Popular WWE star makes bold statement about Stephanie McMahon's full-time absence
Stephanie McMahon stepped away from her full-time role in WWE in 2023 to focus on family commitments. Meanwhile, Cathy Kelley hailed The Billion Dollar Princess as a torchbearer for women in the industry.
Following sexual misconduct allegations against her father, Vince McMahon, Stephanie became WWE's interim chairwoman and co-CEO in July 2022. However, the former Women's Champion resigned in January 2023 after Mr. McMahon returned as executive chairman.
However, Stephanie McMahon has continued to make occasional appearances and remains involved with the organization in a non-executive role. She was seen at events like WrestleMania 40, the 2024 Draft, and this year's SummerSlam.
During an appearance on the B4theBell podcast, Cathy Kelley appreciated the 48-year-old for being a strong advocate for the female division, highlighting her versatility and numerous accomplishments. Kelley expressed her admiration for The Billion Dollar Princess and noted that "it’s a little bit of a detriment" that Stephanie McMahon was no longer in a full-time role in WWE.
"She [Stephanie McMahon] really is an advocate for so many women. She’s not THE advocate, but she is an advocate for so many women, and she is so versatile in everything that she has accomplished and has been able to do throughout her career, so I think it’s a little bit of a detriment that we don’t have her there full-time right now, but, God, I love her so much," she said. [H/T: POST Wrestling]
Cathy Kelley attributes her return to WWE to Stephanie McMahon and a 14-time World Champion
During the same interaction on the B4theBell podcast, the 36-year-old female interviewer credited Stephanie McMahon and Triple H for facilitating her return to WWE in 2022 after her initial departure in February 2020. The two parties had numerous discussions before her return, with The Billion Dollar Princess playing a pivotal role in encouraging her decision.
Cathy Kelley also stated that the innovative ideas implemented by The Game during his NXT era were now positively impacting RAW and SmackDown, benefiting fans worldwide.
"She is the reason I came back. We had multiple conversations before I came back, and she is the one that really encouraged me to come back, and it was her being at the helm. It was her and Triple H, and they really took care of me the first time that I was there. We talked about NXT, and so many of the things that Hunter implemented during that time, I think, are now bleeding over into RAW and SmackDown, and we’re really, as fans, getting to reap the benefits of that," she added. [H/T: POST Wrestling]
Given Stephanie McMahon's recent appearances at WWE events and her previous influential roles, it remains to be seen if she will return to the company in the future, whether it be behind the scenes or on-screen roles.