Tiffany Stratton Cashes in Money in the Bank Contract, Wins WWE Women’s Championship
Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIJanuary 4, 2025
WWE/Getty Images
Tiffany Stratton cashed in her Money in the Bank contract on Friday’s edition of SmackDown to become the WWE women’s champion.
WWE @WWESHE CASHED IN!!! đ€Ż@tiffstrattonwwe is your NEW WWE Women’s Champion!!! đ#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/LHIPSJqHuf
Stratton hit Nia Jax with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever after the ex-champ had just defended her belt against Naomi. She then quickly pinned Jax to become world champion.
Stratton initially ran to the ring with the MITB briefcase in hand and a second referee beside her. However, Stratton then tossed the referee over the barricade before striking Naomi with the briefcase when the initial championship match official was looking in another direction.
That allowed Jax to defend her belt following a pin. Stratton celebrated with Jax, but then she double-crossed her, attacking the champion and Candice LeRae as well. Bianca Belair then hit Jax with a KOD, setting up the belt-stealing opportunity.
WWE @WWE.@tiffstrattonwwe just took Nia Jax and @CandiceLeRae out with her briefcase!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/igokuEM0Og
Stratton then tossed Belair out of the ring and into the announce tackle before stating her intentions to cash in. It was light work for her from there, and Stratton became a champion in WWE for the first time ever.
The 25-year-old Stratton has enjoyed a precipitous rise to the top, winning the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament last year and earning Female Superstar of the Year honors. Stratton then beat Chelsea Green, Iyo Sky, Lyra Valkyria, Naomi, and Zoey Stark last July for the MITB briefcase.
Stratton sat on that opportunity for six months, but she then made the most of it to highlight the first-ever three-hour SmackDown in the show’s history.
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