Stephanie McMahon's heel turn in December of 1999 not only made her one of wrestling's biggest heat magnets, it gave Triple H that one final element that would put him over the top as the premier villain in World Wrestling Entertainment. By her husband's side, the spoiled brat daughter of Vince McMahon would take pride and glee in toying with the lives of the company's employees, all in the name of preserving The Game's spot at the top. This did not endear her to the most popular stars in the company, such as The Rock, Steve Austin and Chris Jericho, the latter of which she had a great feud with for nearly a year. For and entire four-month span in 2000, she paraded around with her Women's Championship despite winning it in the cheapest of fashions and successfully defending it only a handful of times, courtesy of interference from the likes of Tori and Trish Stratus. When she finally lost the title, it mattered little because she was so firmly entrenched as one of the most hated characters in all of professional wrestling that she did not need a title that she did not deserve to remain over. Her obnoxious, screeching promos and condescending attitude took care of that for her. Whether it was as the centerpiece of a love triangle between Triple H and Kurt Angle, the owner of ECW or the manipulative wife hell-bent on keeping her marriage together, Stephanie struck a nerve with the WWE fans. As a principle owner of the company and one-half of the Authority, she is infuriating a new generation of fans. Her crusade against Daniel Bryan and his reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion has brought her more heat than at any other point in her career, proving that the Billion Dollar Princess is one of wrestling's most adaptable performers.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
