Summary

Stephanie McMahon says Dakota Kai, Lacey Evans, and Sara Amato were the key people who helped get her ready for her WrestleMania 34 return.

That match saw Stephanie team with Triple H against Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle. It was Stephanie's first match in four years and Rousey's first professional wrestling match. McMahon brought up the behind-the-scenes preparation while reflecting on the bout, which she also recently said came together because Ronda Rousey pushed for it.

Quote from Stephanie McMahon

"It was Dakota Kai and Lacey Evans. They were primarily the ones who helped. They helped a lot, and Sara Amato. I remember because Ronda threw her clotheslines high. One time, I got busted in the mouth and was bleeding a little bit. We were trying to decide if we wanted to keep that in the match. I was like, 'I will absolutely lose consciousness.' Dakota, one day, threw what felt like 100 clotheslines at me. Ronda wasn't there that time, and she kept throwing high clotheslines so I could learn how to take it and protect myself. I wanted to mention them because they helped me so much"

Stephanie McMahon's WrestleMania 34 prep adds context to the match

Stephanie McMahon naming Dakota Kai and Lacey Evans gives fans a clearer picture of how much work went into that WrestleMania 34 match before she ever stepped into the ring. It also underlines how seriously WWE approached Ronda Rousey's debut, since McMahon was training specifically to handle Rousey's offense safely.

The timing stands out too, with McMahon set to join the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class. Stories like this add another layer to one of the most talked-about celebrity crossover matches WWE produced in that era, especially because it involved both McMahon's first WrestleMania bout and Rousey's first match overall.

Sources

Stephanie McMahon while speaking on the What's Your Story podcast