WWE buried Tiffany Stratton on SmackDown ahead of WrestleMania 41, says veteran
Tiffany Stratton has received a massive push since arriving on the WWE main roster. However, former head writer Vince Russo recently claimed Triple H buried the former NXT Women's Champion with the 38-year-old star last Friday on SmackDown.
Stratton defended her WWE Championship against Nia Jax on the last week's episode of the blue brand. The match ended in disqualification after Candice LeRae attacked the champion. LeRae and Jax then assaulted Tiffany before Hall of Famer Trish Stratus came to her rescue. As Stratton laid in the middle of the ring in pain, the 2025 Women's Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair headed to the ring, grabbed a chair, taunted the young star, and then announced that she would challenge her at WrestleMania 41.
Speaking on The Coach & Bro Show, Russo claimed Stratton being left alone in the ring as Flair cut her promo buried the WWE Women's Champion ahead of WrestleMania and made her look weak:
"So, Nia Jax hurts Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany Stratton's the champion. Okay, so the ring loads up with referees and agents and they're checking on Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany Stratton is doing a job. She's selling, selling, selling, selling. Tommy, then they all leave her in the middle of the ring so Charlotte can come out? That is your champion, she's hurt, we're not gonna help her to the back, we're all just going to leave? Do you know how pi*s-poor that is, Tommy? It totally buried her. It totally made her weak," he said.
The former head writer wondered why creative did not have Flair cut her promo while Stratton was being checked on:
"Why couldn't they be taking care of her, having the doctor out there checking her up and having Charlotte cut the same freaking promo?" Russo added.
WWE analyst says Tiffany Stratton has turned babyface
After aiding Tiffany Stratton last Friday on SmackDown, Hall of Famer Trish Stratus will team up with the WWE Women's Champion to fight Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in a tag team match at Elimination Chamber.
While Stratton has been a heel since joining the main roster, WWE analyst Sam Roberts recently claimed on his Notsam Wrestling podcast that the 25-year-old's alliance with Stratus has cemented her as a babyface:
"Trish Stratus saving Tiffany Stratton cements Tiffany Stratton as a babyface. [...] Trish Stratus coming in to help Tiffany Stratton tells the world right there and then without Tiffany having to do anything that's a good guy. That's the hero. That's the babyface," he said.
Stratton has held the title for 46 days. However, wrestling veteran Magnum T.A. recently predicted that she would drop the championship to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. It would be interesting to see if his prediction would come true.
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