What started as a fiery in-ring segment between Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton on WWE SmackDown has turned into a full-blown backstage drama, and now a new twist is changing how fans are seeing the situation.
According to an update from Dave Meltzer via F4WOnline, Tiffany Strattons now-viral verbal jabs werent unprovokedthey were payback.
We were told from someone close to Stratton that Flair went off script first and the lines from her, from her standpoint, were retaliation, Meltzer reported. He added that Strattons decision to roll out of the ring like a heel wasnt a sign of backing downit was her defense mechanism to avoid the exchange spiraling even further out of control.
This claim flips the script on earlier reports that pinned Stratton as the one who took things too far. One source close to the situation told Meltzer that there was heat on both and neither was the good guy. While WWE is keeping quiet publicly, insiders say Flair may have sparked the verbal firestorm that led to Strattons now-infamous line: Outside the ring, you aint the queen of sht.*
That wasnt all. Stratton followed it up by referencing Flairs personal life with a cold shot: What is that, zero and three?a comment widely believed to be aimed at Flairs past divorces. WWE fans in Chicago were loudly behind Stratton, which only made the diss hit harder.
Flair attempted a rebuttal after Stratton had already exited the ring, snapping back with: Is that why Kaisers in my DMs? But according to one backstage source, the line came off as a flailing shot from a boxer who didnt realize they were KOd.
Behind the scenes, WWE officials werent thrilled. Sources say the segment went off the rails toward the end, and several of the more personal lines were cut from the YouTube highlight reel. It remains to be seen whether the full episode on Peacock will be edited as well.
With blame now shifting toward Flair for allegedly initiating the off-script chaos, some are starting to look at Strattons actions in a different light. One WWE insider said Stratton was fighting back after feeling Flair ate her up in a previous promo, and the Chicago crowd made it clear who they were siding with.
Whether this drama leads to more fireworks on TV or gets squashed behind closed doors, one thing is clearthis isnt your typical scripted tension.
Do you think Charlotte Flair really started the drama, or was Tiffany Stratton just out for attention? Whose side are you on? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
