Tiffany Stratton defeated Giulia on tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas to capture the Women’s United States Championship, ending Giulia’s second reign and claiming her first singles title since vacating the WWE Women’s Championship last year.
The win caps a redemption arc for Stratton, who was conspicuously left off the WrestleMania 42 card last weekend in Las Vegas. According to a report from Self-Made Pro, Stratton had been penciled into an earlier version of the WrestleMania 42 card in a three-way match with Giulia and Jordynne Grace, but those plans were scrapped before the event.
Stratton earned tonight’s title shot by defeating Grace in a No. 1 contender’s match on the April 17 go-home episode of SmackDown, finishing her with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever as Giulia and Kiana James watched from ringside.
A Long Road Back
Stratton’s path to this moment started with a knee injury suffered in October 2025 that ended her 301-day reign as WWE Women’s Champion. She dropped the title to Jade Cargill at Saturday Night’s Main Event in November before disappearing from television for the remainder of the year.
She returned at the 2026 Royal Rumble, lasting until the final stages before Liv Morgan eliminated her, then competed in the Elimination Chamber match that Rhea Ripley ultimately won. Watching WrestleMania 42 from the sidelines while Cargill defended the Women’s Championship she once held only sharpened the storyline payoff.
End of Giulia’s Reign
Giulia had held the Women’s United States Championship since the first SmackDown of 2026, when she defeated Chelsea Green for the vacant title. Her second reign with the belt featured a successful defense against Alexa Bliss and a non-title win over Stratton on the March 27 episode of SmackDown, which set up tonight’s eventual rematch with the gold on the line.
Stratton now becomes a two-time singles champion in WWE. With Rhea Ripley capturing the Women’s Championship from Cargill at WrestleMania 42 Night 2, Stratton’s first reign with the United States Title sets up new collision courses across a SmackDown women’s division entering its post-Mania reset.