3-time WWE champion sends emotional message to Stephanie McMahon after Royal Rumble return

Stephanie McMahon made her surprise return at the start of the Royal Rumble, greeting the fans inside the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. A three-time champion wrote a short but sweet message to the former CEO of WWE.

After the Rumble, Natalya revealed that she was trying to convert Stephanie into a cat person. The former SmackDown Women's Champion, Divas Champion, and Women's Tag Team Champion also promoted Stephanie's upcoming show on ESPN called Stephanie's Places.

McMahon returned the favor by re-sharing Natalya's X (fka Twitter) post and thanking her for the lovely plug. She also confirmed that it might take a long time before she becomes a full-fledged cat person.

"Thank you for always being you! I love you @NatbyNature ! As far as the cats go…" Stephanie tweeted.

Here's Natalya's response:

"I love you, too."

Stephanie McMahon served as WWE's Chief Brand Officer from 2013 to 2022. She was then promoted to interim CEO when her father, Vince McMahon, retired for a brief period. She left the company in 2023 before a sexual harassment lawsuit officially removed Vince from TKO Group.

Since leaving WWE, Stephanie has made sporadic appearances, including on Night 2 of WrestleMania 40. She also announced picks in the 2024 WWE Draft and was in attendance for SummerSlam.

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Stephanie McMahon reveals realization while away from WWE

Except for a few surprise appearances since resigning from WWE, Stephanie McMahon has been relatively out of the spotlight. During her time away from the company, Stephanie realized something about herself.

"One of the things that I learned when I stepped away is that I'll never get away from WWE ever. It is a part of who I am. It is what I love," Stephanie said on The Pat McAfee Show. [H/T: WrestlingInc.]

In addition to the realization about WWE, Stephanie spent a lot of time with her three daughters. She also began filming episodes of her new show called Stephanie's Places on ESPN.

Some of the WWE Superstars are expected to be guests on the show, including Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Based on the trailer, Stephanie spent time with Reigns and The Bloodline on a big yacht, with Charlotte Flair in a helicopter, and with Austin on his ranch.