Top WWE Star Frustrated PLE Match Was Set Up In “Very Boring” Segment

A big-name WWE superstar has expressed frustration that an upcoming PLE match was set up poorly.

The women’s-only WWE Evolution PLE is back after an eight-year hiatus. It will take place on Sunday, July 13th, in Atlanta, on a card featuring multiple title matches.

Tiffany Stratton is the WWE Women’s Champion, who did a promo on the July 4th episode of SmackDown, claiming she got to pick her opponent at Evolution. After an interruption from Queen of the Ring winner Jade Cargill, Stratton called out WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus.

There is some history between Stratton and Stratus, as the two women teamed up to defeat Nia Jax & Candice LeRae at the WWE Elimination PLE in Toronto this past March.

Stratton informed Stratus that she wanted to defend the WWE Women’s Title against her. Stratus, who does not appear on WWE TV regularly, acted surprised and accepted the match. The segment aired just 9 days before the Evolution PLE.

In an interview with Sam Roberts on Notsam Wrestling, Stratus admitted that the build to Evolution has been rushed, but did acknowledge her history with Stratton.

“Unfortunately, yes it is — this entire (Evolution) card has seemed to be a quick turnaround as it is unfortunately and I get it, there’s like 7,000 events a month, it seems like (she laughed). But I think there’s a little bit of a built-in storyline luckily for Tiffany (Stratton) and I.

I love the fact that we had this connection and I think people really were digging the Trishy Time/Tiffy Time thing so I think that worked really well. But, people were seeing the parallels.

There’s these two blondes who came into the business and preconceived notion on what they can deliver in the ring and having to prove (themselves) and knowing you might think that this is what you think you’re gonna get from me in the ring but now I have to work extra hard because I have to prove those people all wrong so we both have had to do that, and had great success early on in our career.

She’s been champion at 25, and I know a certain someone who became champion for the first time at 25 as well… And luckily I say, there’s a bit of a built-in storyline so yeah, the whole Evolution kind of came about quite quickly for everyone but, I think it’s a little bit of that fantasy-booking and seeing Tiff and I in there, I think people wanted it and I think it’s really gonna deliver. I know it’s gonna deliver…”

Trish Stratus Is Focused On What She Can Control In WWE

As she continued, Trish criticized the build of her match at Evolution by saying her promo with Stratton was “very boring,” but she’s only focused on what she can control.

“Yes, 1,000 percent (my brain switches to wrestling mode whenever I come back) and there’s a little bit of a saying, like, ‘You can only control what you can control.’ Do I wish there was a bigger build? Do I wish we had a longer segment? Do I wish we didn’t have a very boring segment last week on SmackDown? Sure (she laughed). But, it is what it is.

You get your time, you do your thing and sometimes things get thrown together. It is what it is, right? To me, the thing I control is the match. I will control the match, we will control the match. We will tell the story, we’ll control the narrative and that’s where I know I can do the work.

There was moments in Becky and I’s feud where people did go on a little bit longer than maybe people liked. Maybe one too many promos about the same thing. I don’t know, maybe. That might have happened. But at the end of the day, it was we knew we had to deliver that match… We’re remembering the rivalry and the chemistry and what we brought in the match and so… Yes, it (was thrown) together. We got a two-week — what is it? 10-day build?… I thought Charlotte (Flair) and I had a short build but again, it was great for the moment.”

The lineup for WWE Evolution on July 13th is below.

• WWE Women’s World Championship: Iyo Sky (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
• WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Trish Stratus
• Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
• No Holds Barred Match: Jade Cargill vs. Naomi
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair vs. The Kabuki Warriors – Asuka & Kairi Sane vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria
• NXT Women’s Championship: Jacy Jayne (c) vs. Jordynne Grace
• Battle Royal for a Women’s World Championship match at Clash in Paris

You can watch WWE Evolution on Sunday, July 13, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, streaming live on Peacock in the United States and on Netflix everywhere else.