NXT’s Rising Star Reveals Her Initial Character Vision

Since her NXT debut in 2021, Tiffany Stratton has been a force to be reckoned with. Quickly ascending the ranks and capturing the attention of fans, she’s become a standout performer. However, there was initially a different vision for her character, one that couldn’t be realized due to trademark constraints.

Many fans and insiders had affectionately dubbed Stratton as NXT’s “Buff Barbie.” Given her physique and charisma, the moniker seemed apt. The buzz around this nickname led to speculation that Stratton might incorporate elements of the iconic Barbie doll into her wrestling persona.

In a candid conversation with ComicBook Nation, Stratton shed light on this matter. She expressed her desire to be recognized as the “Buff Barbie Doll” from the outset. This wasn’t just a fleeting idea; it was a vision she had even before her WWE days, inspired by a Snapchat feature during her bodybuilding phase.

She recalled,” I pitched the Barbie stuff for a while and they always told me that, ‘Oh, we can’t trademark Barbie. It’s already a thing.’ But I was actually — so when I was a bodybuilder, I got on (the) little Snapchat stories thing and they called me the ‘Buff Barbie Doll’ and I thought it was so cool.”

Despite the setback, Stratton found ways to subtly incorporate the Barbie essence into her character, especially with the recent Barbie movie release. She added, “I think it was just the perfect time to put my name in the Barbie letters, the pink gear and just kind of incorporate some Barbie stuff there.”

As the wrestling community gears up for NXT’s “No Mercy” on September 30th, all eyes will be on the anticipated Extreme Rules match where Becky Lynch defends her NXT Women’s Championship against Tiffany Stratton. Whether Stratton reclaims the title remains a thrilling uncertainty.