“We all know it was only a matter of time before Tiffy time went to Raw or SmackDown, and SmackDown happened to be that lucky brand. And not only did I prove to everybody back at home, and to everyone in the locker room that I belong here. And whether they like it or not, they’re gonna be seeing a lot more of the Center of the Universe, toodles.” These are the words Tiffany Stratton said as she walked out with a SmackDown contract in her hands on 2nd February 2024.

Tiffany Stratton has had quite a fireball entry in the main roster of WWE after a splendid NXT run. The former NXT Women’s Champion has gained a reputation for her flashy and fierce move set. But, did you know that, unlike the other acrobats and high-fliers in WWE, Stratton was an actual gymnast? Read on to know more about how the artistic gymnast made her landfall in WWE and made it her new home.

Who is the person behind the ring name Tiffany Stratton?

Tiffany Stratton is the ring name of former artistic gymnast Jessica Woynilko. Born on 1st May 1999, the 24-year-old is a native of Minnesota. While many pro wrestlers spend their years training in the squared circle, Stratton used to train on balance beams and uneven bars. 

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Moreover, the acrobatic maneuvers that Stratton uses to slam into her opponents now used to be beautiful floor exercise routines. This may surprise many since she goes by the nickname Buff Barbie, which suggests that she may have a bodybuilding background like LA Knight. 

The newly minted SmackDown star had been a gymnastics practitioner and actively competed in many tournaments. She traveled to different states in the US for competition as well. Artistic gymnasts are supposed to master many unique apparatuses. However, everyone has their signature apparatus where they shine the most. For Stratton, she was a pro when it came to trampoline routines. 

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Her records show that the young gymnast competed in five open tournaments from 2016 to 2017. She later graduated from St. Catherine University in 2019 and was out of collegiate competitions. But how did she enter the world of pro wrestling?

When Jessica Woynilko began her pro wrestling journey

While Jessica Woynilko was a good gymnast, competitions weren’t really favoring her. But there was no denying that the young Jess had talent. She just needed a better outlet. It was her mother who decided that her daughter’s skill would be better suited for a sizeable crowd instead of white-collared judges. Thus, the woman who gave birth to Jessica Woynilko also became the one who gave birth to Tiffany Stratton.

Woynilko came in touch with pro wrestling coach Greg Gagne and requested him to mold her daughter’s talent for pro wrestling. Gagne, who was famous in the business owing to his success in the American Wrestling Association, agreed and took the now Tiffany Stratton under his wing.

Interestingly, another big hand that helped in the building of Tiffany Stratton was that of Ken ‘Mr. Kennedy’ Anderson. After finishing her training with these professionals, Woynilko appeared for a WWE tryout and was taken in by the WWE Performance Center. Interestingly, she was the only female member in the batch who graduated from the developmental brand of NXT.

From an amateur gymnast to Tiffany Stratton, the pro wrestler

Jessica Woynilko started her training at the WWE Performance Center on 30 August 2021 and was ready to roll within just three months. 16 November 2021 marked the day when Woynilko truly embraced the name Tiffany Stratton and collided with Amari Miller in an episode called 205 Live.

This was followed by her eventual NXT debut. 28 December 2021 marked the day when the WWE Universe got the first glimpse of the newest heel in the house. The spoiled rich girl gimmick is a very common cliche in pro wrestling. But Tiffany Stratton managed to stand out and create a place in the minds of fans.

The new heel of WWE kept gaining notoriety with her matches and secured a spot in several feuds. Finally, she entered an eight-woman elimination contest for the NXT Championship in May 2023. Grabbing this opportunity, Tiffany Stratton razed through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the last match to win the prestigious title.

The Buff Barbie successfully defended her title twice during her reign of 107 days. Moreover, it took one of the biggest WWE Women’s superstars and former Triple Champion Becky Lynch to finally dethrone Tiffany Straton. Now, Stratton has made her way to SmackDown and is right on the playing field of Bayley and Iyo Sky. 

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Do you think she will make a great impact on the main roster as well? Let your thoughts flow in the comments.