In recent times, Tiffany Stratton is that one name who has established herself as one of the top talents on the NXT roster. Since debuting on the division back in 2021, the young talent made tons of improvements before becoming the NXT Women’s Champion in 2023. This also makes one of the future contenders to be the top star on the WWE main roster especially given that wrestling comes naturally to her.
For those who don’t know, Tiffany Stratton had a background in gymnastics before finally transitioning into a professional wrestler after signing a contract with the WWE. Her in-ring works have drawn wide praise from various figures in the professional wrestling world and she herself believes it’s the gymnast background that helped her a lot.
Speaking about her in-ring skills during an episode of WWE’s The Bump on YouTube, Tiffany Stratton revisited her training days on NXT and stated the following,
“The first time that I ever got into the ring, I took my first bump and it was basically what I used to do in gymnastics. I used to literally do flips to my back all the time. I ran the ropes the first time, it came super easy to me. I locked up, super easy for me. I would say the first day I was in a ring, I knew I was meant for this.”
Tiffany Stratton won the NXT Women’s Title at Battleground 2023
The organic skills were further honed as Tiffany Stratton headed straight to the top of the NXT roster in the spring of 2023. The opportunity first came to her after Indi Hartwell was forced to vacate her NXT Women’s Championship due to an injury as well as her main roster call-up during the Draft 2023 edition.
A tournament then began to decide the new NXT Women’s Champion. Ultimately, Tiffany Stratton came out on top at Battleground after defeating Lyra Valkyria. This match marked the second-only PLE match for the winner, with her first one happening at Stand and Deliver where she competed in a ladder match for the same NXT Women’s Championship.
Tiffany Stratton noted how gymnastics innovated the Prettiest Ever Moonsault
Tiffany Stratton’s finishing maneuver, The Prettiest Ever Moonsault is highly touted on NXT programming. Speaking on The Bump, the 24-year-old star again mentioned how gymnastics influenced her that unique spin before finally landing the moonsault on her opponent,
“I was a trampoline gymnast my entire life. Air awareness is something that comes very easy for me. I wanted to do something that kind of incorporated my trampoline background,” she said. “I thought that using the ropes kind of emulated that. I thought what more impressive of a move can you do than a moonsault?”
