw the Rolling Stones, baby.

1276
01:45:04,280 --> 01:45:09,800
But you know what? Like Stephanie Mann
said earlier, we did 93 ,000 people. So

1277
01:45:09,800 --> 01:45:15,280
praise the Lord for our fans. We love
you. But like I said before, it's just

1278
01:45:15,280 --> 01:45:19,920
unbelievable that we were able to do
that. And I want to thank Andre the

1279
01:45:21,610 --> 01:45:26,350
Hulk Hogan, of course, Nickster, and
also Bobby the Brain Heenan for being

1280
01:45:26,350 --> 01:45:27,350
of that main event.

1281
01:45:28,690 --> 01:45:32,190
But you know what? I got a surprise for
you guys over here, okay?

1282
01:46:30,350 --> 01:46:35,630
Jimmy, Nick, Robin, thank you very much.
And as we just saw in our immortal

1283
01:46:35,630 --> 01:46:40,650
moment, Miz, the WWE has always been
about big men.

1284
01:46:41,050 --> 01:46:44,330
We always say superstars are larger than
life, but when we talk about

1285
01:46:44,330 --> 01:46:51,030
powerhouses like Andre the Giant, Big
John Studd, and The Undertaker,

1286
01:46:51,190 --> 01:46:56,350
they change the pace, they change the
feel, and that presence, that aura,

1287
01:46:56,350 --> 01:46:57,690
defines this business today.

1288
01:46:57,910 --> 01:47:03,300
Ladies and gentlemen, the latest
inductee into our legacy wing of the

1289
01:47:03,300 --> 01:47:04,300
Fame.

1290
01:47:06,920 --> 01:47:08,060
Sid Vicious.

1291
01:47:08,340 --> 01:47:09,340
Sid Justice.

1292
01:47:09,680 --> 01:47:14,160
Psycho Sid. By any name, you didn't want
to mess with him.

1293
01:47:14,400 --> 01:47:21,200
A towering 6 '9", with trademark
intensity, Sid was a terrified superstar

1294
01:47:21,200 --> 01:47:23,220
his nearly 30 -year career.

1295
01:47:24,360 --> 01:47:29,460
Oh man, Sid Vicious, one of the most
imposing big men you ever met in your

1296
01:47:29,680 --> 01:47:33,840
Sid Vicious is bad to the bone. I am the
top dog here.

1297
01:47:34,060 --> 01:47:37,440
Everyone has to measure themselves to
me.

1298
01:47:37,860 --> 01:47:44,620
The maniacal giant ruled WWE with his
mastery of mind games and his signature

1299
01:47:44,620 --> 01:47:50,040
powerbomb. Never have I seen anyone with
a credential the size of that.

1300
01:47:50,560 --> 01:47:51,560
Everyone!

1301
01:47:55,920 --> 01:48:00,820
A menacing reputation coupled with
charisma earned him two WrestleMania

1302
01:48:00,820 --> 01:48:03,960
events, against the immortal Hulk Hogan
and The Undertaker.

1303
01:48:04,500 --> 01:48:09,660
Went on to become a two -time world
champion in both WCW and WWE.

1304
01:48:10,140 --> 01:48:13,980
I am the master and I am the ruler of
the world.

1305
01:48:14,520 --> 01:48:20,360
This psycho's path has led Sid to become
a proud member of the 2026 legacy class

1306
01:48:20,360 --> 01:48:22,860
of the WWE Hall of Fame.

1307
01:48:26,800 --> 01:48:30,600
Please welcome the family of Psycho Sid.

1308
01:48:56,680 --> 01:49:01,980
And coming up next, the Hall of Fame
gets truly phenomenal.

1309
01:49:29,900 --> 01:49:32,440
I've never been in a ring with someone
that talented.

1310
01:49:33,740 --> 01:49:35,080
I'm just proud of them now.

1311
01:50:06,190 --> 01:50:11,090
I couldn't think of a better person to
have my last WrestleMania match with.

1312
01:50:14,250 --> 01:50:20,890
When he's known for his

1313
01:50:20,890 --> 01:50:24,390
athleticism, he also shifted gears and
became more of a character.

1314
01:50:24,710 --> 01:50:29,030
My most favorite thing to do was beat up
John Cena at you.

1315
01:50:30,830 --> 01:50:32,290
Banning it. We own France.

1316
01:50:33,010 --> 01:50:34,570
The building was shaking.

