Backstage WWE Rumors: Latest on Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, and More

Tiffany Stratton paid off a rapid rise to the top of the women's division in 2024 by cashing in Money in the Bank on the first episode of SmackDown in 2025 and now, may be on a collision course with a future Hall of Famer on the road to WrestleMania 41.

Who are industry insiders reporting may square off with the NXT export in Las Vegas?

Find out with this collection of rumors and backstage reports, which also include the latest on Jade Cargill and Tyler Bate's returns, as well as potential changes coming to the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.

WrestleVotes reported on the "Q&A with Bill Apter" on Backstage Pass that there are rumblings of a Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair match at WrestleMania 41.

Given that Stratton just cashed in Money in the Bank and won the WWE Women's Championship from Nia Jax, it would suggest that match would be for the title.

Such a match would be the biggest, most significant in the young wrestler's career since her series with Becky Lynch, which earned her rave reviews and increased exposure in WWE.

The former gymnast has quickly risen up the ranks, thanks to her raw athleticism, strong in-ring performances in big spots, and a willingness to throw herself into her spoiled Valley Girl persona.

A match with The Queen, on the WrestleMania stage, would prove to be validation of her meteoric rise and a stamp of approval from the highest creative powers in WWE.

More importantly, it is an opportunity she has earned through hard work, dedication, and a commitment to bettering herself.

That it would coincide with Flair's return to the squared circle after a year-plus-long hiatus due to injury only heightens the significance of such a match.

Jade Cargill has been out of action since an unknown assailant attacked her before Survivor Series: War Games, knocking her out of the namesake match and creating a "whodunnit" mystery that has yet to be solved.

That may not be the case for much longer.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that Cargill has been at the WWE Performance Center twice in the last two weeks preparing for her return, likely during WrestleMania season.

He added:

"The mystery of who attacked Cargill will be part of her next WWE storyline arc and we are told there have been two different pitches as to who would end up responsible. The attack allows WWE to move the Women's Tag Team belts without either Cargill or Bianca Belair having to take the loss. This allows WWE to keep both talents strong while prepping their creative plans for Wrestlemania, especially if it involves them working against each other."

If the direction is Cargill vs. Belair, there is backup to support it. There was an instance or two of subtle disagreement between the two leading up to the angle. Belair moved on to team with Naomi and never pursued who the actual assailant was behind her teammate's attack. Maybe, just maybe, she already knew who the attacker was.

Even if it is not Belair and the attacker is an opposing tandem looking to weaken the women's tag champions, there are storyline options for WWE to explore upon her return, which is more than there was before it, when she and Belair simply moved from team to team, defending the titles.

PWInsider Elite (subscription required) reported that Tyler Bate is nearly cleared to return to action and is expected to rejoin the Raw brand (h/t Cageside Seats).

Bate last competed on the July 2 episode of NXT, where he teamed with Pete Dunne to defeat Hank and Tank.

The inaugural NXT United Kingdom champion will return to a different landscape than the one he left. Dunne is a heel now, which may lead to a renewed rivalry between him and Bate, which was last explored in the early days of the NXT: UK brand and across the British independent scene before that.

Otherwise, it is a difficult to forecast where he would fit with the Raw brand.

One thing is for certain: he is too talented a wrestler and too young to be tossed aside and forgotten. Triple H and his creative team will find something for him to do and Bate, an extraordinarily strong wrestler for a competitor of his size, will continue to wow fans with his raw athleticism.

WrestleVotes also reported that WWE was not happy with the 2024 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, including fans leaving after Paul Heyman's speech, and is "trying to come up with different ways to present everything."

Presenting what is typically a long ceremony after a two-hour SmackDown presentation is already tough. Throw in matches taped for WWE Speed or Main Event, and any dark matches that may be on the slate, and you have a long show before the first inductee even takes to the squared circle.

Presenting the ceremony on Thursday or before SmackDown, or even tying it into the WWE World fan interaction that the company introduced in 2024, may be better alternatives.

The wrestlers/managers/personalities being inducted have earned and deserve the attention of the fans, not to have half of the audience exiting the venue early because the ceremony may not be over until the wee hours of the next morning.