After securing a landmark victory over a certified legend, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton has opened up about the pressure she felt heading into her title defense against Trish Stratus at Evolution. The match, which took place on July 13, pitted the current champion against the Hall of Famer in a battle of generations, and Stratton has since revealed the nerves that came with facing an icon.
During an interview with WWE Die Woche, Stratton discussed her mindset before the highly anticipated match.
“Oh, that whole weekend, I was so nervous. Obviously, Trish Stratus, she is the GOAT. She’s one of the greatest of all time, and you know, I’ve beat what you could argue (is) a current GOAT, Charlotte Flair. So, I had the confidence going into this that I had beat Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania and then I had just beat Nia Jax a couple of weeks ago in Saudi Arabia so going into that, I had some confidence.”
That confidence was tested in a hard-fought encounter. The 49-year-old Stratus, competing in her first singles match in 18 years, pushed the champion to her absolute limit. At one point, Stratus hit her signature Stratusfaction bulldog for a dramatic near-fall that momentarily put the outcome in doubt. However, Stratton countered a top-rope moonsault attempt before hitting an Alabama Slam and her own “Prettiest Moonsault Ever” to retain the championship.
Despite the pressure, Stratton was determined to prove she belonged on that stage, cementing her own legacy by defeating one of the all-time greats.
“However, Trish Stratus, she’s one of the greatest of all time and she’s a generational talent so, going into this, I wanted to have fun, but I also wanted to show Trish I’m not someone you can just mess with. I’m the next GOAT, I am becoming the GOAT of GOATS so, once I beat her, it was just such a surreal moment. That crowd was amazing at Evolution. I can’t believe the audience there. They were behind every single match, they were so supportive. All in all, that day was just so fun and it was amazing.”
The champion also commented on the success of the all-women’s event, expressing pride in the performances delivered by the entire roster.
“Every single woman delivered on that PLE and I saw some people saying that it was probably one of the best PLEs that we’ve had in the past couple of months so, that is so amazing, especially when the PLE is filled with just women. So, I’m super proud to be on Evolution 2 and I hope that there’s an Evolution 3.”
With the victory over Stratus now behind her, Stratton’s dominant reign continues as she looks ahead to her next major title defense against the 2025 Queen of the Ring winner, Jade Cargill, at SummerSlam in August.