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Tiffany Stratton Breaks down Babyface-Heel Balance and Reveals Her True Comfort Zone
Tiffany Stratton Breaks down Babyface-Heel Balance and Reveals Her True Comfort Zone 1 Tiffany Stratton (via WWE)

Tiffany Stratton Breaks down Babyface-Heel Balance and Reveals Her True Comfort Zone

Originally posted on FirstSportz  |  By Kshitiz Kumar Singh  |  Last updated Sep 8, 2025 7:19 AM ET

Professional wrestling has always thrived on the classic clash between a heroic babyface and a villainous heel. On the surface, it might seem straightforward: play the good guy, win over the fans. On the other side, play the bad guy, draw heat from the crowd, and thrive. But as WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton recently revealed, the reality is far more complex.

Currently in the midst of her first reign as champion, Stratton has been presented as a babyface. Yet, ‘The Buffed Barbie’ admits that stepping into the role hasn’t been easy. For the unversed, Stratton first made her mark in NXT with a natural flair for playing the heel. That same persona carried over when she debuted on SmackDown. 

However, after dethroning Nia Jax to win the WWE Women’s Championship, she transitioned into a babyface, a role she’s still learning to embrace. Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, Stratton candidly shared that adjusting to the babyface side has been a real challenge, especially after feeling so at home portraying a heel.

I think being heel is ten times easier than being a babyface. You can mess up, and you can fall on your butt, and that’s totally fine as a heel. However, as a babyface, if you do that, like, the crowd could turn on you, or you could get booed, and you’re supposed to be like the face of the company and stuff like that.

Tiffany Stratton via No Contest Wrestling podcast

As Harvey Dent famously said in The Dark Knight, “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” In wrestling, that sentiment often rings true. Walking the line between being a likable babyface and coming across as cringe can be tricky, and Stratton is still in the process of mastering that delicate art.

I am still learning to be a babyface and be likable and not have so much stink on what I say in my promos. So, it definitely comes more natural for me to be a heel. However, bear with me. We’re learning. Maybe one day I’ll just go back to being a heel, but for now, we’re a little old ‘babyface Tiffy.

Tiffany Stratton via No Contest Wrestling podcast

This rings true in wrestling history. Some superstars naturally thrive as heels, delivering their best work when cast as villains. Triple H in the early 2000s and Randy Orton in 2009 stand out as prime examples, serving as the perfect foils to natural babyfaces like Batista and John Cena .

On the other hand, Cena’s recent heel run famously fell flat, as his entire career has been built around embodying the role of a heroic fan favorite. In Stratton’s case, her instincts for heel work continue to shine through, even as a babyface champion.

A recent example came on SmackDown, when Stratton called out Charlotte Flair in the lead-up to WrestleMania 41 and referenced Flair’s real-life divorce. The dig reportedly drew genuine heat backstage, underscoring how naturally Stratton leans into her villainous side.

All of this makes one thing clear: even as the reigning WWE Women’s Champion adjusts to life as a babyface, Stratton already has a strong grasp of her character work, and she isn’t afraid to push boundaries to keep fans talking.

Tiffany Stratton wants to achieve a history-making feat with her WWE Women’s title reign

Tiffany Stratton is just 26 years old and certainly in the mix to carry forward the women’s division into the future. And the company is also backing her up in this endeavor. She recently defeated Charlotte at WrestleMania 41 in an all-time classic. Moreover, she even beat the dominant force that is Jade Cargill at SummerSlam in under 8 minutes to solidify her reign further. 

However, she already has her sights set on another historic milestone. In the same No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, Stratton revealed her ultimate goal: to make history with her current reign.

I’m just trying to take every day and be in the moment and not think too much about the future. So I’m just trying to focus on being in the moment and enjoying my title reign and hopefully holding it for the next year. Or so we’ll see. Maybe I’ll be the longest WWE Women’s Champion ever. So I’d like to make that a goal of mine. Actually, I’m declaring it right now. I want to be the longest WWE Women’s Champion ever.

Tiffany Stratton via No Contest Wrestling podcast

To achieve that, Stratton will need to surpass the current record held by Bianca Belair , who reigned for an impressive 419 days after defeating Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38. Stratton is currently at 247 days, meaning she would need to hold onto the title until at least the end of February 2026.

While the WWE Women’s Championship lineage only dates back to 2016 at WrestleMania 32 (following the retirement of the Divas Championship), Stratton is also eyeing a clash with history itself. Recently, she even called out Nikki Bella , the longest-reigning WWE Divas Champion, for a potential showdown.

Bella recently lost her Intercontinental title shot against Becky Lynch at Clash in Paris in a competitive bout, so maybe a showdown against ‘The Buff Barbie’ could be a possibility in the near future.  

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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