There are a number of things to like about the current WWE product coming out of WrestleMania 33, especially the Superstar Shake-up that saw several stars switch shows. Most importantly, Raw is under new management with Kurt Angle being announced as Mick Foley's replacement as general manager.
Not only that, Stephanie McMahon has been kept off WWE TV since WrestleMania 33 after accidentally being put through a table by her husband Triple H. It was reported that a planned family vacation is why she has been absent from programming as of late, meaning she'll likely be back within the next few weeks.
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Truth be told, no one is clamouring for Stephanie to return to Raw anytime soon, if ever, at least in a regular role. In fact, this would be the perfect opportunity for her to retire her on-air persona for good, and these are five reasons why.
#5 She is way too overexposed
When Stephanie McMahon initially returned to Raw in June 2013, she was welcomed back with open arms by the WWE Universe. Yes, part of that was because she was portrayed as a babyface at that point, but it was also due to how long it had been since we had seen her on WWE TV.
The Authority started out as an exciting idea, but it soon became the least compelling part of Raw starting that fall. Worse yet, the faction remained a staple on Raw through WrestleMania 32, and even after that, she was appointed to be the commissioner of Team Red by her father, Mr McMahon.
Stephanie's presence on programming is bad enough, but it's the fact that she's involved in as many segments on the show as she is that makes her unbearable as a character. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and a mere few weeks away from Raw isn't enough to allow Stephanie to feel fresh again.
#4 Her feud with Seth Rollins has run its course
Stephanie McMahon spares no one on Raw, but she has specifically set her sights on Seth Rollins in recent months and has attempted to make his life as miserable as possible on Monday nights.
Due to Rollins being embroiled in a heated rivalry with her husband Triple H, Stephanie would book him in matches where it was almost impossible for him to win, such as when he lost his Royal Rumble match spot in January. It grew tiresome after awhile, and you know she will continue to target him once she returns to Raw given he didn't move to SmackDown Live in the Superstar Shake-up.
If another Rollins vs. Triple H match isn't in the plans, and it shouldn't be, then why resume that rivalry between Stephanie and Rollins? The “evil authority figure” is the most tired trope in wrestling today and should not be repeated yet again with these two.
#3 Kurt Angle is capable of running Raw by himself
When you really think about it, what's the point of having two authority figures on one show? A general manager should be enough to handle the week-to-week on-air operations.
Although the idea of a commissioner makes sense in storyline, they should only make their presence felt occasionally, not multiple times in one night. Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon coexist on SmackDown Live, so they are the exception to the rule, but you know Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon would be at each other's throats if they were on the same show.
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In the two weeks he has been GM of Raw, Angle has shown he is entirely capable of serving as the show's sole authority figure. He can be funny, serious and likeable, sometimes simultaneously. Angle is all Raw really needs right now, not Stephanie.
#2 Her send-off was perfect
It would be completely illogical for Stephanie McMahon to be on Raw one week and then disappear indefinitely the next, without being written off first. Thankfully, her recent absence was explained when she was inadvertently put through a table at ringside by Triple H at WrestleMania 33.
That was a pretty memorable moment considering Stephanie rarely if ever, receives her comeuppance as a character. I'm sure the “injuries” she received were not debilitating considering it was a simple spot, but it's enough to justify her being gone for good from Raw going forward.
To top it all off, it was at WrestleMania! There has never been a better stage for someone to call it a career than on the grandest stage of them all, and if she didn't resurface until next WrestleMania season for Triple H's match, I don't think anyone would complain.
#1 No talent benefits from her presence
Say what you will about Triple H being equally overexposed on WWE TV, but it's important to point out that he will almost always do what's best for business (pardon the pun). His WrestleMania record is currently 9-12, meaning he has put over plenty of people at the Show of Shows.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Stephanie McMahon. That isn't to say she should be wrestling, but only on one or two occasions in the last four years has she gotten her comeuppance in some form or fashion, or at least helped elevate anyone on the roster.
Stephanie can be a brilliant heel, but it comes at the expense of everyone else when she completely castrates anyone she comes in contact with. Possibly other than Shane McMahon, no one stands up to Stephanie, and as opposed to making her look good, everyone who fails to resist her comes off terribly.
Whether it be an ego trip or just bad booking, Stephanie is no longer valuable as an on-air character in WWE, and thus should resort to sticking to her backstage duties.
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