Tiffany Stratton got called up from NXT to the main roster in February 2024. She had a strong showing in the Elimination Chamber Match that year and was considered highly regarded as a top rising star by both the fans and the administration. It is quite rare for any star to be adored by both, but Tiffany was something special, as she brought uniqueness to the ring due to her athletic background as a trampoline athlete, as well as brought something unique to storytelling as a whole due to her privileged, Barbie-like character. However, the administration made a major mistake in July 2024.
WWE immediately booked Tiffany to win the MITB Contract and cash in on her rival, Nia Jax, to win the world title in January 2025. While it may feel natural to push someone who connects with both the fans and the administration, there is a certain degree of push that should be avoided. WWE exceeded that degree, as they have overexposed a rising star in the first year of her main roster run with a world title that she was certainly not ready for by any means. Subjecting someone who is that inexperienced to that kind of pressure is not only unfair to Tiffany but also booking malpractice.
Granted, Tiffany's long-term story with the bully, Nia Jax, felt like a triumphant venture to establish a new star on the surface. However, the majority of the fanbase did not foresee this rude awakening until they witnessed Tiffany's WrestleMania program with Charlotte Flair. Instead of elevating Tiffany to the next level like a true locker room leader should, Charlotte selfishly exposed Tiffany even further to the point of no return, leaving Tiffany no choice but to aim for the lowest hanging fruit by working herself into a viral shoot that she had to apologize for, as orchestrated by COO Triple H.
Tiffany has the look the administration wants. Tiffany has the talent the administration wants. Tiffany has the character the administration wants. However, the timing of her push was shoddy, and she was thereby not ready. Furthermore, the fact that WWE booked Tiffany as a heel in big-time rivalries against the two most hated superstars on the roster, in Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair, and did not expect her to be cheered like a babyface is baffling. WWE once again had a blue-chip prospect in the palms of their hands that they merely allowed to slip away like an ice cube on a slippery slope in January.
A wiser solution to Tiffany's push that would have guaranteed a more fruitful future for her career in the long term would have been to have her win the U.S. Title first. In professional wrestling, common booking 101 would test a popular rising superstar's capability to be a compelling world champ by rewarding them with a mid-card title before advancing them to the main event scene. With that being said, this push no longer feels organic; instead, it now feels contrived. There's no doubt that Tiffany has a ton of potential, but she was thrown into the deep sea and could not swim.
A long break from the world title is needed at this point so that she can build herself back up again with a more developed character that is not constantly revolving around the myopic "it's Tiffy Time" catchphrase. The more WWE keeps that world title around her waist, the more stale her reign will be and the darker her future will be as a future megastar in the pro wrestling business. WWE already ruined Jey Uso, Austin Theory, and even Damian Priest with expedited pushes to the top that led them nowhere but the bottom of the totem pole. They can add Tiffany Stratton to that list, too.
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