00:00And that matchup, this one underway. Tiffany Stratton going to be interesting, Corey, to see how she reacts coming off her first loss of 2025.
00:09That, of course, in the Crown Jewel women's matchup in Australia a couple of weeks back.
00:16Curious to find out, as far as the Ted Lasso school of thought, if Kiana James, I'm sorry, if Tiffany Stratton has the ability to have the goldfish memory.
00:24Because you can't dwell on coming up short for something like the Crown Jewel Championship.
00:30However, last week here on SmackDown, we saw the move that Cody Rhodes was in as a result of coming up short to Seth Rollins in Australia.
00:37And that spelled disaster for Cody.
00:39We'll see how Tiffany responds here tonight against Kiana James.
00:43Kiana, former NXT Tag Team Champion.
00:45She has shown some great bursts of athleticism in the ring.
00:50Had a conversation earlier today with her, Corey.
00:52She's a very confident young woman.
00:54Why wouldn't Kiana James be confident?
00:56She's educated.
00:57She's athletically gifted.
00:58She's intellectually advanced.
01:01I mean, Kiana James has all of the tools to be a megastar in this industry.
01:05Look at that.
01:06Case in point.
01:08Both of these women with outstanding gymnastics credentials before coming to WWE.
01:12And both have taken to the square and circle greatly here.
01:18Kiana missed a nice hip-up by Stratton.
01:21Into a hip-toss and another take-down in the arm drag and now into an arm bar.
01:27Tiffany Scraton has thrown leaps and bounds since she cashed in her Money in the Bank contract January 3rd of this year.
01:33Just down the road in Phoenix to knock off Nia James and been the champion ever since.
01:38Corey, 293 days.
01:40That was Nia Jax.
01:41I'm just saving you a nasty text.
01:42What did I say?
01:44Nia James.
01:45Oh, Nia James.
01:45Sorry.
01:46I don't want you getting beaten up.
01:49But listen.
01:49Both of these women have continued to evolve.
01:51But this has been a testament to the theory that iron sharpens iron.
01:54We talk about how relatively inexperienced Tiffany Stratton is in this business.
01:59Four years ago, wasn't she?
02:00She stepped in a ring for the first time.
02:01Shoulders down.
02:02Stratton and a kick out.
02:03Yet competing against the best of the best, defending her Women's Championship has really shown that Tiffany Stratton belongs at the top of the mountain.
02:11And she continues to get better and better.
02:12Oh, look at that.
02:13Oh.
02:14Dropkick by Tiffany.
02:16Driving Kiana back to the second rope.
02:18She says it's Tiffany time.
02:19Here comes the champ.
02:21Backs it up into the back of the neck of Kiana James.
02:24Gotta give James credit as well.
02:26She's had a lot of ups and downs in her career.
02:28You see the neck brace on her right knee under foot knee surgery at one point.
02:33Stratton went for the baseball slide.
02:34Kiana caught her with an elbow.
02:37Don't take your eyes off of Kiana.
02:40It'll roll through.
02:41Oh, and Tiffany caught her with a right hand.
02:45Kiana wanted to get the man's seat.
02:47Tiffany made her pay.
02:48But Julia providing the distraction.
02:51And Kiana capitalizes.
02:53Yeah, the Women's United States Champion paying dividends.
02:58And Kory, this has become an interesting relationship between Kiana James and Julia.
03:12Kiana running the business affairs for the Women's United States Champion.
03:17Kiana assured me that it is a mutually beneficial relationship for both herself and Julia.
03:23Julia, still the United States Champion.
03:26Hard to disagree when the proof is right in front of you.
03:28Well, Kiana as well.
03:30Cover now on the champ.
03:31Is it enough to put her away in a kick out at two?
03:33Kiana, tremendous business acumen.
03:35She was voted a top business leader.
03:39Went to school for it.
03:41And Kiana is bright enough to know what she doesn't know, which is where Julia comes in.
03:46Julia has a wealth of experience, globally speaking, prior to her arrival in WWE.