1317
01:50:38,410 --> 01:50:42,550
the fact that AJ Styles was in front of
them and he was indeed phenomenal.

1318
01:50:48,030 --> 01:50:48,670
The

1319
01:50:48,670 --> 01:50:55,890
benchmark

1320
01:50:55,890 --> 01:50:59,950
for what it is to be a professional both
inside and outside of the ring.

1321
01:51:00,350 --> 01:51:04,170
He became a hero for a generation of
wrestlers.

1322
01:51:08,400 --> 01:51:10,340
What he's given to the business is
amazing.

1323
01:51:11,020 --> 01:51:12,560
He's just a good person.

1324
01:51:13,020 --> 01:51:19,160
On behalf of every single person, thank
you very much, AJ Styles.

1325
01:51:51,210 --> 01:51:57,650
Here to induct A .J. Stiles into the
Hall of Fame, the good brothers,

1326
01:51:57,950 --> 01:52:00,870
Carl Anderson, Luke Gallo.

1327
01:52:34,800 --> 01:52:35,800
Thank you.

1328
01:52:36,700 --> 01:52:42,760
I'd like to start off by saying it's an
absolute honor and a pleasure to induct

1329
01:52:42,760 --> 01:52:48,940
our friend, our brother, and our forever
leader, the phenomenal A .J. Stiles,

1330
01:52:49,200 --> 01:52:53,880
into the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame.

1331
01:52:57,880 --> 01:53:02,760
You know, A .J. went from becoming the
heart and soul of TNA

1332
01:53:06,670 --> 01:53:11,950
To becoming one of the men, if not the
man, that pushed the Bullet Club into

1333
01:53:11,950 --> 01:53:12,950
mainstream.

1334
01:53:15,150 --> 01:53:20,430
And when he signed with WWE, he became
the face that runs the place.

1335
01:53:22,990 --> 01:53:29,350
AJ Styles has inspired an entire
generation of professional wrestlers,

1336
01:53:29,350 --> 01:53:31,930
imagine it's including almost everyone
in this room.

1337
01:53:34,960 --> 01:53:40,460
AJ Styles is so loved all around the
world, it's kind of hard to find

1338
01:53:40,460 --> 01:53:41,900
to say a bad word about AJ.

1339
01:53:43,060 --> 01:53:48,600
He's had so many legendary rivalries and
matchups, he could have had anybody

1340
01:53:48,600 --> 01:53:51,080
induct him into the Hall of Fame.

1341
01:53:52,220 --> 01:53:53,780
Guys like John Cena.

1342
01:53:55,940 --> 01:53:58,100
Guys like Shinsuke Nakamura.

1343
01:53:59,840 --> 01:54:01,880
Guys like Finn Balor.

1344
01:54:03,840 --> 01:54:05,740
Guys like The Undertaker.

1345
01:54:08,240 --> 01:54:09,300
That's true, Carl.

1346
01:54:09,700 --> 01:54:15,080
But like the other two times that AJ
Styles called us up and said, Hey, you

1347
01:54:15,080 --> 01:54:16,500
freaking guys want to go to WWE?

1348
01:54:17,060 --> 01:54:18,760
We said, yep.

1349
01:54:21,080 --> 01:54:26,280
AJ Styles is not only one of the
greatest in -ring performers of our

1350
01:54:26,520 --> 01:54:30,720
but he's also a fantastic family man and
a mentor.

1351
01:54:31,769 --> 01:54:36,530
Anywhere in the world, on any given
night, if a young talent was looking for

1352
01:54:36,530 --> 01:54:37,730
advice or feedback,

1353
01:54:38,470 --> 01:54:41,530
AJ Styles was the first guy to stand up
and hand that out.

1354
01:54:42,330 --> 01:54:44,890
True. Allow me to set the stage.

1355
01:54:45,230 --> 01:54:50,970
It's 2006 in Southern California,
backstage at an independent professional

1356
01:54:50,970 --> 01:54:52,010
wrestling show.

1357
01:54:52,630 --> 01:54:56,830
AJ Styles is backstage visiting, and
this is AJ Styles.

1358
01:54:57,580 --> 01:55:02,720
The dude that everybody looks up to.
He's the guy in 2006.

1359
01:55:03,240 --> 01:55:09,440
And little did I know that a decade
later, AJ and Gallows and myself would

1360
01:55:09,440 --> 01:55:14,920
to WWE and do so many cool things. But
I'm watching AJ Styles backstage at this

1361
01:55:14,920 --> 01:55:15,920
show.

