Oh, for real? On God? We’re ending Tiffany Stratton’s reign just like that?

Stratton and Jade Cargill took to the ring during Saturday’s broadcast, and to say that it was a weird match would be an understatement. Stratton was really playing up her knee injury so Cargill walked her like a dog, and when it was all said and done, Cargill left with the WWE Women’s Championship, with nary a moment of appreciation or acknowledgement for Stratton’s historic reign as a world titleholder to be found.

Now, I can acknowledge that, in principle, this is a good thing. Stratton’s title reign was getting stale, with the routine of Cargill, Jax, and the odd Kiana James match quickly becoming repetitive in the twilight hours of Stratton’s reign. Now that “Tiffy Time” is over, Cargill can (hopefully) breathe some fresh life into the stagnant “WWE SmackDown” women’s division. While I agree with Saturday’s decision in theory, I can’t say I endorse it in practice.

Saturday’s match was weird from the get-go, with Cargill literally tearing Stratton limb from limb. It makes sense for Cargill’s new heel persona, until you consider that Stratton didn’t get a lick of offense in compared to Cargill. Just a year or two ago, Stratton was picking up dominant wins left and right. I get that her knee hurts, but it’s just so weird to see Stratton get manhandled to such a degree — especially when she’s been one of the strongest forces to be reckoned over the last 365 days. You’re telling me that Tiffany Stratton, who walked out victorious after getting her teeth knocked into her gums by Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania, lost her title in five minutes because she got a booboo? Are we for real?

You could argue that this humiliating loss is the start of a comeback story, ala Bianca Belair at SummerSlam 2021. Stratton could take this time to reinvent herself, come back as a stronger babyface, and gloriously win back her title. Did Stratton need reinventing, though, or just need new challengers? Did we need a Belair-adjacent storyline for Stratton, or just need a serious contender other than Cargill, Jax, and James?

Considering the state of “SmackDown’s” booking, I have little faith in the quality of Stratton’s comeback story — and, if I’m being honest, I don’t believe that world titleholder Cargill will change the decrepit state of the “SmackDown” women’s landscape either. The match ended without decorum or respect for a woman who is one of the most beloved faces in WWE, and it was all for what? For the wrestling community’s newest fixation to continue the short life cycle of “SmackDown’s” female performers.

Written by Angeline Phu