On the April 4, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown, tensions escalated during a live in-ring promo between WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair. The segment went off script quite a bit, leading to an unscripted exchange that drew strong reactions from the live audience.
The segment began with Wade Barrett introducing both women ahead of their WrestleMania clash, with Flair—the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner—explaining her choice to challenge Stratton by claiming the champion had been “begging” for the spotlight.
Things quickly turned personal. Stratton fired back, accusing Flair of feigning confidence while “crying on some boo-hoo talk show.” She continued, claiming that despite Flair’s accolades, she would always live in the shadow of her father, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair.
Stratton escalated further, contrasting their careers at age 25, saying she was already champion while Flair had been “trying to be a volleyball player, drinking in her daddy’s basement.”
The most pointed moment came when Stratton referenced Flair’s real-life relationship history, stating: “When it’s all said and done, you’re going to be just like you are outside of the ring—alone! What is that record, like 0-3?” Flair quickly countered with a sharp retort of her own, alleging that Stratton’s real-life boyfriend, Ludwig Kaiser, was “in her DMs.”
The segment concluded with Stratton raising her championship belt high, leaving Flair in the ring as their WrestleMania showdown looms.
Sources say the unscripted nature of the promo caught even some backstage off guard, creating an intense atmosphere that blurred the line between storyline and reality.