1362
01:55:16,120 --> 01:55:21,240
And this young independent wrestler
walks up to him and goes, Mr. Styles, do

1363
01:55:21,240 --> 01:55:24,220
have any advice for me after you watch
my match?

1364
01:55:24,990 --> 01:55:28,610
AJ looked at him, and I'm watching with
bated breath, man. This is AJ's style.

1365
01:55:28,970 --> 01:55:33,210
I'm a broke independent wrestler. I'm
watching AJ with every move he's doing.

1366
01:55:34,030 --> 01:55:35,490
AJ goes, yeah.

1367
01:55:36,970 --> 01:55:41,210
If you can't take or throw a forearm,
get out of the frickin' business.

1368
01:55:44,310 --> 01:55:45,370
That's not the end.

1369
01:55:45,710 --> 01:55:49,070
I'm watching. I'm wondering what's going
to happen. AJ grabs a guy like this,

1370
01:55:49,130 --> 01:55:51,010
and he goes, wham!

1371
01:55:51,310 --> 01:55:52,310
See?

1372
01:55:52,610 --> 01:55:53,610
Wham!

1373
01:55:54,160 --> 01:55:56,920
And the kid walks away like this and
says, thank you, Mr. Stiles.

1374
01:56:00,260 --> 01:56:05,800
That's when I realized for real in 2006
that AJ Stiles' finisher would be the

1375
01:56:05,800 --> 01:56:07,400
phenomenal forearm. I watched it.

1376
01:56:09,120 --> 01:56:15,440
For real. And on that note, there's only
one thing left to do. And that's go old

1377
01:56:15,440 --> 01:56:17,560
school Japanese style.

1378
01:56:18,900 --> 01:56:23,140
Carl, I need you to conjure up the
machine gun.

1379
01:56:25,200 --> 01:56:26,820
I like when you talk like that, Big LG.

1380
01:56:27,020 --> 01:56:33,880
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in
welcoming the newest member

1381
01:56:33,880 --> 01:56:40,400
of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2026.

1382
01:56:40,980 --> 01:56:47,460
In my opinion, the greatest professional
wrestler on God's green earth.

1383
01:56:47,680 --> 01:56:50,020
Say it with me. The phenomenal.

1384
01:58:04,110 --> 01:58:10,790
Shane Helms said to me today, don't get
out there and get emotional, AJ.

1385
01:58:11,910 --> 01:58:13,370
I said, dude, that's not fair.

1386
01:58:14,430 --> 01:58:18,810
I just kind of retired in January.

1387
01:58:19,550 --> 01:58:21,710
I'm still having withdrawals from
wrestling.

1388
01:58:22,150 --> 01:58:27,350
It's going to be a little hard for me
not to get emotional. So if I do, call

1389
01:58:27,350 --> 01:58:28,350
a baby. That's fine.

1390
01:58:29,490 --> 01:58:31,690
But it could happen.

1391
01:58:32,940 --> 01:58:37,080
And here's the thing. A lot of people
have been asking me since the Royal

1392
01:58:37,080 --> 01:58:41,620
Rumble, do I miss record?

1393
01:58:54,460 --> 01:58:57,700
You see, when you do that, that makes it
very complicated.

1394
01:59:01,770 --> 01:59:06,270
Because I really enjoyed being AJ
styled.

1395
01:59:08,790 --> 01:59:10,430
I loved everything about it.

1396
01:59:11,110 --> 01:59:12,110
The ring.

1397
01:59:13,550 --> 01:59:14,550
The ropes.

1398
01:59:15,790 --> 01:59:19,030
Diving over the top rope. Jumping off
the top rope.

1399
01:59:19,730 --> 01:59:21,630
Taking huge bumps. I loved it.

1400
01:59:22,070 --> 01:59:23,070
I really did.

1401
01:59:23,330 --> 01:59:24,990
I loved everything about it.

1402
01:59:25,590 --> 01:59:27,150
That sounds crazy, I know.

1403
01:59:27,370 --> 01:59:29,230
But here you sit.

1404
01:59:31,280 --> 01:59:33,140
Because you love the same thing that I
do.

1405
01:59:36,940 --> 01:59:39,220
It was the passion that got you here.

1406
01:59:40,560 --> 01:59:41,980
Because I've been in the ring with you.