03:50And Kiana understands there are probably certain aspects of her in-ring game she could brush up on.
03:55Learn a few new holds, a few new tricks.
03:57And Julia can provide that sort of knowledge while Kiana boosts Julia's brand from a financial standpoint.
04:02It's great business.
04:03Kiana's been trying to recruit a number of superstars.
04:06We mentioned Stratton earlier.
04:07Stephanie Becker, the world champion from Raw.
04:11Kiana wanted her to join the brand a few weeks back.
04:14I did let Kiana James know that my opinion is for sale at all times.
04:18It always is.
04:19And Stratton now sent outside the ring.
04:22And Julia now with a cheap shot.
04:25And Kiana James doing a great job distracting the official Ryan Tran and allowing Julia to do the damage.
04:33Well, if Ryan Tran wasn't so hypnotized by the beauty of Kiana James, perhaps Tiffany Stratton wouldn't be in such dire straits right now.
04:39Oh, that's one way to look at it, right?
04:45Now James will go out and take advantage of the damage that Julia did to Stratton.
04:51Kiana quickly into the cover again, looking to pin the champion here.
04:57And you mentioned it earlier, a victory for James could earn her a future WWE Women's Championship opportunity.
05:04I like this pace from Kiana James right now, though.
05:09Understanding you don't want to make a mistake against someone as dangerous as Tiffany Stratton.
05:13Take your time.
05:14Be deliberate in your movements.
05:15Make sure everything counts.
05:17Well, we've talked about how intellectual Kiana James is.
05:23Tiffany looking to fight back.
05:25Oh, big tackle by Kiana James, flexing her own power at Stratton's expense.
05:33And look at this.
05:34Mount Stratton and deliver some right hands to the champ.
05:38Psychologically, that loss to Stephanie a couple of weeks ago for Stratton had to sit in.
05:45I mean, you go almost a full year without being beaten, and then that happens.
05:49And it can shake a superstar's confidence, no matter who you are.
05:52Cover by Kiana.
05:53Hooks the leg.
05:54Stratton's got to kick it, too.
05:55When you're riding high at the top of the mountain, as Tiffany Stratton has been for so long,
05:59knowing that you are fallible can really do some heavy damage to your psyche.
06:04Now James, the chin lock, controlling the champion.
06:07Very impressed with the game plan of Kiana James so far tonight.
06:15We're going to continue to wear the champ down.
06:18Tried and true strategy.
06:20Don't get ahead of yourself.
06:21Don't get cute.
06:22Don't get fancy.
06:23Stay in control.
06:33This is Friday Night SmackDown.
06:35We are live in Tempe, Arizona tonight.
06:37The WWE Women's Champion with her hands full.
06:40Tiffany Stratton versus Kiana James.
06:42Julia, the Women's United States Champion, already paying dividends at ringside.
06:47You've got to be impressed with the physical abilities and condition of both of these women at this juncture.
06:52Oh, what a boot by James.
06:55Can she pin the champion?
06:56And I got the shoulder up to Stratton.
07:00Now Kiana James can't allow herself to get distracted right now.
07:03She's in control of Tiffany Stratton.
07:05When you get frustrated, you make mistakes.
07:08You take your eye off the ball.
07:09You get overconfident.
07:10Kiana cannot afford to deal with that in this matchup.
07:12And Tiffany Stratton.
07:17Whoa!
07:18Face first goes James.
07:19And Tiffany Stratton now buys herself some time.
07:22And will we see the momentum shift in this match?
07:25Does Tiffy have enough left in the tank to mount a full comeback?
07:29The Mullet Arena, Tempe, Arizona.
07:32The campus of Arizona State University.
07:37Look of concern on the face of the United States Champion, Julia.
07:40She's shouting some instruction to Kiana James.
07:44Yeah, critical moment in this match.
07:52Both women digging down deep to unleash the heavy artillery.
07:55Going to empty the reserves in this one.
07:58Kiana James understands she's in the ring with the WWE Women's Champion.
