Since her WWE debut,Tiffany Stratton has gone on to win the WWE Women'sChampionship, United StatesChampionship, NXT Women'sChampionship, win the Women'sMoney in the Bank in 2024, and win the NXT Women'sChampionship Tournament in 2023,cementing herself as one of the biggest stars of today's Women's Roster.Before achieving the success she's enjoyed in WWE, Stratton was actually trained by AWA legend GregGagne, who recently recalled her early days being trained by him during an appearance on "BustedOpenRadio.""A friend of mine, he says, 'Hey, my good friends, their daughter wants to become a wrestler.' And I say, 'What makes her think she can wrestle? What's her background?'" he recalled. Gagne then told that he'd learned that Stratton was a gymnast and a really good athlete, and after meeting with her mother, agreed to train her.However,Gagne explained that his years of back surgeries meant he couldn't show her anything in practice, and instead had to talk her through her training."She came in with a little bit of an attitude, whichI straightened out pretty quick," he claimed. Gagne then recalled how Stratton came in late one day and proclaimed that she wasn't going to practice and would just watch the other young men he was training. "I said, 'Well, then you'd better get your little ass out here right now. Go get in your car and drive home; we're done.' 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Professional wrestling, kiddo, you go every night day after day after day and if you can't handle that, you're not going to make it in this sport, so go home.'"
After his stern warning, Greg Gagne claims that Tiffany Stratton quickly jumped into the ring and continued her training, only to pull the same stunt two weeks later."And then she really got with it and got going, and with her athletic background in gymnastics, she was a natural. She's done a really good job; I'm proud of her," he proclaimed.Gagne then recalled recently seeing Stratton atSummerSlam this year, and claims that she's now grown to have a respect for the business she didn't originally have. "I went in to say hello to her parents, and she was in there after her match, and I told her how proud I was, gave her a little hug, a kiss on the cheek, you know, a little pat on the butt, you gotta take advantage of those situations," he recalled. "She worked hard, she earned it, and she's developed into a superstar. And I'm so proud of her, and proud that I got to train her and get her to that level as quick as she got."At the same time,the veteran claims that the admiration doesn't just go one way, as he claims that Stratton and her family also only had good things to say to him. "She said that, her mother said it, and her whole family was in there and giving me hugs and thanks 'for everything you did forTiffany,' so, you know, it was a great moment; really was," Gagne claimed.If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "BustedOpenRadio," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