1407
01:59:42,400 --> 01:59:43,400
I could see it.

1408
01:59:44,140 --> 01:59:45,580
We all had the same thing.

1409
01:59:47,480 --> 01:59:48,480
It's addictive.

1410
01:59:49,360 --> 01:59:50,360
And it's great.

1411
01:59:51,160 --> 01:59:52,160
It's fun.

1412
01:59:55,240 --> 01:59:56,340
The locker room.

1413
01:59:57,520 --> 01:59:58,520
Unbelievable.

1414
01:59:59,740 --> 02:00:00,740
The men.

1415
02:00:01,070 --> 02:00:07,250
the women that I got to hang around
with, the people that I got to meet,

1416
02:00:07,250 --> 02:00:08,250
you don't forget.

1417
02:00:08,710 --> 02:00:13,830
That community that we got to hang
around with, not everybody gets to do

1418
02:00:15,990 --> 02:00:18,910
For you guys that sit out here, we're
the lucky ones.

1419
02:00:20,210 --> 02:00:21,530
I want you to think about them.

1420
02:00:23,670 --> 02:00:28,330
There are more professional athletes in
football

1421
02:00:29,850 --> 02:00:33,490
baseball, basketball, than there are of
you.

1422
02:00:34,830 --> 02:00:37,750
That's how hard it is to get to where
you're at.

1423
02:00:39,730 --> 02:00:42,590
So the next time you're feeling a little
down and out, take pride in the fact

1424
02:00:42,590 --> 02:00:46,930
that you did something a lot of people
weren't able to do because of that

1425
02:00:46,930 --> 02:00:47,930
passion.

1426
02:00:53,690 --> 02:00:56,730
Is it crazy that I said...

1427
02:00:58,190 --> 02:01:05,130
I kind of like the plane rides, the long
ones, the train rides, the tours

1428
02:01:05,130 --> 02:01:08,310
in Europe, the tours in Japan.

1429
02:01:09,110 --> 02:01:10,430
I love that, guys.

1430
02:01:11,990 --> 02:01:13,550
Maybe I'll miss that a little bit.

1431
02:01:14,190 --> 02:01:18,390
But to answer the question, do I miss
wrestling?

1432
02:01:27,980 --> 02:01:29,640
This is going to surprise you a little
bit.

1433
02:01:31,160 --> 02:01:32,440
The answer is no.

1434
02:01:34,740 --> 02:01:40,380
Because I'm lucky enough to go home to
my family every night.

1435
02:01:47,500 --> 02:01:54,060
I don't have to miss any more birthdays
or important games or birthday parties

1436
02:01:54,060 --> 02:01:56,040
and soccer games.

1437
02:01:57,000 --> 02:01:58,240
I don't have to miss that anymore.

1438
02:01:59,380 --> 02:02:02,240
I don't have to miss when you fall down
and you scrape your little knee, Annie,

1439
02:02:02,320 --> 02:02:03,520
that I can be there for you.

1440
02:02:04,300 --> 02:02:05,640
We don't have to FaceTime anymore.

1441
02:02:06,660 --> 02:02:11,780
I don't have to call from Japan, AJ, to
see what kind of game you're having that

1442
02:02:11,780 --> 02:02:14,540
day or to talk you back into the game
after you got hurt real bad.

1443
02:02:15,700 --> 02:02:19,520
I got to be there for your wrestling
matches, Abe. I get to see them now.

1444
02:02:20,280 --> 02:02:24,240
Albie, your music capabilities and what
you hear that most people get and the

1445
02:02:24,240 --> 02:02:25,560
music that you make is just...

1446
02:02:26,050 --> 02:02:27,050
astounds me.

1447
02:02:28,430 --> 02:02:34,450
And as much as I get the chance to spend
time with my family, man, it's even

1448
02:02:34,450 --> 02:02:36,770
better when I get to spend time with
just me and my wife.

1449
02:02:37,150 --> 02:02:39,050
We get to get away and reconnect.

1450
02:02:39,670 --> 02:02:42,650
Man, I'm telling you, there's nothing
better than that.

1451
02:02:51,310 --> 02:02:54,730
Now listen, I've sat where you've sat,
God.

1452
02:02:55,500 --> 02:02:57,480
I know how long this night can be.

1453
02:03:00,140 --> 02:03:01,880
We've got some important days coming up.

