EXCLUSIVE: Tiffany Stratton Tight-Lipped On WWE Crown Jewel 2024 Plans

It was Tiffy Time as she spoke with The Takedown on SI about her Money in the Bank briefcase, Charlotte Flair, and Saudi Arabia.

Tiffany Stratton / WWE.com

Tiffany Stratton is hesitant to reveal her plans for Saturday’s “Crown Jewel” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but she did confirm one small detail.

“Obviously, I would like for it to be a surprise, but I can say that I am going to be in Saudi Arabia,” Stratton tells The Takedown on SI in an exclusive conversation.

Stratton, who has been one of WWE’s fastest rising Superstars since being called to the main roster in February and is the current Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase holder, has been seen in the corner of the WWE Women’s Champion, Nia Jax, throughout her run with the briefcase. It is presumed that she will be with, or in the vicinity of, Jax during her match against WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan for the inaugural WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship.

Nia Jax vs. Liv Morgan match card / WWE.com

Stratton has previously teased cashing in on Jax during previous weeks, but has found herself inserted into the unfolding love triangle drama between Morgan, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik Mysterio, with a looming potential to cash in on Morgan instead. She remains tight lipped about her plans, though.

“I am going to have pretty new gear. I will be backstage. I will be cheering on Nia Jax, and that's all I'm going to say.”

Stratton and her character work has made her one of the most formidable heels on the SmackDown roster. She reflected on her meteoric rise.

“It's been so amazing since being called up. I definitely was a little nervous. I felt a lot of pressure just because I got called up with nobody. I didn't really have a group of girls I got called up with. It was a fresh new start. Like I said, it was nerve-wracking. But as the TVs went on, as Australia happened, I gained confidence. I was really reassured by the crowd and by the fans. I definitely feel like I've grown so much in the past year. I feel like I've grown more in, what is it, eight months since I've been called up than I had in my entire two years being in NXT.”

WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley has previously spoken about momentarily losing your steady stance and having an out of body experience when a crowd gives you a loud, and unexpected, positive reaction. Bubba Ray made mention to his return at the 2015 Royal Rumble as that moment for him specifically while also referencing the return of Edge at the 2020 Royal Rumble, and his visible reaction to the crowd’s response.

To the surprise of many including herself, she was a fan favorite in Australia during this year’s “Elimination Chamber” match. Asked whether Stratton had a similar experience to what Bubba Ray Dudley described during her moment in Australia, she admitted that the crowd's reaction took her by surprise.

MORE: WWE Crown Jewel 2024: Date, Start Time, Match Card & More

“It definitely did happen to me. I think there's even a video of me being like, What the heck? And I was like, ‘Okay, I'm just going to go with it here.’ But there was definitely a moment, too, at the press conference before Australia, I remember Triple H had just said my name, or I think it was Bianca [Belair] that had said my name, and the crowd just started chant 'Tiffy Time'. I was like, ‘Okay, that's cool,’ and then being in the match in the little cage thing and then hearing 'Tiffy Time' being chanted, it was so... I did not expect that at all. I didn't even know they were going to know who I was.”

Stratton seems confident in her approach these days. An impressive performer in the ring, Stratton was trained by Greg Gagne prior to joining NXT, and credits him with giving her the best advice possible.

“He told me to always be a sponge and always listen to whoever is giving you advice and coaching you and use it and implement it if you think that it applies to you. But he always just taught me to be respectful and be super coachable is the biggest one as well. Just being coachable. I think that's helped a lot.”

Stratton’s recent tag team partner, Rhea Ripley, caused a ground swell of memes, responses and other commentary regarding their juxtaposed appearances, likening it to Wednesday Addams and Alicia Silverstone’s character from Clueless, Cher Horowitz. Stratton agreed with this example, but regrettably, and much to the chagrin of the adoring public on X (formerly Twitter) who loved it, she said she’s unsure if that pairing will continue.

“I have no idea, but I would love for it to happen again. I think we have such a cool dynamic. It's so completely different, and I think people love the idea as well. I see all the people's [X] memes. I would hope that they do something with me and Rhea again. I think that'd be so fun and so cool and such a different dynamic.”

Nobody:

Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton in the ring together:#WWERAW pic.twitter.com/2Jq3inHUDF

— Public Enemies Podcast (@TheEnemiesPE3) October 15, 2024

Stratton refused to give specifics on her plans for “Crown Jewel”, but when asked about her next plans, and specifically about one competitor, Charlotte Flair, Stratton seemed eager to take the opportunity to face The Queen at WrestleMania 41.

“I definitely, totally can see that. I would love for that to happen, and I hope for that to happen. Whether it's this Mania or the following Mania, I would love for it to happen. So I guess we'll have to wait and see. I think she comes back soon. I'm not even sure where she is, so we'll have to wait and see.”

WWE’s “Crown Jewel” takes place on Saturday, November 2nd, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a special start time of 1pm ET/10am PT. Check your local listings for specific start times in your area.

Make sure to check out our full conversation with Tiffany Stratton over on The Takedown on SI YouTube Channel and please hit the subscribe button!

MORE: Bill Goldberg Has Words For Gunther Ahead Of Crown Jewel