Tiffany Stratton was the only champion to enter WrestleMania 41, Night 1 and walk out as champion. (Photo by Mike Marques/WWE via Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Tiffany Stratton was the only champion to hang onto her title at WrestleMania 41, Night 1. Following a weeks-long back-and-forth that turned bitterly personal between Stratton and challenger Charlotte Flair, it was Stratton who came out on top with her patented Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
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Stratton is now 1-0 at WrestleManias following her successful debut at the annual event.
Flair took down Stratton as soon as the match began and the duo immediately started throwing hands before rolling out of the ring. Both women did a great job making the match feel personal after the heated weeks of build. Stratton’s early offense included a stomp off the ropes to an upside-down Flair, continuing to show the expansion of her fast-growing skill set.
Stratton found herself at the mercy of Flair once the action slowed, with Flair controlling the action. Flair even made an unexpected nod to NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer, bashing Stratton into the mat with a head-scissors stomp — a move Flair actually utilized first in WWE.
A nasty sit-out powerbomb from Flair countered Stratton’s cartwheel slam to nearly get the three-count. Flair sought the moonsault shortly after, but Stratton went on the attack, knocking her off. Stratton hit a huge spinebuster on Flair to counter a big boot. The match reached peak physicality when Stratton’s mouth began to bleed — Stratton followed it by going after Flair’s surgically repaired knee. After surviving the onslaught, Flair returned the favor, smashing Stratton’s leg into the ring post to set up the figure-four leglock. Flair’s knee troubles cost her, though, as Stratton started punching away to escape.
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Stratton finally got off a Prettiest Moonsault Ever after a fireman’s carry, only to eat some knees from Flair and kick out of a two-count. Flair made it to the top rope to hit a Natural Selection, resulting in another two-count on Stratton.
After some more knee targeting, Flair went for a failed figure-four, and Stratton hit the rolling senton into the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win, clean as a sheet.
Check out highlights of Stratton’s title defense below.
Catch full WrestleMania 41, Night 1 results, highlights and match-by-match coverage here.
