One of the big segments from WWE SmackDown featured a knockdown, drag out brawl between Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair. This came after some fans complained about Flair being positioned with all the momentum heading into WrestleMania 41. While that show is still weeks away, it was a noticeable issue. The brawl was an opportunity to get some excitement injected into the feud, and it looks to have paid off.
Charlotte Flair is a controversial figure in WWE fandom. Not because she’s done something wrong outside of the ring like so many others, but because of how WWE positions her in comparison to her peers. Flair is a fantastic performer in the ring and one of the best workers on the roster. Yet, her last name comes with a weight and position, even if she’s done all she could to earn her spot on the roster.
Charlotte Flair vs Tiffany Stratton cannot be more of the same
This is why some rolled their eyes when she was once again inserted into the main event picture coming out of the 2025 Royal Rumble. It felt more like the same. In fact, the win and the build-up to WrestleMania 41 feels eerily similar to that of WrestleMania 36. Flair won the Royal Rumble and would go on to win the NXT Championship from Rhea Ripley, effectively cutting into the latter’s momentum in a way that took her years to finally overcome.
Seeing Flair beat down or get the better of Tiffany Stratton harkened back to that build. It also plays off of Flair’s years of experience over the younger competitor. This brawl on March 14 gave a bit of momentum back to Stratton.
WrestleMania 41 has four matches booked two men’s and two women’s matches. Of the four announced, Flair versus Stratton certainly had the least amount of intrigue. It will be interesting to see how WWE course corrects with more than four weeks left before showtime.
The outcome of this match will speak volumes. Is WWE ready to give Stratton the momentum to push her as one of the faces of the division’s future? Or will WWE go back into its playbook of leaning on Charlotte Flair as the face of women’s wrestling?