08:02And Stratton's looking like it right now.
08:04A couple of clotheslines by Tiffany.
08:10And Stratton into the corner with that handspring elbow.
08:13Tremendous velocity.
08:17And look at the power.
08:18Alabama slam.
08:21And just that quickly, Tiffy has turned the tides.
08:24Listen to this place, Cole.
08:25And Stratton fired up now.
08:27There's the power of Tiffany Stratton.
08:29Then rolling senton.
08:31Stratton going to go up to the top rope.
08:34Uh-oh.
08:34Went for the prettiest moonsault ever.
08:36Kiana James able to avoid.
08:38Caught Tiffany with a kick.
08:40And now James.
08:42Oh!
08:43Down goes Tiffany off the driver.
08:45Cover.
08:46Hook of the leg.
08:46And a kick out.
08:47Almost had the champ pinned.
08:49Falcon arrow from Kiana.
08:51James nearly picked up the W.
08:53But now is not the time to question yourself, Kiana.
08:56As we look again at her ability to muscle up the Women's Champion.
09:00Perhaps hooking both legs a little bit deeper of a cover.
09:03And Kiana may have just picked up the win.
09:06Now Tiffany whipped into the corner.
09:08Kiana James is giving the champ everything she can handle here tonight.
09:17This could be a case of Tiffany Stratton overlooking the competition.
09:21Was Tiffy fully prepared for the fight provided by James?
09:25Kiana James powerful in her own right.
09:30Perhaps looking for a keeper flex, but face first.
09:33Now Stratton top rope.
09:39Tiffany Stratton with a spontan!
09:42Unreal!
09:42And now Kiana James in trouble!
09:46Prettiest moonsault ever!
09:49Cover!
09:50One, two, three!
09:51Stratton with the win!
09:56Here is your winner!
09:58The WWE Women's Champion!
10:01Oh no!
10:03Julia from behind!
10:04Stratton couldn't even celebrate her win before Julia assaulted the champ from behind!
10:09And kudos to Stratton!
10:11It was a hard fought battle!
10:13She earned it tonight!
10:14And arrivederci Tiffy!
10:22Hang on Cole!
10:23I think there's a storm coming to Tempe!
10:27Jade Cargill!
10:29Making her way to the ring!
10:32Jade has seen enough!
10:33They're going right out for the Women's United States Champion!
10:38Cargill with a kick to Julia!
10:42And another one!
10:45And Kiana James may want to think twice about that!
10:49Now Tiffany Stratton just went through a big battle with Kiana James.
10:53She was defenseless after the attack by Julia.
10:56And after the Arriba Durche, Julia was going in for the kill and Jade Cargill came out to help the champion!
11:11Much needed backup by Tiffany Stratton here tonight against Kiana James and Julia!
11:17A lot of history between these two women bound by respect!
11:21And Jade Cargill comes to the rescue!
11:35Tiffany Stratton celebrating a victory here tonight on Friday Night Smackdown!
11:41Oh my god!
11:43Are you kidding me?
11:45Jade Cargill just clocked the champ!
11:47And Cargill continues the attack!
11:59Where did this come from?
12:06Cargill assaulting Stratton!
12:09Into the post dumpster to the floor!
12:11Oh, and into the steel steps!
12:21Jade Cargill is absolutely mauling the WWE Women's Champion!
12:26Okoria, Jade has made no bones about it how frustrated she's been in recent months.
12:31And now Jade Cargill taking out that frustration on the WWE Women's Champion now, Stratton!
12:39Oh my god!
12:39Shot over the announce table!
12:41Hitting the floor hard!
12:42Oh, look in the eyes of Jade Cargill!
12:45This is like a woman possessed!
12:48You can see the wound still healing on the eyebrow of Cargill!
12:51But the storm has snapped!
12:55Jade Cargill just...
12:56Get in there!
12:57Pounding away on Stratton!
12:59Officials finally down here to try to separate Cargill from Stratton!
13:03Jade Cargill with just complete utter disdain and anger in her eyes!
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