Tiffany Stratton Reveals Childhood Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

WWE Superstar Tiffany Stratton recently shared a personal story about her battle with rheumatoid arthritis, a condition she was diagnosed with as a child. Stratton, known for her athleticism and competitive spirit, detailed how the autoimmune disease impacted her gymnastics career and ultimately shaped her path to professional wrestling.

Early Diagnosis and Gymnastics Career

Speaking on The Nikki & Brie Show, Stratton explained that she received a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis at a young age. Despite the pain and challenges, she persevered in gymnastics, driven by a strong determination to succeed. “I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a little girl,” Stratton stated. “I always had so much grit in me to just pound it out. No matter how much pain I felt I still was just going to be giving it my all in gymnastics.”

Stratton described the intense physical demands of gymnastics, noting the numerous injuries she sustained throughout her career. She emphasized that while professional wrestling is physically challenging, it differs from the specific stresses placed on the body during elite gymnastics training. “I had so many nagging injuries, I don’t think you guys understand, like it was so brutal on my body,” Stratton said. “Wrestling is hard on my body, but not in a way that gymnastics was.”

Transition to Wrestling and Finding a Latest Passion

Stratton made the decision to leave gymnastics, a choice she doesn’t regret. “I never felt like, oh, I miss gymnastics. Not even a little bit,” Stratton said. “It just doesn’t serve me anymore. I found a new passion. When I make my decision there is no going back. I’m not going to look back, I’m not going to reminisce, I’m not going to dwell.”

Following her gymnastics career, Stratton explored CrossFit and bodybuilding before ultimately pursuing professional wrestling. She signed with WWE in August 2021 and competed in NXT, where she became the NXT Women’s Champion. She was later promoted to the SmackDown brand in February 2024.

Recent Return to WWE

Stratton recently returned to WWE action, participating in the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble match after being absent from programming since November, when she lost the Women’s Championship to Jade Cargill.

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Nikki and Brie Show with a h/t to Fightful for the transcription.