WWE WrestleMania 2025: Five Reasons Why Charlotte Flair vs Tiffany Stratton Is One of the Most Dull Feuds

synopsis

WWE WrestleMania 2025: WWE has always relied on star power to sell its biggest stage in WrestleMania. But in the case of Charlotte Flair vs Tiffany Stratton for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 41, that formula is not working. On paper, it looked promising with the tagline of “Queen” vs the “Center of the Universe.” A passing-the-torch narrative between a 14-time world champion and a new-age star. But the build up hasn't been there. From awkward promos to a lack of storytelling depth, here are five reasons this feud is among the most boring in recent WrestleMania history.

1. Unscripted promo leads to backstage issue

The rivalry took an awkward turn on the latest episode of SmackDown when a face-to-face segment between Charlotte and Stratton went off-script. Tiffany made comments about Charlotte's multiple divorces and even dropped Ric Flair's name in a disrespectful manner. The mic work, clearly unscripted, got real personal, real quick. Reports from Fightful Select and PWInsider suggest the segment caused backstage issues and had to be edited out from WWE's digital platforms due to the backlash. Instead of hyping the feud, it made things uncomfortable and shifted the focus from the title to unnecessary personal drama.

2. Poor Characterization

Charlotte, normally the arrogant heel, is playing the veteran babyface. Stratton, who’s loved for her over-the-top heel character, is suddenly being shown as she’s the underdog. The result? No one knows who to root for. Fans cheer Stratton for her style but boo her for breaking kayfabe. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s face run feels off without a strong comeback story or emotional journey. No injuries overcome, no betrayal, no personal mission.

3. Zero Buildup

Think Becky vs Ronda, or Sasha vs Bayley. Those were brought up slowly with creativity. Flair vs Stratton? It was booked and fast-tracked in just four weeks. There were no slow-burn moments, no betrayal, no double turns. Essentially, nothing to make this rivalry feel special. Stratton cashed-in, Flair returned and won the Rumble, and suddenly it was WrestleMania time. Fans can smell when a match is made just to fill a spot, and that's exactly what this feels like.

4. Showing the Champion Poorly

Tiffany Stratton is a star on the rise and her NXT Women’s Championship reign and social media popularity prove that. But instead of using this match to support her as a breakout main roster player, WWE has shown her as a cheap-shot artist with weak booking. Her victories on SmackDown have come via roll-ups or distractions, and she’s rarely looked dominant in physical confrontations with Flair. Creative has reduced her to a Barbie-themed mean girl gimmick without anything else.

5. Negative Fans Reaction

Crowd reactions are a good measurement for a feud’s success. Recent episodes of SmackDown have shown lukewarm reactions when Flair or Stratton enter. Compare that to how fans have exploded for segments featuring Iyo vs Rhea Ripley. According to WrestleTix data, the women's title match involving Flair-Stratton is among the least searched and least discussed matches on Reddit and Twitter/X.