1454
02:03:03,420 --> 02:03:05,280
There's a lot of people I need to thank.

1455
02:03:06,660 --> 02:03:07,980
So let me say it this way.

1456
02:03:10,620 --> 02:03:16,460
If there's ever a promoter that I've
ever worked for, thank you.

1457
02:03:19,460 --> 02:03:23,640
If there was ever talent that I was able
to get in the ring with,

1458
02:03:25,420 --> 02:03:26,480
Thank you so much.

1459
02:03:31,340 --> 02:03:36,980
And if I ever told you that I love you,
I meant it.

1460
02:03:46,360 --> 02:03:53,220
So, I guess at the end of the day, I
don't

1461
02:03:53,220 --> 02:03:54,220
really have to.

1462
02:03:57,480 --> 02:03:58,660
Be away from wrestling.

1463
02:03:59,880 --> 02:04:05,100
I don't have to be the phenomenal AJ
Styles anymore.

1464
02:04:07,980 --> 02:04:14,780
But the job that I'm getting within the
WWE, the opportunity that I

1465
02:04:14,780 --> 02:04:21,660
have here in the WWE to stay with this
company and be a part of this family, my

1466
02:04:21,660 --> 02:04:26,380
job is to find the next phenomenal.

1467
02:04:35,340 --> 02:04:38,880
I may set a record here tonight, just so
you know.

1468
02:04:45,020 --> 02:04:51,400
I don't understand, but I'd like to
think that my faith

1469
02:04:51,400 --> 02:04:55,020
and what I believe in had me at the
right time.

1470
02:04:55,760 --> 02:04:56,780
At the right place.

1471
02:04:57,940 --> 02:04:59,480
With the right person watching.

1472
02:05:01,660 --> 02:05:02,840
I am so blessed.

1473
02:05:03,340 --> 02:05:04,760
To have what I have.

1474
02:05:05,380 --> 02:05:06,620
And have done what I've done.

1475
02:05:08,760 --> 02:05:10,060
It was divine intervention.

1476
02:05:14,220 --> 02:05:18,000
I'm just saved by grace. By the grace of
God. And my savior Jesus Christ.

1477
02:05:20,920 --> 02:05:24,220
That I was able to do something like
that. And be in front of you guys. And

1478
02:05:24,220 --> 02:05:25,220
so thankful for that.

1479
02:05:31,519 --> 02:05:38,180
So, when I look in the mirror, I see
this guy,

1480
02:05:38,300 --> 02:05:45,080
and I know guys like me were never
supposed to make

1481
02:05:45,080 --> 02:05:47,580
it to places like this.

1482
02:05:49,260 --> 02:05:53,680
But here I am, and because of you, I
did.

1483
02:06:01,960 --> 02:06:08,140
So I am humbled and honored to be a
member of the 2026 WWE

1484
02:06:08,140 --> 02:06:10,020
Hall of Fame.

1485
02:06:12,860 --> 02:06:13,900
I love you.

1486
02:06:14,900 --> 02:06:16,380
And thank you very much.

1487
02:06:28,350 --> 02:06:32,530
Ain't nobody manning no field of pain.
And you can be next.

1488
02:06:32,810 --> 02:06:33,910
You better give respect.

1489
02:06:34,330 --> 02:06:37,070
Because ain't nobody breaking this
redneck.

1490
02:06:37,310 --> 02:06:38,630
No, they don't want none.

1491
02:06:38,890 --> 02:06:40,210
No, they don't want none.

1492
02:06:40,470 --> 02:06:43,350
They don't want none. No, they don't
want none.

1493
02:06:43,610 --> 02:06:46,290
They don't want none. No, they don't
want none.

1494
02:06:46,650 --> 02:06:49,450
They look scared. No, they don't really
want none.

1495
02:06:49,830 --> 02:06:51,070
I'm a Mack truck.

1496
02:06:51,330 --> 02:06:52,670
Don't get run over.

1497
02:06:53,170 --> 02:06:56,490
Ladies and gentlemen, the phenomenal AJ
Styles.

1498
02:06:56,850 --> 02:06:57,799
Thank you.

1499
02:06:57,800 --> 02:07:00,280
for joining us tonight. It has been our
honor and privilege.

1500
02:07:00,520 --> 02:07:06,280
We will see you tomorrow and Sunday at
Wrestlemania.

1501
02:07:06,920 --> 02:07:12,240
This and the class of the 2026 Hall of
Fame is...