Since making her debut in November of 2021, Tiffany Stratton has undoubtedly been one of NXT’s standouts, with many pegging her as both a future NXT Women’s Champion and a sure-fire main roster success when she eventually makes the jump to Raw or Smackdown.
Speaking recently on the Stick to Wrestling podcast, Stratton, a former national-level gymnast, revealed that it was the former multi-time WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair that inspired her to step into the ring and begin her career as a sports entertainer.
“One day, I was watching TV with my family. We’re flipping through the channels and come across wrestling — I believe it was Friday Night SmackDown. It was Charlotte Flair that I saw on the TV screen. My mother was like, ‘You can totally do that.’ I was taken aback a little bit because I saw Charlotte, someone who was jacked and could do all these cool moves. She was a gymnast like I was. She’s blonde and gorgeous. I just connected with it right off the bat — because I saw a little bit of me in Charlotte.
-Tiffany Stratton
Regarding a possible bout between herself and Charlotte Flair down the line, Stratton noted that said match is absolutely one she’s eyeing up for when she eventually makes it to the main roster.
“For sure. She [Charlotte] is someone I would have a match with,”
-Tiffany Stratton
Despite being inspired by Charlotte Flair, Stratton was initially hesitant to pursue a career in wrestling straight away due to her hands being full with gymnastics, bodybuilding, CrossFit, and her many other passions. Eventually, Stratton contacted Greg Gagne, who aided her in getting a trial with WWE, as well as training the soon-to-be NXT star on the fundamentals before being accepted at the WWE Performance Center.
As the 24-year-old put it herself, “The rest is history.” At the time of writing, Stratton is currently positioned to take part in the semifinals of a tournament to crown a new NXT Women’s Champion at Battleground on May 28th, and thus it may not be long before she gets her first taste of championship gold.
H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
