WWE Hall of Famer Set For Major Title Match After Stunning Return
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Another major championship match has been added to the upcoming WWE Evolution 2 event. WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus will challenge Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women's Championship.
The match was made during the July 4th edition of SmackDown, which was taped this past Monday in Pittsburgh. The announcement adds another "battle of the eras" to the card.
Tiffany Stratton Calls Out A WWE Legend
During the broadcast, Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton was in the ring. She first addressed her upcoming SummerSlam match against the Queen of the Ring winner, Jade Cargill.
Stratton then said she also wanted to defend her title at the Evolution 2 event on July 13. She specifically called out Trish Stratus as her desired opponent.
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
This brought the Hall of Famer to the ring. After a tense exchange of words, the championship match was made official.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
This will be Stratus's third match of 2025, as she celebrates 25 years since her WWE debut.
Updated WWE Evolution 2 Card
The all-women's Premium Live Event will take place on Sunday, July 13, from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The updated card is as follows:
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Rhea Ripley – Women's World Championship
Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Trish Stratus – WWE Women's Championship
Jacy Jayne (c) vs. Jordynne Grace – NXT Women's Championship
Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. TBD vs. TBD – WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
A Battle Royal where the winner receives a future title shot.
Stratton's "It's Tiffy Time" catchphrase and confident persona have long drawn parallels to Stratus's iconic "Trish Time" and heel character from the early 2000s.
Both women have acknowledged the similarities in interviews, with Stratton calling Stratus an idol while also proclaiming herself the superior version. They had never shared a ring until a backstage confrontation in February 2025, which led to them teaming up at Elimination Chamber.
Their first one-on-one program began on the July 4, 2025, episode of SmackDown, when Stratton called out the Hall of Famer, setting up their first-ever singles match for the WWE Women's Championship at the Evolution 2 event. This could easily serve as one of the biggest matches on the card if not the main event.
More WWE News:
For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
11 minutes ago
- Forbes
It Sounds Like Britt Baker Wants Out Of AEW
Britt Baker reportedly wants out of AEW after disappearing from TV in November. Stop me if you've heard this one before: Wrestler X hit the ground running in AEW. They became one of its biggest stars and the face of a division, only to ultimately disappear from television after a promising start. Wrestler X now reportedly wants out of AEW and is likely to reappear on WWE programming in the future. This template is becoming a tale as old as AEW Sting. And, in this case, Wrestler X is Britt Baker. According to (h/t former AEW women's world champion is 'actively trying to leave AEW.' The report went on to state that Baker fell out with various people in AEW backstage, and was looking to get out of her contract, which reportedly runs through 2026. Baker hasn't appeared on AEW TV since November 13, 2024, where she defeated Penelope Ford on AEW Dynamite before having an awkward exchange with Serena Deeb. After Deeb walked out to confront Baker in a non-speaking segment, Baker could be seen dismissively mouthing the words 'nobody cares,' several times. The post-match segment between Baker and Deeb has become fodder for memes among the internet wrestling community, and in hindsight, one cannot help but wonder if these seemingly off-the-cuff comments had something to do with Baker's disappearance from TV. Britt Baker Wants Leaving AEW? Baker made headlines for a reported incident with top star MJF, where the Hurt Syndicate member's girlfriend Alicia Atout overheard Baker speaking ill of MJF backstage during the July 17, 2024 broadcast of AEW Dynamite. The confrontation between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Baker led to MJF reportedly punching a wall. Baker was suspended as a result of an HR investigation. Baker has remained active on social media during an extended vacation. In a thinly veiled shot at AEW, Baker posted the following quote to her Instagram Stories: 'A bottle of water can be $1 at the supermarket, $3 at the gym, $5 at the movies, $6 on a plane…" 'Same water,' the quote continued, this time with text highlighted by Baker. "The only thing that changed its value was the place.' Baker is clearly making a point that she's still at the top of her game, but may need a change of scenery to show her true value to the wrestling business after being yanked from AEW television for the past eight months. Baker's exit speaks to a troubling theme in AEW of Tony Khan's lack of conflict resolution skills. One of the many skills a wrestling promoter must have, especially while booking weekly national TV, is conflict management. Conflicts are inevitable in the wrestling business, and real-life issues backstage often lead to compelling storylines on TV. Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett, one of the greatest promoter tandems in wrestling history, famously had a sign in their office that read 'Personal Issues Draw Money." Not only has Khan fumbled the opportunity to recreate life-imitating-art stories (CM Punk vs. The Elite, Jack Perry; Andrade vs. Sammy Guevara; Britt Baker and MJF), Khan's response is to bench talent before ultimately releasing them to WWE. Khan can't even seem to bring himself to embarrass or job out talent who seem to be on their way out of the company. Instead, he leaves them on the bench, where they build sympathy with WWE's IWC contingent through cryptic messages and ultimately a surprise debut in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. With or without backstage tension, the list of AEW stars who have defected to WWE is staggering in terms of the star power they had in Jacksonville: Other talent who left AEW include former undefeated AEW TBS champion Jade Cargill, former NXT Heritage Cup champion Brian Pillman Jr. (Lexis King), Andrade, NXT North American champion Ethan Page, former AEW world champion CM Punk and WWE quarterback Cody Rhodes—arguably AEW's biggest loss with CM Punk as a close second. Baker seems destined to join this growing list given Khan's recent propensity to let disgruntled talent out of their contracts. This sets a dangerous precedent, especially with WWE actively looking to sign AEW talent. 'We won't sign and bench people. We sign people who we want to use,' said WWE President Nick Khan during an interview with Bill Simmons. '[AEW has] a lot of talented wrestlers. And we're happy about that. When contractually they're available to be talked to and have conversations with, assume a number of them will come over. And nothing but respect for the father who finances it and owns the Jaguars and all those other things.' As the secondary promotion, AEW already faces the challenge of distinguishing who truly wants to be All Elite and who is using AEW as a springboard to get WWE's attention in the middle of a wrestling war. WWE is a fierce competitor, and has answered Tony Khan's 'Enjoy Wrestling' spirit by carving out an unapologetic warpath designed to upend AEW from the inside out. From acquiring AEW talent, to Nick Khan crediting Tony Khan's father for AEW's success, to counterprogramming AEW into oblivion during its biggest weekend, WWE is not messing around. More ex-AEW talent has flourished in WWE than those who have not. This is by design, to entice AEW talent. With Tony Khan liable to bench even his biggest stars before handing them over to the competition, Khan is on the verge of turning AEW into a WWE showcase territory. Like NXT with a bigger budget.
Newsweek
36 minutes ago
- Newsweek
John Cena Gives A Blunt Answer About Running For President
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. John Cena has made it clear that he has no plans to run for president of the United States. He gave a definitive answer when asked about a potential political career. The topic has come up as Cena plays the president in his new movie, Heads Of State. The idea of wrestlers running for office has been floated before with stars like The Rock. John Cena On A Presidential Run In a new interview with On Demand Entertainment, Cena was asked about possibly running for president. He quickly ruled out the idea. His response was brief and to the point. When presented with the idea, Cena simply said, "Not a chance." This firm answer separates Cena from other performers who have flirted with the idea of a political future. While a handful of professional wrestlers have successfully transitioned into the world of politics, the path is not a common one. The most prominent success story is Jesse "The Body" Ventura, who was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998, serving one full term. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: John Cena attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios "Jackpot" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 13, 2024 in Hollywood, California. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: John Cena attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios "Jackpot" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 13, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation More recently, Glenn "Kane" Jacobs has served as the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, since his election in 2018, proving that a major wrestling character can hold public office. Others have tried, with former WWE CEO Linda McMahon making two expensive but unsuccessful runs for a U.S. Senate seat before serving as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. While Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been the subject of serious polling and discussion for a potential presidential run, he has never officially entered a race. Cena stars alongside Idris Elba and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the action-comedy Heads of State, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on July 2, 2025. The film, directed by Nobody's Ilya Naishuller, features a plot reminiscent of classic buddy-action movies. Cena plays Will Derringer, a former action movie star who has become the President of the United States. He and the British Prime Minister, Sam Clarke (Elba), have a public rivalry but are forced to go on the run together after a conspiracy leaves them stranded and hunted. They must rely on each other and a brilliant MI6 agent (Chopra Jonas) to survive and unravel a plot that threatens the entire world. The movie blends high-octane action with the comedic chemistry between the two leads. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Family Adopts Dog From Texas Shelter, Her Journey to New Home Goes Viral
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A couple from Citrus Heights, California, had their new rescue dog flown in to them via plane, and the footage of her trip has left internet users in tears. In a viral TikTok video shared on Friday under the username @thecavileers, the pup can be seen napping at the back of the small plane, wearing headphones to protect her ears. Her owners Taylor and Jason Cavileer told Newsweek that Lumina was adopted from Hannah's Southern Paws Rescue in Dallas, Texas, and she had to be transported via plane to them, because it was too far from their home. The shelter transported her only up until Rancho Santa Fe, which is about eight to nine hours away from where the couple live, so they contacted another rescue program to get help taking her home. Screenshots of the viral video show Lumina in headphones, right, being flown home by volunteer pilots. Screenshots of the viral video show Lumina in headphones, right, being flown home by volunteer pilots. @thecavileers "Volunteer pilots (Promit Sinha and Victor Vasquez) flew her to Auburn, California, which is about 30 minutes from our home for us to pick her up. She was flown through the program Pilots n Paws, which is an organization that flies shelter dogs and rescue pups to their forever homes," the Cavileers said. According to her owners, Lumina has already settled in so beautifully, and it is like she has always been part of the family. "She's already figured out her favorite cozy spots, loves snuggling up with us, and follows us around like a little shadow. She's been so gentle, curious, and full of personality, and we're honestly amazed by how quickly she's adjusted. We're so proud of her and can't wait to see her continue to blossom in her forever home," the Cavileers said. Lumina and her two siblings were abandoned at an early age, all suffering from severe mange, and it seemed like they couldn't stand a chance, until Hannah's Southern Paws Rescue stepped in. The owners said: "Hannah gave Lumina and her sister the care, love, and medical attention they desperately needed to heal and thrive. Heartbreakingly, their brother didn't make it, but his memory lives on through his sisters. Thanks to Hannah and her rescue, Lumina now has a second chance—and we're so honored to be part of her journey." After losing their soul dog, Tiny, last year, the Cavileer family went on Petfinder to adopt another pup and give them a chance at life. That was when they met Lumina, who stole their hearts immediately. "She had already been adopted and returned twice, but now we understand why—she was meant to be ours all along. From the moment we met her, it just felt right. We are so happy she is a part of our family forever," the Cavileers said. In 2024, almost 3 million dogs entered shelters across the country, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). In some states, shelter intake rates are much higher than others. Data by Statista shows that Western states usually deal with much higher numbers than Eastern ones. The state with the highest rate is New Mexico, which, in 2019, registered more than 3,200 animals surrendered per 100,000 inhabitants. Next up were Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Nevada, all with more than 2,000 animals taken in per 100,000 residents. @thecavileers Huge thank you to our pilots who volunteered & flew her to us. Faith in humanity restored! Follow her at @ 🫶🏼🐾 #dogsoftiktok ♬ original sound - thecavileers The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 169,400 views and more than 44,400 likes on the platform. One user, Ashlee Morales, commented: "Omg [oh my God] the ear protectors! I didn't know they had those for dogs! Definitely bonus points." EP posted: "Let this be a sign to everyone to adopt dogs from the south!!! Shelters are so overcrowded here in Alabama. Adopt, don't shop." User6956035913199 added: "Omg she has the best parents. God bless y'all." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
