Backstage Fallout Reveals Real Tension After Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Strattons Off-Script SmackDown Encounter

According to PWInsider, several WWE sources confirmed that the heated face-off between Flair and Stratton went well beyond the planned dialogue. Toward the end of the segment, Stratton threw what many saw as a personal shot when she told Flair, Outside the ring, you aint the queen of sht,* and followed it up by saying, What is that, zero and three?a reference to Flairs divorces.

That jab reportedly wasnt in the script. Sources say Flair was caught off guard by the crowds reaction in Chicago, which leaned heavily in Strattons favor. One source noted that this allowed Strattons unscripted jabs to hit even harder, with some in WWE feeling that Flair was clearly gotten to.

Flairs response came a little too late. After Stratton had already left the ring and was heading up the ramp, Flair hit back by saying, Is that why Kaisers in my DMs? referencing Strattons real-life boyfriend, WWEs Ludwig Kaiser. According to one WWE source, the comment came off as a flailing shot from a boxer who didnt realize they were KOd.

Multiple people backstage believe Stratton wasnt just firing off recklesslyshe was fighting back. After reportedly feeling that Flair ate her up in a previous promo, Stratton returned fire this week in what some viewed as an attempt to reclaim the spotlight. And in front of a Chicago crowd chanting her name, it worked.

However, not everyone saw it as a win. Some sources felt the segment lost control toward the end, saying the tension and unscripted moments didnt help either woman look stronger in the long run.

WWE has already made edits. Several of the most controversial lines were cut from the official SmackDown YouTube highlights. Its still unclear if the full episode VOD will be altered as well.

Now the big question: Will WWE lean into this tension on the road to WrestleMania 41or quietly sweep the mess under the rug?