Tiffany Stratton Says Missing WrestleMania 42 Has Left a Chip on Her Shoulder for Next Year

Tiffany Stratton did not appear on the WrestleMania 42 card despite being one of the most prominent figures in the WWE Women’s United States Championship picture heading into the event — and the new champion has used the disappointment as fuel rather than letting it deflate her. Speaking to Joey Karni, Stratton was direct about both how she processed missing the show and what it has ignited heading into the rest of 2026.

“I feel like my mindset has always been just kind of controlling what I can control, which is making the most out of all my segments, making the most out of my matches, making sure I’m delivering on everything and having really good matches with everybody. Unfortunately, being on WrestleMania wasn’t in the cards for me this year. However, that just kind of leaves me with a chip on my shoulder for next year, and I’m gonna do everything in my power to never let that happen ever again,” Stratton said.

Tiffany Stratton Won the Women’s US Championship on SmackDown the Week After Being Left Off WrestleMania 42

The chip on her shoulder came with an immediate outlet. Stratton defeated Giulia on the April 24 SmackDown to win the WWE Women’s United States Championship — ending the Japanese star’s reign and immediately establishing herself as a title holder heading into the Backlash season. The championship win was originally scheduled for WrestleMania 42 before being changed hours before the event, making the SmackDown victory feel simultaneously satisfying and bittersweet given the stage it could have happened on. With WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia already on the horizon, Stratton’s competitive mindset suggests she will be one of the most driven performers on the roster heading into next year’s planning cycle.